The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-04-02
The One
DlSintereSted
Gift
Am Easter Story
By Amelia Wright

One spring day. the Saturday before
Easter Sunday, boy Of fifteen trudg-
ing along a road with a little bundle
containing his clothing stopped under
tree to eat bite Of luncheon he car
ried in his pocket. While he was there
a girl year or two younger than he
came along and said to him:
You look very tired. Have you come
far?"
II have walked all the way from L.
since o'clock this morning. am go.
ing to the city and must reach it before
night"
What are you going there for?"
ITO begin to make myself independ-
ent. l am a half orphan with a STEP
mother. She has made it so disagree
able for me at home that l can stay
there no longer"
Have you any friends in the city to
help your?
mo"
ANY money to use till you get a
start?"
"No."
"what will you do for food and for
place to sleep?"
"As for food, will go hungry; as for
a place to sleep, l hear there are
benches in the parks"
A great pity welled up into the girls
eyes. Presently she unclasped her palm
and uncovered a crisp FIVE dollar bill
She looked at 1t longingly, then extend
ed it to the boy ''Take this" she said.
My uncle gave it to me for a birthday
present. l am thirteen years old to-
day.
What were you going to do with it ?"
Il was going to buy a sweater. All
the girls have sweaters, and / have
long wanted one. But you win need it
far more than l. 1t may keep you till
you get position"
The offer of this money was the only
sacrifice the boy had ever experienced
Thus far whatever had been given him
had come from those whose duty i'll
was to protect him, but everything he
had received had come grudgingly
"What is your name?' he asked.
Laura"
laura what?''
laura Maryweather."
"And you think me so despicable as
to take from you your birthday gift Z
Nothing would induce me to do So /
am going to the city to make my for
tune. have learned the value Of mon
more such lessons. l shall make peo-
pie pay me for what they get out of me,
and | shall work, work, work, and
save, save. save. until l am rich. But
l will do it all myself | will be be-
holden to no one"
What are you going to do with your
money when you get it?"
do with it? Well. one thing l will
do with i'll will hold it up to glitter
before the eyes Of those who have de-
MED me those things a boy desires, and
will make them feel how easy it
would be to make them happy, but
won't"
The girl looked at him through pair
of eyes that grew big with wonder,
mingled with which was an expression
of reproach. Finally she said:
"Aren't go9 a queer boy?"
do you think that tooY'
eyes"
"Well, suppose | am queer since
you say so. Others have told me that
but | would not believe them Well,
must get on. Goodby."
Aren't you going to thank me for
Offering you my birthday giftw
mo. Thanks are empty words"
"Well, you have taught me lesson
in courage and independence. for which
thank you very much"
The boy turned away from her with
out another word She watched him
till he passed out OF sight. then said to
herself:
That's the queerest boy ever saw
in my life"
After that she went on to the village
and bought sweater
And what did the boy say of the girl
as he drew away from her? THAT girl
is the biggest fool ever met"
Twenty years passed. Laura Mary
weather in a worldly point of view ful
filed the boys opinion of her. She
gave first to others, second to herself
AS to economy, she never knew what II
meant. The day came when she passed
beyond her fathers and mothers care
and was obliged to take care of her
self, being compelled to work very hard
She was always giving away things
she needed herself, taking no fore
thought for her future and spending
what money she devoted to her own
use without much wisdom. She was
the personifcation of improvidence.
When she was twenty-five she mar
ried man named Spellmeyer, who had
no better head for getting on in the
world than herself. Several children
were born to her, then her husband
died and left her with just what she
had when he married her-nothing
Another five years passed. durine
which her children were growing Older
anu ueeulns uOIe anu mOEe every year
Then she broke down in both health
and spirit
One morning the postman left a let
ter for her containing a check for sos
signed with name she had never
heard before, Simeon Wrinkle. The let
ter said that on Saturday before Easter
there was to be an auction sale Of
furniture In the city. "At
END the sale and lid on cake OF |
maple sugar" The check bore date of
several months before. and the envel.