The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1911-09-13
IA q
A GIFT
And What h Brought
By F. A. Mitchell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

of sixteen and Just entering the age OF
romance. 81 wish you would tell me
q love story. Tell me one that really
happened"
"Verv well. dear, know one that
happened right in the family. TIL tell
Won about It. One summer day little
0tri-we'H call her Emma. though that
wasn't her real name-was about to go
to the store of the village in which sne
lived to buy a dress. Her birthday
was soon to come round, and her father
had given her a Eve dollar gold piece
to buy the dress for her birthday pres
emit. The day was hot. and she took
care to keep under the shade or the
trees that lined the road. Presently
she came upon a boy-he looked TO Dc
about ffteen-lying asleep In the grass
under one Of the trees.
Emma stopped to look at him. He
was a handsome lad. slender and tall
for his age with a profusion of black
curly hair tumbled over his forenead'
His shirt was open at the neck. ex-
posing his throat. His whole figure
was relaxed as only can occur In SUM
Der.
"But even in sleep his face was
troubled. His clothes had evidently
been good when new. but they were
now shabby. Emma wondered VINO
he was and what troubled him. There
ia something very winning about a
sleeper. Perhaps 1t is that relaxauon
| have spoken of-that nonresistance
which is so endearing in innocent chill
dren. At any rate, Emma. as she stood
looking down at him. took him right
into her heart #f
"She would like to do something Tor
him to take that troubled look on MS
| face and replace 1t with a smile. IL
occurred to her to drop her gold piece
into his dattened straw hat that lay
beside him, then stand on ana WaUcn
his expression when he aWoke anO
saw It lying there shining In the sun
light pickering through the trees. But
1 II she did this she must go Witnou'
her dress. She involuntarily clutched
the half eagle in tighter grip. Again
| she pictured the boy awakening and
his pleasure at seeing the coin In bis
-
| sympathy and the pleasure or GIVING
| pleasure triumphed, and she dropped
her gold piece into the hat Then she
| climbed the fence beside the road and
hid In some tall wheat which was
nearly ready to be harvested.
"She waited nearly half an hour. mol
daring to take her eyes or the boy
for an instant. fearing she would miss
that first look of surprise she was CIV
| ing treasure to see. At last he stretch
| ed himself. rubbed his eyes with his
fists and sat up He seemed to be try
ing to nerve himself to get up and g
on, but was too tired to do so. Pres
emily. with a sigh. he reached for MS
hat and saw the half eagle.
''It is questionable which would have
been more delightful to third person
the look of surprise of the boy or thu
expression of the little girl hidden II
the wheat, clasping her hands over he
breast as II to still the beating OF he
little heart, her eyes beaming witt
pleasure and expectancy. s.
His eyes were fixed on the COLI
for a moment. then he began to lool
I about him for the donor. Emma enjoy
ed 1t all immensely for awhile. thel
she began to think about what sh
should do. Would she make hersel
known or remain In hiding and let TIN
bow go away with her treasure withou
knowing who had given it to him!
she took the former course he wouh
return the gold piece. II she took tn
latter she would have given ava.
her birthday present to one who coul'
not even know her as the gtver
it
But Emma was not a girl to g
this far In doing kindness and turf
back. She kept very still. watching
the boy, and 1t seemed as II she coul'
read his thoughts. She fancied hin
saving. holding the coin In his han'
and looking at 1t. I'm going to inves
this money and work and save ant
make fortune out Of it. Then, stand
ing on his feet after looking all abou
him, he put the coin in his pocket an
reluctantly went on.
"a great many years passed"
How many years, motherY
LET me see. Emma had grown t
be twenty five years old. and she wa
about twelve when she gave away ne
birthday present That means thiH
teen years.
! ..One day she heard that a man ha
! offered to build a social clubhouse an
give it to the town. The reason b
offered It was that when a poor DO
on his way to the city to look for
J situation he had gone to sleep on tn
} outskirts of the village and some on
had dropped a Eve dollar gold piec
} into his hat He had made lucky IL
; yestments with the money, and 1t ha
grown from IS to $4,000. But NOR
> than this, It had given him hope an
courage, and he had succeeded in OIL
} err directions He wished to retur
: the gift with interest, and. not know
. ing the donor. would give it to th
. town.
. "Well, Emma met this man and b
] came very much interested In him an
! he in her. One day when they wei
together
'I know the end Of the story" IL
terrupted Edith. He was the boy
D whom Emma had given the ha
: eagle" t.,.
;, "That isn't all there is to It" reptile
q the mother.
{ "What else Is thereT
e "Ha was father and am Emma"
3 Holes In Everything.
{ Il IL held BY more than one hii
s authority that matter is neither co
D tinuOus nor homogeneous. Thoms'
D showed by an experiment that hydE
gen can be passed into a vacuum tn
| through an incandeacent pIatinu