The Spectator., 1915-02-09
BLUE AND PINK RIBBON
By MARY MONROE.

other. And nobody in Grantford had | ever learned the cause of their dis pute.
 When the only brother died, leaving little girl, the sisters, then in the second year of their quarrel, had each written, asking Johns executor for the privilege of caring for the orphaned niece. So Maud had come to the home, and from the first she had &C., customed herself to the peculiar state of affairs in that family.
 It was convenient to say what you wished to say through the intermedi- ary of third person, instead of hay ing to soliloquize.
 It was when Maud Grant married John Springer, the doctor, that the wrench came. If Maud had only known it, the old aunts were so chas- tened by her approaching departure that she could have made them friends
 So Maud went to live in the new house at the bottom of the hill, as Mrs. John Springer; and. though she ClluUcu tuc Aill OltCHp tut Oll were sadly disconsolate at her loss.
 But after a while Maud did not climb the hill so often; and then the time came when she did not climb it at all And the two old ladies began to be very busy with knitting and crochet work, and the balls of yarn rolled all over the room as the busy old fingers pulled at them.
 Miss Mary and Miss Martha sat op- posite each other in their chairs, their fingers working and the needles click ing, and, as they worked, they solilo- quized:
 "A pink ribbon on the little cap, be- cause, of course, it is going to be boy" said little Miss Martha.
 How glad am it is going to be girl" said Miss Mary. q love blue ribbons. l think baby girl with dainty little cap with blue ribbon on it is just the sweetest thing in the world
 q cant abide blue." soliloquized Miss Martha. ''I am so glad that Maud's baby is to be boy. Charles: Or Ferdinand? My uncle or my fla ther? I think Ferdinand will sound prettier, and then, it would be a sort of tribute to papa"
 She must be called Dorothy, after mamma" Miss Mary soliloquized.
 They emphasized their sentiments to callers, and it did not take at all long time for the news to reach Mrs. John Springer. in the house at the bottom of the hill.
 The dear old things." she said to her husband. Oh, John, one of them is going to be so dreadfully disap- pointed. Whatever shall we do?"
 Well, my dear. they are bringing their own troubles on their own heads," laughing. We must just leave them to work out their own problems. Anyway, We shall be happy. whichever way it is, won't we dear?"
 Maud smiled up at her husband, and he put his arm round her shoul- ders and kissed her.
 And now the day arrived when the blue and the pink ribbon each re- POoSd aPch Aec SoP' oiVh6 "Abh AAetiO jackets and coats and all the para phernalia of babydom. And the little maiden ladies waited. And the wait proved longer than they had expected. And by and by rumors began to spread about the town, and then a carriage drove swiftly up from the station, and famous specialist leaped out and ran through the room in which the two old ladies sat. waiting.
 Dear Lord, save her to mel" prayed Miss Martha upon her knees. Thou knowest I want her-we want her"
 Little Miss Mary started. for this was the first time in all those years that her sister had betrayed the rec ognition of her identity.
 Martha! Sister," she said in a trembling voice. And it was Martha's turn to tremble and look afraid, for she had not dared to hope that the olive branch, held out, would bear such fruit so soon.
 The little old ladies looked at each other. and of a sudden they fell into each others arms and cried. And as the tears streamed down their cheeks and mingled. they asked each others forgiveness with sobs and self-re- breaches.
 III hope 1t will be girl! There!" said little Miss Martha.
 No. no! It is going to be a boy. want it to be a boy!" answered Miss Mary. And each had gone as far as 1t was possible to go when she made that admission.
 There was the sound of hurried foot steps on the stairs. and Doctor Spring CT came into the room Instantly the two old ladies had seized him. one by each hand. and their wrinkled old faces were upturned to his.
 John! She's doing well?" they both pleaded together.
 "Well!' cried John Springer. Why.