Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-09-10

them to me" she explained, "bos
wouldn't take them. ] paid Tor them
myself" There wa . dead silence.
"Don't you believe msr painted IL
nora.
"Really, Il . none Of our afIAif.s said
another giEL "Coms On: lsts o."
EInora stepped before The gifi wAo
had spoken. you have made this
your affair" she said. 'becauss you
told q thing which was not true. No
one gave me what I am wearing.
paid for my clothes myself with money
earned selling moths 70 The Bird
Woman. Just came from The bank
where I deposited what I al not uss.
Here b my credit" Einora drew out
and offered the little red book. "6ure-
" You viii believe that" she said
"why. Of course" said ths girl who
nrst had spoken. I'VE met such Q
lovely woman In Brownlee's store, and
she said she wanted our hslp to boy
some things for q girl. and that's how
We came to know"
"Dear Aunt Margaret" said Elnora.
1T was like her to ask you. Isn't she
splendidr
"she 10 indeed" chorused The girls.
Einora set down her lunch box and
books and unpinned her hat hanging
it beside the others. While her back
was turned Into the room came the
girl Of her encounter on The hfst day.
walked to the rack and, with an ex.
clamation Of approval. took down FL
nora's hat
"Just the thing I have been want
Ing" she said. II never saw such
beautiful quilts In al my life. They
match my new broadcloth % perfec.
ton. I've got to have that kind Of
quills for my hat I never saw the
like. Whose is Il. and where did It
come fromT'
No one said q word, for Einora's
question. the reply and her answer
had gone the rounds Of the high
school Every one knew that the Linn.
berlost girl had come out ahead. and
Sadie Reed had not felt amiable when
| the little flourish had been added to
Elnora's name In the algebra class.
Elnora's swift glance was pathetic.
but no one helped hef. Sadie Reed
glanced from the hat 10 the faces
around her and wondered
why. this u the freshman section.
Whose hat IL itf' she asked again.
this time impatiently.
That's the tassel Of the cornstalk," !"
aid Elnora. with q forced laugh.
The response was genuine. Every
one shouted. Sadie Reed blushed. but
she laughed also.
well, It's beautiful" abe said. "es-
pecially the quilts. They are exactly
what 1 want I know I don't deserve
| any kindness from you. but ! do wish
you would tell me at whose store you
got those quills."
"Gladly." said Einora. You can't
ret Quills ike those at Q store. They
| lre from a living bird. Phoebe Simms
gathers them In her orchard a her
peacocks shed them They ars wing
quills from the males."
Then there Was q perfect silence.
How was Einora to know that not =
girl there would have told thatf
II haven't a doubt but I can get you
some" she offered. ''She gave Aunt
| Margaret q great bunch, and those are
part Of them. am quite sure she has
more and would spare some"
Eams Reed laughed shortly. "You
needn't trouble" she said, II was fool
ed. thought they were expensive
Qullls. wanted them for . twenty
dollar velvet toque to match my new
suit II they are picked OF the ground.
really, couldn't use them"
-Only In spots." said Elnora. They
don't just cover the earth. Phoebe
simms' peacocks are the only ones
| within miles Of Onabasha. and they
moult but once q year. II your hat
only cost so it's hardly good enough
for those quills. You go. the A.
mighty made and eoloesd those him.
self, and hs puts the same kind on
Phoebe simms' psscocks that he put
on the head Of the family in the for
ests Of Ceyion away back in the begin
ming. Any old manufactured Quill from
New York or Chicago will do for your
little twenty dollar hat You ought to
have something infinitely better than
that to be worthy Of Quills that are
made by the Creator"
How those girls did taught Ono OF
them walked by Enora to the audi
torium, sat with her during exercises
and tried to talk whenever she dared
| to keep Einora from seeing the curious
and admiring looks bent upon her.
For the brown eyed boy whistled. and
there was pantomims Of al sorts 90.
inr on behind Elnosa's back that day.
Happy with hes books no one knew
how much she saw. and from her abb
sorptiou In her studies It was evident
she cared too little to notce. It soon
developed that to b inconspicuous ana
to work was all Elnosa craved
After school she went again to the
home Of the Bird Woman. and togeth'
er they visited the swamp and took
away more specimens This tme e.
nora asked the Bird Woman to keep
the money until noon Of the next day.
when she would call for It and have 1t
added to her bank account She slow
" walked home. for the visit TO the
swamp had brought back full force the
experience Of the morning. Again and
again she examined the crude little
note. for she did not know what u
meant, Jet II bred vague fear.
fro m coxfTNU8nl
An inssnisvs "FIrs oeA.'
A very simple but nsvsrthslsss q.
f>ctivs method Of making Are = used