The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-04-26
AGood
BY ESTELLE MARSH
Copyright. 1910 by American Press
Association
BY EsTELLE MARSH

Dick" said his aunt, II think you
are making a mistake IN not marrying
Jenny now. Start In with what you
have and 1t will grow"
Dick Larramore was very much i'm.
pressed with his aunt's advice. He
talked with Jenny about It, and they
agreed that they would make a be.
ginning at once. Together they could
raise S75, and they knew of cottage
they could get for 500 month. They
fixed a date for their wedding and
began to hunt for furniture that they
could pick up at small cost.
One day Dick heard of an auction
sale Of household goods that was to
take place in a neighborlng village and
concluded to go over and see IL he
could get anything that would help
him and Jenny at their houseka coping
He bought dining table for 81 and
sideboard for Sc Among other
things put up for sale was basket
full Of shells, eggs and other oddities
a'iNh hhN uih hg Nhhth Eltdl
In curious things and had quite col
lection of old dirk knives, bits of un-
common metals. shells and other ar
ticles. There were two large eggs in
the basket he saw at the auction that
excited his curiosity. lie had never
seen eggs of that size or shape. lie
forgot for the time being that he need
ed furniture and began to bid on the
basket of curios. An old woman SEEM
ed to covet them and bid against him
till she had raised her offer to 81. Dick
bid $725, and the basket was knocked
down to him.
That brought him to his senses. He
had invested about one-tenth of all
he had to spend for furniture in a
basket of worthless trinkets. He was
so disgusted with himself that he left
the auction and drove home.
The boldest thing he had ever thus
far done was facing Jenny, showing
her, among his purchases. the basket
of knickknacks.
"Why, Dick" she exclaimed when
she saw the latter.
LICK nunp MS DeaQ.
They'll make q nice ornament for
our sitting ROOM" said the girl, seeing
! by Dicks rueful appearance that he
regretted his purchase as much as she
did, and, putting her arms around his
neck. she gave him kiss.
What big eggs those areg' she said.
What bird laid them?'
81 don't know" said Dick, "and |
don't care"
"We'll ask Professor Drummond"
Jenny showed Professor Drummond
the eggs. and he pronounced them
auS's eggs.
whats an auk?" asked Jenny.
Alcidae--swimming birds with
pointed bin, very short wings and legs
placed very far back. Penquins be-
long to the alcidae family. I'm not
sure" he continued. examining the
eggs critically, but these are eggs Of
the great aux"
is the great aux superior to the
rest?" asked Jenny.
"In one respect. They are extreme
ly rare. Indeed. think they are ex-
tinct."
IF they are extinct how came these
eggs to be In eXistence?"
"They must have been procured be-
fore the birds extinction. At any rate,
they are great curiosities! They must
be very valuable"
Jenny's heart leaped for joy. Per-
haps they could sell them for what
| far rryn,tlH
lieve his mind, and they could buy
some kitchen utensils she needed.
do you think. professor" she asked
"that we could get as much as $7.25
for them?
The professor smiled. "If they are
great auk's eggs" he replied, you can
get more than hundred times $7.25."
Jenny opened her eyes.
81 would advise you to put them
away carefully. will bring Profess
or Wilson, the naturalist, to see them
He will settle the question whether
they are great auk's eggs or not"
Jenny put the eggs away. 1t was all
she could do to keep from telling Dick
what the professor had said. but she
shrank from raising her lovers ex-
pectations to have them blighted. so
she kept her secret, and the next day
the two professors called, looked at
the eggs, and Professor Wilson pro-
nounced the eggs those of the great
aux He gave their value at about q
thousand dollars each. He agreed to
send man who would offer for them
all they were worth except a fair
profit.
Jenny kept her secret In fine style,
though she said, Heaven knows what
a struggle have to do so" One night
when Dick came to see her she said to
him.
"Dlck, you know what poor bust
ness man you showed yourself in buy
p ing that basket Of trinkets."
"Please bury that matter"
"Well, since you were so stupid as
to buy those things l think had bet