The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-01
BLUE AND PINK RIBBON
BY MARY MONROE.

BY MARY MONROE.
Copyright, 1914, by w. q. Chapman.)
For Is years Miss Martha and Mis-
Mary had inhabited the big old hous,
on the hill, at the top of the villag,
street, and neither had spoken to tn,
other. And nobody in Crawford 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 flrst 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.
airy Of third person. instead Of hav.
ing. to soliloQuixe.
It was when Maud Grant married
John Springer. the doctor. that the
wrench came. II Maud had only
known 1t, the old aunts were 30 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
climbed the hill often. the old ladies'
were sadly disconsolate at her loss.
But after q 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 q
boy" said little Miss Martha.
How glad I am it is going to be a
GIRL" said Miss Mary. II love blue
ribbons. ! think a baby girl with q
dainty little cap with blue ribbon on
It is just the sweetest thing in the
world"
Il can't abide blue" soliloquized
Miss Martha. II am SO glad that
Maud's baby is to be a boy. Charles?
Or Ferdinand? My uncle or my ia
her? think Ferdinand will sound
prettier, and then, 1t would be . sort
If tribute to papa"
She must be called Dorothy. after
Miss Mary soliloquized.
They emphasized their sentiments
% callers. and 1t 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
Ter husband. "Oh, John, one Of them
8 going to be 30 dreadfully disap-
'ointed. Whatever shall We dot"
We'll, my dear. they are bringing
heir own troubles on their own
leads." laughing. I'VE must Just
cave them to work out their own
'roblems. Anyway, we shall be happy.
whichever way 1t 10. won't we dear?"
Maud smiled up ut her husband,
nd he put his arm round her shout
ers and kissed her.
And now the day arrived when the
lue and the pink ribbon each re-
osed upon its cap, along with little
ackets and coats and all the para
hernalia of babylon. And the little
maiden ladies waited. And the wait
roved longer than they had expected. |
md by and by rumors began to spread
bout the town. and then a carriage
rove swiftly up from the station, and
famous specialist leaped out and
an through the room in which the
wo old ladies sat. waiting.
Dear Lord. save her to mel"
rayed Miss Martha upon her knees,
Thou knowest I want her-we want
err"
Little Miss Mary started, for this
as the first time in all those years
lat her sister had betrayed the rec.
gnition Of her identity.
Martha! Sister!" she said in q
'embling voice. And it was Martha's
i'm to tremble and look afraid, for
le had not dared to hope that the
live branch, held out, would bear
ich fruit 80 soon.
The little old ladies' looked at each
her. and of sudden they fell into
lch others arms and cried. And %
le tears streamed down their cheeks
i'd mingled. they asked each others
'rsiveness with sobs and self.re.
I'LL hope 1t will be q girl!
here!" said little Miss Martha. II
mo. no! 1t 10 going to be q boy. I
ant 1t to be . boy!" answered Miss
airy. And each had gone a. far a. It
as possible to 60 when she made
lat admission.
There was the sound of hurried foot.
cps on the stairs. and Doctor Spring In
came into the room. Instantly the
70 old ladies had seized him, one By
'ch hand. and their wrinkled old
ces were upturned to his.
John! She's doing well?" they
It'll pleaded together.
Welt" cried John Springer. Why.
. all over 1t is"
"A girl!" exclaimed Miss Martha
"A boy!" said little Miss Mary. III