The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1907-05-09
Sally $ Birthday Gift.
BY Abbie Tibbctts.

birthday present yet, grandma" de-
claref Sally fractiously. You've al
ways given me boxes Of thread or
packages of needles or something of
that kind. But you always give
Lucy nice present"
my money is my own," returned
Grandma Brooks, rebukingly. "And
my dear granddaughter Lucy is al
ways respectful toward me-"
II think I'm the one who takes
care of you, grandma take care Of
your house, anyhow. l should think
you might give me q set of fur3 or
something" she added disconso-
lately.
Pm afraid, Sally, you have in
heritcd all the imperfections of your
mother. She was an unending trial
to me from the day she was born till
she ran away to be married"
Il don't wonder my mother ran
away from YOU" flashed Sally. II
should run away myself only-only
-" And then further speech was
checked by a sob.
"Only Wesley Burbank is a very
prudent young man." Grandma
commented with a chuckle. He
prefers to wait; he thinks I'll prob
ably leave you lot of money some
time. But if l should you would
spend it on furs and things, or lose 1t
as your mother used to do before
you. She actually lost 81 900 in bills
once which l was sending by her to
the bank"
And just because my mother hap
pened to lose that, l suppose | can
never have any furs," walled Sally,
recurring to the original theme of
the controversy.
You might get something from
the old cedar chest in the garnet;
there is a muff and boa which your
mother used to wear"
And which moths have probably
devoured ages ago." declared the I'M
apreased Sally.
you can find out by looking" her
grandmother returned indifferently.
Sally did not feel very no. ,eful as she
presently assembled the stairs to the
murky little garret. And she felt
still less hopeful when she lifted the
lid of the cedar chest. And there,
near the bottom, wrapped in musty |
paper, were the muff and boa--not !
80 ravaged by moths as might be
presumed.
81 can trim off the eaten edges and
make quite passable article OF
this" Sally unused as she twirled the
big muff in an interested inspection. |
"But what in the world is in the |
lining?' she asked herself, cautious |
ly lingering something which was
neither fur nor Wadding. and shrink
ing with little nervous Tread of an
ambushed mouse.
But that she warily lew forth at
length was net mouse. What she
gazed upon with increjulous eyes
was a roll of bills which, of course,
must be the 81, 900 which her moth !
er had lost SO long ago
How long Sally stood daZed in that
dim old garnet she never knew. 1t
was her. hour of temptation. BY the /
right of her long unpaid and thank
less drudgery, the money was hers. |
With it she and Wesley could begin |
If so lly-but oil the same |
the money belonged to her grand
mo her.
II should like to know what ails
you?" Grandma Brooks eueried with |
severity a little later as Sally was |
preparing the dinner. you haven't |
the mince pie warming yet, and |
you're actually putting mustard over
the cranberry jelly, | should suppose !
you'd be more heedful when | have
invited Wesley here to dinner
Just then the door bell rang, and
the grandmother went to the door.
A Moment later Wesley Burbank fol- |
lowed her into the room.
81 hope Sally won't spoil our din
ner," she said, GROSSLY, for Sally had
dropped the luckless mustard bottle,
and stood with an averted face, I'M
mistakably crying.
''She is sulking about some furs,"
Grandma Brooks shifted in her most
aggravating fashion. =.
Sally turned impulsively, with
flaming cheeks. II could have more
than a set Of furs," she said, saucily, |
eff had mind to be as unjust and |
wicked as you are, but l shall not |
keep from you what is your own.
There is the money my mother lost !
years ago It was in the notify old /
mufl you allowed me as a birthday |
present to-day"
For a moment there was an i'm
pressive silence. And then Grand
ma Brooks turned slowly toward the |
pair. Il don't intend 20 have our |
dinner marred by heroics nor any |
other nonsense" she avowed, with |
her severest frown But perhaps |
there will be no harm done, Wesley |
Burbank, II you will look at the
dates of the bills Sally found in the
muff Then you will admit what was
lost years ago has not been so easily |
found. mean my granddaughters to
share alike all have If l have been
strict with Sally, you have no reason
to complain, for | have trained a |
clever housewife for you, and her
honesty has been tested and proved,
as you will know. The $1,000 IL nv
birthday present to her Old folks
can outwit the young ones every
time"
And the yonng people admitted
with remorse that Grandma Brooks
spoke the truth.
The Dublin corporation has de-