Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1910-09-29
The Silver Purse
BY TEMPLE BAILEY


for her and she went to bed com.
forted.
The next morning Mrs. Crowell tsle.
phoned to Juliet. ~ have a long
letter from Carter" che said, land
! cant read II. my eyes are 80 bad,
and you know his scrawl. my dear"
I'm come up" Juliet promised,
this afternoon and read It for you"
Come to lunch Mrs. Crowell in.
vited, and Juliet agreed.
While Mrs. Crowcll prepared tho
lunch Juliet looked over the letter.
AS she read n flush came to her
checks and a light to her eyes, for
this was the letter:
Mother Dear: have just received
a note from Juliet. In It she thanks
mo for my gift Of Browning's poems.
| also have a letter from you In which
you thank me for a purse. Now, AZ q
matter of fact, | sent the silver purse
to Juliet, and the poems to you-l
know how you love Browning. am
80 sorry that 0 should have been
disappointed because | intended you
should have the books you have 40
long coveted. But Juliet seems so
pleased that | hate to tell her OF
her mistake. VIII you buy yourself
the books? I want Juliet to have pref.
ty things, yet knowing her. | feel that
II ! explain she will feel It necessary
to return the books to you and to
take the silver purse which would
tnnor ,, ,,,,l lana 40 no., Gnp,n Io1u
| can give her all the triies 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
n quick breath. He had wanted her
to have the purse, he had remem,
bercd 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 n silver
dish. Did he say anything about
tho purse?" she asked. 1T was 30
lovely Of him TO send II 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 a pleasure now and then
TO have something different"
Juliet's breath came quickly. Sure.
ly Carter would want Eis mother
saved from disappointment. II seemed
to bring her closer to him to think
that she might have a secret with
him. something that they could hide
from his mother, rather than some
thing that ne 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 II.
When Juliet went home she wrote
10 her lover and told him all about
it-how she loved the books and how
his mother mad delighted in the silver
purse.
Il want her to keep It," she said,
"and you must not send mo another
to make up to me. for l like 70 feel
that II Ia my gift TO your mother az
well 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. Il am go
ing to take You ut your word" he
said. land let you do without the
purse"
But on their Wedding day. besides
the diamond pendant that he gave
her. there vas another gift. Wrapped
in tissue paper and tied with white
ribbon. It made q rather bulky pack.
age. Within che found a golden bag
all glittering mesh and sparkling
stones. It was a thing beautiful
enough for a duchess. a thing a prince
might have presented to the lady be
loved, and that was what II meant 10
Juliet: the gift OF the lover who had
given her the greatest gift OF all--hi,
hearts best and purest alteration.