The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-08-01
Lace Medallion.
Q---0-O
BY Louis D. Quincy.

nv go kindly lace of Mrs
uranam wrinkled into a troubled
iroWn as, standing first on one foot
ehen on the other, like a schoolgir
caught In some misdemeanor. She
5 surveyed her handiwork. hangino
IMPLY against the small glass win.
dow of the new front door
Lucella put down the pink mus.
iin waist she was finishing and came
OUT into the hall, her dainty pretti-
ness contrasting strangely with the
uuil' old-time surroundings. Bits OF
coarse netting lay on the floor and
she stopped to picked them nm before
answering.
guess we might as well give II
up she said, after hurried glance
= spent all day yesterday and dav
before on it. It's not fit to be seen ;,
she burst out; then, as if ashamed If
ner petulance, SITS of no account
ANYHOW. The house1l be fine enough
without lace medallions. I'll inst
rol the thing up. and put it hack in
the drawer. and no one1l ever know
we thought of the door,
Mrs. Graham pulled the lacv fail.
ure this way and that, trying to bring
the medallion to its proner Mace in
the centre. A little pang smote her
aI the thought of asking assistance
yet the task was clearly beyond her
powers. She made a last stand for
independence with the deprecatorv
remark:
It's not in the middle exactlv
Lucella, but it's pretty good. Any
now, I've seen worse"
Wen, don't know as have ;,
SAID Lucella. 3Everybody'll he lool-
ing at 1t, and maybe criticizing. inst
when / want everything to 60 off
especially well. My land!" she said
the lovely color sweeping up to the
roots of her soft. brown hair. 1T
wouldn't have Tom see it for the
world"
Well, ] should think not.'' her
mother upheld her. Loyalty. And
your engagement party, too.
A figure OF indecision she stood
perplexed for moment; then the
lines OF care were swept away by 2
saving thought
III tell you what" she said.
now" and her voice grew more
cheerful with each word. well aslr
Mrs. Blumm to tea, and maybe she'll
nelp out. | don't know as I like to
no II Just that way, but the times so
snort. You run right back to the
slttlng-room,, Lucella, and I'll get nv
Things on, and go see Mrs. Blumm.
Sakes alfve!" she calculated. looking
up into the girlish face, grown sud-
denly radiant with expectation. II
should think Tom'd run off with Won
tomorrow, instead of waiting till
Christmas!"
She stepped into the kitchen as
Lucella went back to her work. She
looked at the fragrant loaves of cake
lying In row on the pantry shelf.
ana gave sigh of satisfaction as
she tested the hardening frosting
with her finger.
She drew the steaning kettle, 70
the back of the stove, pulled the
shades to the middle of the south
windows, and put her husbands
rockingham in its place beside the
weekly papers, where It would com
fortably invite him, should he hap
pen to return before dinner.
I'm more than thankful l can do
everything but the medallion she
said, brightly, taking a last look
round the room before going for her
bonnet and shawl
L may be gone quite a SPELL" she
said, looking into the sitting-room
on her way to the front door. IF
your pa comes in before come back,
tell him where I've gone"
She walked briskly along. her
mind intent ON her mission. The
morning sun shone brightly down on
the snowy road as she climbed the
hill toward Mrs. Blumm's. sI de-
clare she gasped. pausing to rest
beside the CaTfers' hitching post, 'if
1t had been anything but th" medal
lion that Lucella's got her heart so
set on, | don't ,know but I'd let it
goi"
A pung came over the hill, with
Z jangling bells, and stopped beside
her.
Well, II it's not Mrs. Graham.
cures you live!" exclaimed the loud
voice of Mrs. Walker, the village
grocer's wife, and, incidentally, the
gossip of the town. II saids to my
self when saw you standing here,
Some one to get poor Mrs. Blumm
again to help out Then, No. /
said, If It's not Mrs. Graham What's
the matter at your house? Nobody
sick, or anything?"
mo" said Mrs. Graham. Just a
friendly call on Mrs. Blrmm, that's
ALL
Now isn't that too bad! lament
&C the shrill voice from the seat.
Mrs Blumm's gone to her dead hus-