The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-12-07

was threading fine cambria needle
for near-sighted FRANCESCA, lis what
| call bright and shining idea"
eyes" said Grandma Wilson, in
her precise way. at is, indeed,
most appropriate golden wedding gift.
l shall never see these little fish
without thinking Of you"
FRANCESCA chuckled silently. Mrs.
Balm was not unlike plump, stupid,
laundering fish, but it was clear that
the bride was not thinking of this re-
semblance.
"She does know" whispered Mrs.
Wilson. But why hasn't she mention
ed it?"
But Mrs. Wilson guessed why
few minutes later, when Mrs. Balm
had been disposed of.
elizabeth said Grandma Wilson,
in whose cheeks blazed lnwonted
spots of scarlet, 81 suspect that you
have been making plans to celebrate
our-my golden wedding. If you
have, it is, unfortunately, too late
to undo them. I'll have to ask you
to do one more thing. Bring me my
check book
THERE said she, signing her
name with firm, determined strokes.
81 want FRANCESCA to cash this. Then
| want her to take the money to some
jewelers. and buy me a breast-pin-
a gold one. Such pin as man
would buy. Now give me plain
white card. There! Put this beside
the pin when it comes and place them
both on the table with those silly
goldfish. This is for Maria Quinby's
benefit"
The card read, in a very Fl iml-
tation of Grandfather Wilson !; rath-
er peculiar hand:
SAMANTHA ELLEN WILSON,
From her loving husband,
NATHAN WILSON. 1S56-1906.
Shes angry all the way through"
said Mrs Wilson, despatching Fran
ceska on the unusual errand, be
cause your grandfather has forgotten
the day. She says if 1 do anything
to remind him of it that she'll never
forgive me-she wouldn't either. But
she isn't going to let that gosslplng
Maria Quinby know that your grand
father forgot the only golden-weduing
day she'll ever have"
Nothing happened during the din
ner hour TO remind Nathan Wilson,
who had spent the day pruning his
sister-in-law's rose bushes, that he
was eating his goldenwedding dinner.
But his necktie now dangled in two
forlorn strings between his shoulder
blades, and the resentful bride let
it bangle.
At eight o'clock the Harmsworths
arrived. They, too, had hit upon the
idea of presenting goldfish.
Why" exclaimed Grandpa Will
son, excitedly, rumpling his hair,
this is complete surprise! l declare
L"
But his daughter-in-law ,whisked
him suddenly through the doorway
into the hail. Don't tell anybody
you forgot" she whispered. Here,
let me fix your necktie."
A moment later Maria Quinby
hustled in. She, too, brought gold
fish. Afterward came other guests
with other gifts, but for the first hour
goldfish predominated. By nine
o'clock the Wilson's were the sur
prised possessors of eight globes of
goldfish.
1T looks" chuckled Grandpa Will
son, las if we'd have to have fish for
breakfast. And bless my soul! Here
comes Mrs. Doty with another
globe!"
"And there really isn't anything"
whispered Mrs. Wilson to Frances
ka, that one can do with goldfish. AL
most anything else can be made over,
or altered, or turned to account, but
goldfish
you see," explained Maria Quin-
by, amid gales of laughter. I'VE all
read the same list of Gifts Suitable
for Golden Weddings in the last
number of the Ladies'" Friend
The merriment over the goldfish
kept the guests from noticing that
Grandma Wilson kept as far away as
possible from her husband, whose
necktie presently worked loose and
dropped UNDECIDED to the floor, for he,
at least, seemed to be enjoying the
occasion thoroughly. But Franceska
realized that her grandmother was
not getting out of her only golden
wedding day the pleasure to which
she was entitled.
Presently the girl edged closer to
her smiling grandfather.
'Granddaddy," she whispered, did
you ever see grandma looking any
prettier?"
FRANCESCA" exclaimed the old
gentleman, eagerly Selling the girls
round wrists, I've been trying to get
hold of you for the last half-hour!
She does look pretty, my dear, but
she looks pretty mad, too. l haven't
lived with her for fifty years with
out knowing how she looks when I've
been stepping on her grass. Now you