The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1916-03-22

Il
"you should not go for year. But
you may go the LIST of April IL you
continue to make good progress"
"The LIST OF April, and today Is only
the 18th of February" she gasped.
Have you any peopleT he asked.
mo one I'm the world"
take care of yourself and don't let
yourself be bothered" he said as he
| went away.
The next day when DR.. Allen came
he dropped some new magazines on
the table.
aTell me about this" evaded the
physician, going to the mantelpiece
and examining the Washington pitch
err with the trained eve of collector.
Linnie told him the history of the
pitcher-of the lie she had told and
how Uncle Gregory had punished her
by disinheriting her.
poor little grill" muttered the man
/ under his breath.
"And the most absurd thing of all is
that my birthday Is the 22d of Febru-
aryr' She smiled wistfully.
'Washington's birthday"
/ "Yes. Is the pitcher valuable, DR.
| Allen?" she asked.
ITO collector-yes.
"win you accept it, DR.. Allen?" she
asked eagerly. You have been so kind
to me-more than money can repay
and / would be so happy, to know i
had given you pleasure"
He looked at her curiously.
"Be happy, then" he said abruptly.
You have given me pleasure in more
ways than one"
"And you will take the pitchers"
asked Linnie joyfully.
"Some day" he said. take care OF
it for me, Miss Harris"
One day DR.. Allen brought some
books about the study of old china and
furniture Linnie was enchanted at
entering the new field of interest, and
she was delighted to discover many
old friends among the antiques pictur-
ed in the volumes
In Uncle Gregory's parlor cupboard
was tea set of gold luster-there were
some Spode cups, Leeds bowl, some
Royal Worcester vases and treasures
Of furniture.
"Jove! How / would have enjoyed
seeing those thingsr' cried the doctor
one day.
IF you went down to Pendleton /
am sure the caretaker would allow you
to go over the house." said Linnie.
One crisp February day DR.. Allen
took her advice and, escaping from his
many patients, he motored down to
the Long Island village.
He found the Brown place in charge
OF a distant cousin of the deceased.
She was dried up little woman with
thin, piping voice and a vivacity of
manner that might have been accred-
tied to intense excitement at having
been remembered In her kinsman's will |
And the queerest thing of all is this. |
DIR. Allen" she twittered as they ate
fruit cake and slipped dandelion wine
in the warm sitting room, 1.-THE queer
est thing is that Cousin Gregory's es-
tate has proved to be so small! Just
enough to pay the legacies and they
only amounted to $4,000. Yet he was
said to be worth $4,000 at least.
Where Is the rest of the money! She
perked her head on one side and nodded
hysteEIOuSlys w mere Is 1rg
Perhaps he spent it all; perhaps he
never had as much as people thought"
And the house and furniture-no
provision is made for that-not one
single thing except an old mended
pitcher which he left to Molly Harris
daughter. l wrapped 1t and sent it
to Linnie myself"
at is possible Mr.. Brown left an
other win. Mrs. Lane"
IF he did faint in the house." she |
said shrewdly. Its been searched |
from attic to cellar"
"How about the family lawyer?"
Mrs. Lane shook her head.
Dumb as a stone," she asserted |
stoutly. Wont say a word. Says be |
patient. Patient-humph, I never did |
admire patience on a monument. |
Goose on monument, say r.
The next day when he called upon |
Linnie Harris he found her feverish |
aud excited.
what is the matter?'' he asked |
bluntly.
Linnie flushed and turned away her |
head. She could not confide her pow
erty to DR.. Allen. nor would she con-
TESS that Mrs. Drake had made an
other scene over the delinquent room |
rent.
"It is nothing much" she assured
him hastily. ''Do tell me about your
visit to the old home
For an hour he RECALLED her with his
recital of Uncle Gregory's treasures
"Ah, you are cheating your other pa
tients of your timer reproached Lin
ME at last.
He blushed like n schoolboy.
This is my last CALL" he confessed.
II don't have to hurry"
II wondered why you always came
at o'clock" smiled Linnie.
Feeling better. aren't your He was
pulling on furry gloves.
"Yes. indeed. / believe / shall be
ready for work by the middle of
March," she said coaxingly.
Perhaps. Let me see. Today is |
the 21st. Why, tomorrow is your
birthday
ALSO George washington's," she
added gleefully.
AT O'Clock shall call to take you
for a drive he threatened. and with |
out waiting for her answer he van
ished. -
The morning of the 22d was cold and |
clear. The sunshine frightened even
the gray back yards and the shabby |
bricks of the surrounding dwellings
1t is my twenty-fifth birthday. and /
| shall forget all my troubles she
promised herself as she slowly made
her toilet. Il shall forget Mrs. Drake
and the fact that I must work night
and day to pay her back"
She reveled I'm the new strength that