The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1910-10-13
The Silver Purse
BY TEMPLE BAILEY
Copyright. 1910 by Literary

for her and she went to bed com.
forted.
The next morning Mrs. Crowell tele
phoned to Juliet. II have a Ions
letter from Carter" she said, land
l can't read it, my eyes are so bad
and you know his scrawl, my dear"
'I'll come up" Juliet promised
this afternoon and read it for YOU"
Come to lunch" Mrs. Crowell in
vited, and Juliet agreed
While Mrs. Crowell prepared the
lunch Juliet looked over the letter.
AS she read flush came to her
cheeks and a light to her eyes, fol
this was the letter:
Mother Dear: | have just received
a note from Juliet. In it she thanks
me for my gift of Browning's poems.
| also nave letter from you in which
you thank me for purse. Now, as
matter Of fact, | sent the silver purse
to Juliet, and the poems to you-l
know how you love Browning. | am
so sorry that you should have been
disappointed because / intended you
should have the books you have so
long coveted. But Juliet seems so
pleased that / hate to tell her of
her mistake Will you buy yourself
the books? l want Juliet to have pref
ty things, yet knowing her, feel that
if I explain she will feel it necessary
to return the books to you and to
take the silver purse which would
mean so much less to her. Some day
/ can give her all the trifes to wear
that she needs, and she has called the
books precious" So don't tell her
anything about it. I'll write again
soon and give you the news; this Is
simply to correct my blunder. / sup
pose the cards were mixed in some
way.
Yours always,
Carter"
When she had finished Juliet drew
quick breath. He had wanted her
to have the purse, he had remem-
bered her love of pretty things. The
exchange would be easy. Mrs. Crow
ell coveted the books.
At this moment the elder woman
came in with the. salad in a silver
dish. did he say anything about
the purse?" she asked. 1T was so
lovely of him to send it to me. Men
are so apt to think that we older
women care nothing for the dainty
things of dress. ] get books, and
books, and books, and practical
things. It's pleasure now and then
to have something different"
Juliet's breath came quickly. Sure
ly Carter would want his mother
saved from disappointment. It seemed
to bring her closer to him to think
that she might have secret with
him, something that they could hide
from his mother, rather than some
thing that he and his mother should
hide from his sweetheart.
Read the letter." the older woman
said as they sat down to the table,
and Juliet read it, making up as she
went along sentences which told that
he was glad she liked the purse, glad
that Juliet liked the books and said
nothing of his mistake. After that
they chatted of the coming marriage
and Juliet's plans for it.
When Juliet went home she wrote
to her lover and told him all about
it-how she loved the books and how
his mother had delighted in the silver
purse.
81 want her to keep it," she said
land you must not send me another
to make up to me, for I like to feel
that 1t is my gift to your mother as
we'll as yours. Some day I'll give her
a set of Browning and then she will
have both things, and never know the
difference"
The answer that came from him re.
paid her for her sacrifice II am go
ing to take you at your word" he
said, "and let you do without the
purse"
But on their wedding day, besides
the diamond pendant that he gave
her, there was another gift. Wrapped
in tissue paper and tied with white
ribbon, 1t made rather bulky pack.
age. Within she found a golden bag,
all glittering mesh and sparkling
stones. 1t was thing beautiful
enough for duchess, thing a prince
might have presented to the lady he
loved, and that was what 1t meant to
Juliet; the gift of the lover who had
given her the greatest gift of all-his
hearts best and purest alteration.