Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-08
The Daily Story
TIE Green Satin Coat-By Clarissa Mackie.
COPYRIGHTED 1914 by Associated Literary bureau

delight instead Of very ordinar.
SUM- sighed Nellie as she arose am
folded up the gorgeous coat. .''rbera.s
the supper bell. and ! am so untidv,
Do let's hurry or we won't get bite n
cot"
After supper IT was n long. dull eren.
ing. Though both of the girls were an.
parently reading. each one Of them
was thinking Of the beautiful rree,
satin coat and how utterly useless q,
all was under the present circum.
stances.
NeIlie carried her sober thoughts "a
bed with her. and for many hours sba
lay awake, wondering why Uncle Dan
had sent her such an absurd gift when
! he knew that she was obliged to wort
I for her living and that the fnandarfn's
coat must be an extravagant accessorv
| to her simple wardrobe.
/ II can't understand it, she mur.
( INJURED sleepily. Mother always said
/ that Uncle Dan was eccentric. but she
, said be was hard headed. practical and
scorned useless extravaganza, So Oh
/ wonder, 1 wonder,''
Now she was wide wake and sittinz
up in bed. In a second her feet were
on the floor and she was pulling the
mandarin's coat from its place in her
dresser. She pulled down the shades
and lighted the gas. Grace sat NJ in
bed and stared dazedly at her friend.
What is the matter?" she demanded
drowsily. Are you crazy. Nellie Hill
yer?"
Nellie turned her head away from
the blazing sun. at which she was
daintily shipping with her embroidery
scissors. Her face was pink with ex-
element, and her eyes shone.
"Grace Lane. | believe there really "a
a jewel hidden under this embroidery"
she cried eagerly.
Miss Lane opened her blue eyes wide
and yawned. Then she hoped out of
bed and sat down on the floor beside
Nellie.
Out of the raised interior OF the en-
broidered sun there rolled a large
stone that caught the sordid gaslight
and reflected it in javelin points OF
fame. Now it glowed redly. palpitat-
ing: now it was a still, crimson pool
of flame. 1t was as large as hazel
nut
1T is rubyr' gasped Grace family.
lit certainly isn't glass;" admitted
Nellie. 80 the poem did have mean.
ing after all. Grace. Isn't it wonder
full? Uncle Dan was trying to see If /
was clever enough to read the story on
the back of the coat. Grace. do you
know what this ruby represents
Grace nodded cheerfully.
wine wreathed cottage-chickens-
pony cart - everything that we've
dreamed about and never really eI-
pected to come true!"
Nellie was looking thoughtfully at
the mandarin's coat. She turned it
over and examined the blazing suns en-
the sleeves and on either front of the
garment.
Grace she said quietly. there are
four smaller reproductions of the gar
den Of roses. and in each blazing sun |
believe we will find another jewell
Let us get to work, then" cried
Grace. fetching her own scissors.
The hands of the little alarm clock
on the bureau pointed TO 3 Il. u. when
the last blazing sun was despoiled OF
its jeweled heart.
The sleeves had given up two enor-
nous pearls of great luster. and the
fronts had contributed two blazing dia-
nonds.
81 take back everything 1 ever said
about your Uncle Dan" quavered
Grace Lane as she went TO bed with
he gems hidden under the pillow.
Hes Il dear"
Il think I'll say prayer for him..
Nellie from the depths of a
grateful heart.
Without word Grace slipped from
he bed and knelt beside her.
In faraway China an elderly man
vas dreaming of his home country.
rom which lie had alienated himself
or many years.
lie was thinking OF the secret CON
aimed in the green satin mandarin
oat which he had sent 70 his unseen
iece in New York.
IF she's clever enough 10 read the
ecret she viii write me "a letter OF
hanks. and if the letter is the sort OF
.tter that shows her to be my sister
ives daughter in disposition. why. N
Ding home to spend the rest OF my
avs with her"
One day the letter came, and 1t was
lie right kind of letter. FOR Daniel
rake severed his connections IN the
rient and took the first steamer foi
ONE. and when be arrived there ne
,und the rose covered cottage and bis
ece. as well as another glowing
,ung specimen of young womanhoou.
no was also willing to be adopted
to his family. The green satin coae
rs been made into beautiful screen
Id it is one of Nellies most precious
,ssessions.
lit not only lifted us from poverty
e told her adopted cousin. Grace
nut it really brought Uncle Dan TO
/. And while one can get along wl1h-
It whole lot OF money its nice 10
We some own folks belonging %
u"