The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-03-24

Sallys Birshda, Gift
-GS
ny Abbie Ttbbctta.
81 Abbie Ttbbctts.

+ GU nave never given me a nice
birthday present yet. granduia..:da
clared 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, rebuisingty. "And
my dear granddaughter Lucy Is al
ways respectful toward me-
81 think I'm the one who takes
care Of yon. grandma-t take care OF
your house. anyhow. 1 Should think.
you might give me q set Of fur3. or
something" shs adder disconso-
lately.
I'm afraid. Sally. you hare I'M
herlted all the im~perfections OF your.
mother. She was an auuending trial
to me from the day she was born till
she a away to be married."
II don't wonder my mother ran
away. from YOU" flashed Sally. II;
should run away myself only-only
---H And then further speech was
checked by I. sob.
Only Wesley Burbank is a very
prudent young man., Grandma
commented with a chuckle. "He,
prefers to wait; he THINKS Ill prob
ably leaya you a lot of money some-
time. Butt II l should you would.
spend 1t on furs and things. or lose It
as your mother used to do before
you. She actually lost $1,000 In bills
once which I was 'Bending by her to
the bank"
And just because my mother hap
pened to lose that, ] Ell ppose i IA
never have any furs,"' walled Sally.
recurring to the original theme OF
the controversy.
You might get something from.
the old cedar chest III the garrett:
there is q mur and boa which your
mother used to wear"
"Aud which moths have probably
deyoured ages ago." declared the I'm
appeased Sally.
you can find out by looking" her
grandmother returned indltrerently.
Sally did not feel very hopeful as she
presently assembled the stairs 10 the
murky little gurret. And she felt
still less hopeful when ska lifted the
lid of the cedar chest. And there.
near the bottom, wrapped In musty
paper, were the nun and boa-not
SO ravaEed by moths d. might be
presumed.
II can trim on the eaten edges ana
make quite q passable article OF
this, Sally unused as she twirled the
big mur in an Interested inspection.
But what in the world is in the
lining?" she asked herself, cautious
lys lingering something which was
neither fur nor waddins, and shrink
Ing with a little nervous dread Of NJ
ambushed mouse. lFitt .tf
But that she warilyi Esew forth at
length was not d mouse. What she
gazed upon with stncredulous eyes
was q roll of bills which. OF course.
must be the $1,000 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 1t she and Wesley could begin
life SO delightfully-but HI the same
the money belonged to her grand
mother.
II should like to know what nilB
Grandma Brooks cueried 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. I 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.
hope Sally won't spoil our din
ner," she said. Grossly, for Sally had
dropped the luckIess mustard bottle,
and stood With an averted face, I'm
mistakably crying
"she Is sulkinE about some furs,"'
Grandma Brooks smiled In her most
aggrarating fashion.
Sally turned impulslyely, with
flaming cheeks, at could have more
than a set Of furs," she said. saucily,
@if | had a mind to be as unjust and
wicked as YOU are. but shall not
keep from you what is your own.
There Ia the money my mother lost
years. ago. It was In the notify old
nun you allowed me as a birthday
present to-day"
For a moment there was an Inn
pressive silence. And then Grand
ma Brooks turned slowly toward the
pair. II don't intend 20 have our
dinner married by heroics nor any
other nonsense she avowed, with
her severest frown. But perhaps
there. VIII be no harm done, Wesley
Burbank, II you Will look at the
dates OF the bills Sally found In the
nun. Then you will admit. what was
lost years ago has not been SO easily