Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-01-02
THE BROKEN VASE.

THE BROKEN VASE.
Crash! Mothers new vase fell to
the floor, and two little frightened
faces looked at each other in surprise
and dismay.
Majorie picked up the pieces care
fully and sat down on the ottoman
with them in her lap. Kentie sat
down, too, and they pieced the frag-
ments together.
''Why, it looks most like newt" ex-
claimed Marjorie.
There's little teenty hole, Mar
jo.' Kentie said, slowly.
But it's so little Kent! Let's put
1t on the mantel piece again and see
If 1t shows
Eyes, let's"
Kentie climbed up on chair and
took the pieces as Marjorie handed
them up. He set the jar back in its
old place. with the little hole next
to the wall. The pieces held together
beautifully.
Don't it look good, Marjo?" he
said, excitedly.
Eyes, splendid! l don't 'spect any
body'd know it was broken"
Kentie got slowly down, and they
went across the room and stood look
ing up at the little jar. 1t was ma
mas present from papa on her last
birthday, and they knew how much
she thought of it. They had faint
idea, too, that it was worth quite
good deal of money.
eve couldn't tell her now, you
know. Mario, cause she's gone to
heather meetin' at the church. Let's
go upstairs m play party"
"What'll we do when she gets
home, Kentie? Must we tell right off
quick? Maybe she wouldn't feel SO
bad by N by, when she's had it long
err"
Kentie did not answer. They went
out of the room and shut the door
softly. The hardest part of it was,
it would never had happened unless
they had been playing in the parlor,
where they were quite sure mama
would not have wanted them to be-
The party was not a success. It
was a very solemn little party, and
came to an end abruptly. Then they
tried playing jackstones, but that was
even worse than the party.
I'm goin' down. l most blieve
you don't play fair, Kent Howell!"
Marjorie went off and left Kentie
tossing the stones up and catching
them on the back of his hand. After
a while he put them all in his pocket
and went downstairs, too. Very
quitely he stole through the hall and
into the parlor "Oh!" he whispered,
with a little jump, and a guilty ex-
preston. you here, Marjo?"
Sure enough, there was Marjorie,
sitting on the ottoman. They looked
at each other with sober little faces
Just then they heard mama's voice on
the front piazza, and they slipped out
into the back yard instead of running
to meet her as usual.
Teatime came, and bedtime. Mama
went up stairs and kissed them to
sleep" in the same dear old way, but
somehow it troubled them this time.
She turned out the gas and went
away. The clock on Marjorie's bu-
reau licked very loud indeed, and
licked quite a long time before there
came shrill whisper from Kentie's
room.
Are you asleep, Mario
mo, are you? I've been awake all
night. Don't you guess it's most
mornin'?'
Yes, | guess SO. Say, Marjo!"
WHAT"
1--WE been thinkin' of somethin'."
"So've l."
Let's go down an tell her now,
Mario"
ooh, yes, Kentie, do le's!"
And two little figures in white
nightdresses pattered down the stairs.
Mama was writing at her desk. It
was letter to grandma, telling "all
about those blessed babies" The sit
tingToom door creaked and mama
looked up. What in the world!"
she said, for there stood the blessed
babies" hand in hand, right before
her. In minute it was all told, Ken.
ties words tumbling over Marjorie's
and Marjorie's tumbling over them
selves. 1t was so much easier to tell
when they had once begun. Mama
listened gravely. Then she took them
both up in her arms and had little
loving talk with them about the
dreadfulness of hiding things from
mama.
WAS it most telling wrong
story, mama?" Kentie whispered.
I'm afraid SO, DEAR" mama said.
ut was a good deal worse than break.
ing the jar
BY and by mama sent them UP to
bed, and how much lighter their
hearts felt going back, and how they
Rugged each other!
Marjorie's clock licked Jolly little
good night as they got into bed.
Good night, Kentie!" Marjorie cali
ed again. "Ain't it nice we went?"
Splendid, Mario! I'm goin' to try
to be-to try to-be-''
I expect Kentie finished that SEN
tence in Slumber Land, for Majorie
heard no more.-Annie H. Donnell,
in the Youths Companion.