The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-05-24
The Franklin Plates.

Dorothy had come that very day to
spend part Of her vacation with her
/ grandmother and when after lunch
con, in her fresh white dress, she
came down the long staircase. the
minister and his wife were just being
shown into the beautiful drawing
room
Grandmother took Dorothy in and
introduced her to the visitors Dor
othy shook hands shyly, for the great
room, with its stately furnishings,
and the portraits Of her ancestors
looking down at her from the white
and gold walls, always rather over
powered her
Presently Phoebe, the maid, brought
in the tea things and some of grand
mothers famous fruit cake.
Dorothy had equally famous seed
cakes, which Phoebe brought her, on
pink lustre plate, that had one of
Poor Richards proverbs around the
edge.
Silks and satins put out the kitch-
en- fire. read Dorothy.
Il sounded very queer; she longed
to experiment with it, and she touched
grandmothers black satin gown with
her hand Grandmother looked down
| at the little girl, who sat on a low
stool near her chair and smiled
Dorothy smiled back again, but grand
mother thinking she looked tired,
said:
you can go out in the kitchen, if
you like, dear, and ask Phoebe or
cook to show you the kittens"
So Dorothy excused herself and ran
down the hall There was no one in
the kitchen, however, for cook and
Phoebe were down in the laundry.
There was a bright fire in the range,
and Dorothy was reminded of the
proverb
Il don't think grandmother would
care if l brought down a few gowns
out OF the closet upstairs to try with,
she thought.
So she slipped up the back stairs,
and presently came back with her
arms full of silk and satin gowns,
which she hung around the fire.
When the callers had gone, grand
mother found a very sober and tear
stained Dorothy curled up in the win
dow seat in the library.
What is the matter, deary?" she
asked anXiously, seeming hOme-sick-
ness in the air
II have been very bad girl, grand
mother" sobbed dorothy. You know
the Franklin plates? Well mine said
that bout silks and satins, you know.
Itried it; Ihung some Of yours around
to see, and it didn't so out at all-no
indeed-it scorched the sleeve, a lit
tie, and I know now I ought not to
have done It without asking yo@.
You prob1y won't want me to stay
here any longer, and l shouldn't think
you would"
ooh, dear child!p said grandmother,
trying not to laugh, did you think it
meant that? No, it means, l think,
that if you wear better things than
you can afford, you must go without
things you really need
But the scorched place." said
Dorothy.
What closet did you get them
from?"
The East room closet
"Well, those are old ones, hung
away there to use for patchwork"
said grandmother, so there is no
great harm done"
But Dorothy knew better.
1T might have been, and it isn't
my fault that it isn't" she said in
penitent voice. 1T might have been
your bestest one"
Yes, you can always ask, you
know" suggested grandmother, in her
gentle voice.
Yes, l always wilr after this said
Dorothy; and will get plate to
eat on that says something that can
understand, so l won't want to try
things, for do love to do that, grand
mother"
Grandmother always liked to think
Dorothy was like herself when she
was a little girl, so now she laughed.
"Ah. so did I, Dorothy, when I was
your age. she said.
20, tell me, pleasa?' said Dorothy.
And grandmother told stories until
the bell called them into the dining
room Dorothy ran ahead and chose
a plate this time, which instructed
her not to pay too dear for her whis-
tie. which was comparatively safe
New York News.