The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-07-20
A Surreptitious
Gift
By F. A. mitchell

y
ed that 1t would be pleasant for us al
II you would go to Stuttgart and maxi
the acquaintance of your cousins
When came to America i left sis
ter, of whom | was and am today very
fond. / cannot leave the business t
make the trip myself, but later. wher
you have taken my place In its man
agement, / hope to do 50. 1t is better
/ that YOU should go now before you
have become absorbed in other mat
/ ters.'
/ / was delighted with the prospect OF
a trip abroad. My father not only
| gave me liberal sum for the trip, but
a separate amount which he intended
that should turn over to the family
I was going to visit. "They are very
sensitive" he said, land rely on your
tact to turn this money over to them
without hurting their feelings. l don't
know exactly how they are situated,
but fear they are not overburdened
with this worlds goods"
found my aunt and my cousins ex-
actly what my father had described
them, Never was there more anus
ing and, TO me, touching instance of a
family striving to put the best foot
forward Having been coached as to
this by my father, on my arrival at
Stuttgart put up at hotel and an
nounced my arrival by mail rather
Nc nj En- hnna
giving them time to make any prep
arations they might wish to hide their
real circumstances. / heard nothing
from them for twenty-four hours,
when my uncle called on me and apol-
ogized for the delay In welcoming me.
saying also that on no condition would
the family permit me to remain at
hotel, but that their guest chamber
needed attention. and they had been
overhauling It.
/ thanked my uncle for the proffered
hospitality, but declined on the ground
that | was troubled with insomnia and
must be In house in which | could
go about at all hours OF the night.
However. accompanied him to his
home, house of diminutive size, but
very neat. and my aunt welcomed me
affectionately. My cousin Anna, girl
OF eighteen. found so comely and
with such kissable pair of lips that
took advantage of my cousinshlp and
tasted them at once.
All expressed much disappointment
that would be prevented by my in
somnia from making their house my
home during my sojourn at Stuttgart,
but I was quite sure that they were
much relieved. They invited me TO
dine with them, and. fearing they
would be mortified at having to sit at
a meager table. declared that / was
victim of dyspepsia and would only
accept their invitation IL they would
promise not to tempt me with any ex-
cept the plainest food. And, remem-
bering that sausage was common and |
inexpensive food In Germany, / said |
that sausage was about all ate It |
did not occur TO me that no worse |
food could be used by dyspeptic till |
my aunt expressed surprise.
l spent couple of weeks with my |
they trying to hide their pow
erty and trying to hide the fact that
| noticed 1t, or. rather. pretending that |
| could not use what they were unable
to give me. And all this time | was
how / could turn over TO
them what my father had sent them |
without their knowing whence II
came. for feared their pride would
be hurt If / offered it In the form of Il
yet | knew that was the only II
form in which it would meet their re-
luirements.
The only method of giving them
pleasure without racking my ingenuity
was to ask my cousin Anna to show
ne the attractions of Stuttgart. pay
ng the expenses. OF course, myself.
soing about In that way with a pretty
yirl brought about a love affair. In
Iced. though my father had not men
toned the matter to me. when | saw
Anna suspected his real motive In
ending me abroad was to make q
match between her and me. At any
ate. long before the end OF my visit
proposed TO her and was accepted.
The time of my departure drew near.
nd ] had found no plan by which TO
cave my fathers gift without hurting
be beneficiaries. The amount was the :
quivalent of $1,000 In American
honey and could not be surreptitiously
transferred in any ordinary manner
here was an old clock in the house
yhich i thought / might pay that
mount for. but when l expressed
esire to possess II my aunt begged
lie to accept II.
All ordinary plans | tried having fall
!. was forced to special expedient.
Anna consented 10 return TO America
18th me, and went for tour through
urope. / said goodby. then went TO
" hotel. made myself up as an old
an. watched for my uncle to leave
he house. followed him till he entered
trolley car, took a seat beside him
nd slipped a roll OF bills into his side =
)cket -
When returned from my tour
'und that my fsncee had a very nice
edding outfit, but no one Of the fami-
limited whence came the where
ithal to purchase IL
Since my marriage have no trouble
making gifts 10 her family. I give
"a u1onev 70 her and she nassas a. III