The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1915-05-24

on the Hill, at he - - - ~ -
street. and neithar - GuoEm - -
other. And nobody - 0Ennf1epo -
ever learned the cause e tholE -
pute.
When the only brother died, loavln8
q little girl. the sistera thon = -
second year Of their quarrel hn1 49,
written, asking Johns executor IT, t1e
privilege of caring for the orphaned
niece. So Maud had come to the
home, and from the first she had ac-
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 q third person. instead OF hav-
ing to soliloquize.
1t was when Maud Grant married
John Springer, the doctor, that the
wrench came. If Maud had only
known it, the old aunts were 80 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 a while Maud did not
climb the hill so often; and then the
time came when she did not climb Ii
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 OPP
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 l am it is going to be a
girl" said Miss Mary. Il love blue
ribbons. l think a baby girl with a
dainty little cap with blue ribbon on
1t is just the sweetest thing in the
world"
Il can't abide blue" soliloquized
Miss Martha. Il am so glad that
Maud's baby is to be boy. Charles?
Or Ferdinand? My uncle or my ia
Their? / think Ferdinand will sound
prettier, and then, it would be q 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
thelr 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 shout
ders and kissed her.
And now the day arrived when the
blue and the pink ribbon each re-
posed upon its cap, along with little
jackets and coats and all the para
phernalia of babylon. 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
a famous specialist leaped out and
ran through the room in which the
TWO old ladies sat, waiting.
Dear Lord, save her to met"
prayed Miss Martha upon her knaas
Thou knowest | want her-we want
her."
Little Miss Mary started. for this
was the first time in all those wears
shat ner sister had betrayed the rec
ognition Of her identity.
Martha. Sister," she said in a
trembling voice. And it was Martba,s
'urn TO tremble and look afraid for
sue mad not dared to hope that the
oiiye branch, held out, would hear
such fruit so soon.
The little old ladies looked at each
other' and of sudden they fell into
each others arms and cried. And as
the tears streamed down their cheeks
ana mingled, they asked each Others
forgiveness with sobs and self-re-
proaches.
p, - hope it will be a girl.
Ihere! said little Miss Martha.
NO, no! 1t is going to be a how
want 1t to be a boyi" answered Misc |
mary. And each had gone as far as il |
was possible to go when she made
hat admission.
mere was the sound of hurried foot.
steps on the stairs. and Doctor snring-
II came into the room Instantly the |
,~o Ola ladies' had seized him, one by |
'ach hand. and their wrinkled old
aces were upturned to his.
Sonh. Shes doing weIl?" they
both pleaded together.