The Holbrook news., 1910-06-17
CELESTFS CHANCE
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It was the lamb chops that began 1t.
 Mother simply must have them. Celeste had said, with her crooked lit tie smile, that was half pathos.
 She counted the money in the small pocketbook. and looked thoughtful.
 Tt means that you and I will have soup again, 'Titia," she decided. I'll get a bone with a lot of meat ol it. ans, a choice collection oe vegetables. and # it is a cold day it will be all right, went it.
 Letitia tried to respond with en.hu- siasm. bu: failed. We have soap so often" she murmured. Just then from tke next room came a tired voice:
 Girls. if you are planning my din ner. don't want anything but toast and tea"
 70 dear, she heardi" and Celeste slid down from the couch and limped to the door.
 Mother. deary" she said. i've shal. be rich tomorrow. when Letitia gets paid for her music lessons"
 The little white lady. proppad up among her pillows, smiled at the slen- der maiden with the crown Of ced-gold puffs. "Yes. and then you will buy birds for me. But I sha'n't let you"
 Celeste smiled her crooked smile. You are like a bird yourself" she evaded. ''If I were Mufles. I should eat you," and she smoothed the great yellow cat. which lay like a spot of gold on the white cover.
 "Ah, Muff1es"-the little white lady touched the soft head with her thin fingers-'he is fat and lazy. but he loves me"
 Everybody loves you" said Celeste. and it's too bad that you have to be 50 much alone. But 1 am so slow about things
 "Yes. my deary." said her mother. pititUlly. for Celeste's crooked smile was not the only crooked thing about her. There was the turned foot that made the little limp.
 ''I wish I could do something besides homework" Celeste conided. as she and her sister ate frugal luncheon of bread and jelly on the kitchen table I. only had some of your briiliancy, T itia. dear"
 You have a dozen talents in one" Letitia held her bread deiicately in the tips of her long white fingers. She was tall and her hair was golden. Even in her shabby suit of gray she was ex- ceedingly good to look at. and Celeste adored her. You have a dozen tai ents." she repeated. If only you had a chance to develop them"
 If she only had a chance, Celeste thought about it as she made her limp. ing way through the frosty streets to the provision shop.
 There did not seem to be much chance fer a girl with a limp and a crooked smile. If her father had lived. she might have learned to paint: that was the dream of her life-to paint as well as Letitia played. But there had been friend of her mothers to teach Letitia. and no one had offered such an opportunity to Celeste.
 She sighed as she neared the little shop with the shabby sign, which read:
 c. Smith Staple and Fancy Groceries and Meats. Vegetables. Fish and Oysters in Sea-
 son.
 c. Smith was a chubby little man, | who did not seem to get along very we'll in the world. People were apt to pass the shop with the shabby sign | for the more pretentious stores up the | street. But Celeste liked him because | of his cheery smile. and because his | meats were very fresh and very good. | But he doesn't know how to display | his wares" she thought. as she glanced | toward the little window, where ev- erYthfng was higgledy-piggledy. Her artists soul revolted at the hy-speckled the leftover vegetables. the tipsy signs.
 The lamb chops. however. were kept in white-tiled refrigerato and the meat-block and knives and C. Smiths own apron were as clean as possible.
 T want another soup bone" Celeste stated. and smiled her crooked smile. Tt probably seems to you that we are living on soup"
 c. Smith smiled back "I know it is going to be good soup" he remarked. The very sound of the vegetables as