The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1918-05-07
The Birthday
Party
IN
BY s @

and leaned out,
At the moment no one was in sight /;
then, amid a gale of laughter, a bob
sled came from the end of the house
rushing with the leetness of the wind
down the steeply sloping lawn. Blair
counted as the sled passed. "Where
on earth did the youngster get them
all" he wondered. His gaze followed
the children out of sight then came
back to a woman standing near the
steps leading up to the house.
She did not turn her head and, given
the opportunity, he watched her In
tently noting the wind-blown hair;
the brilliant color Of the half-seen
cheek. He was struck, too, by the per-
feet poise of his sisters friend who
had been a guest in his home for sew
eral weeks. Absorbed In his work he
had scarcely noticed her before; had
shown her only such courtesy as was
due her as a house guest, meeting her
only at meal time, and lately not then.
He had given this no heed. Now, as
he watched her, he idly wondered IL
she had been away and had just re-
turned. AS the thought came to him
she ran quickly up the steps and into
the hall.
An hour later a very tired little boy
crept into his uncle's arms to tell Of
his wonderful afternoon.
eYou know, it's my birthday, an
Muvver gave me a party an told me
l could go out into the 'byways and
hedges an gather 'em in. / didn't
know just what she meant, Uncle Blair
an | didn't see nc hedges an no by
ways, but / went out on the street an
found Jimmy who sells papers an
blacks shoes. He's great-and Jimmy
told me bout the apple boy who lives
way off from here, an we went for
him an he told me Of Bobby Burns.
He has only one leg, but that didn't
make any difference cause his crutch
walks as fast as the good leg. An
coming back we met the butchers
boy, and ! asked him as nice as /
could an when we got back Tim was
here an cooks boy and girl"
The man laughed. "T hope your
mother had enough to eat"
1T was just beautiful. There was
ice cream hearts an cakes an SAM
witches an Ellen told us stories about
st. Valentine, cause I'm a Valentine
baby. Did you know that, uncle
Blair?"
Blair the elder drew the boy close.
Surely, the most wonderful valentine
/ ever heard of. But who is EllenY'"
The boy looked surprised. "Why,
you see her every day"
II do? Then perhaps I don't know
her by that name. But it sounds
familiar" He thought for a moment,
diving back into old memories. "I had
a little sweetheart by that name. She
was just about as big as you and she
sent me a valentine every year until
after I went TO college. 1 have one of
them In the back Of my watch where
l can look at 1t now and then" He
pulled out his watch, opened 1t and
gazed at the picture within with a
reminiscent smile. 'That was the
last n she sent me and I never heard
from her again. l am always looking
for her and sometime l hope / viii
find her"
The ycungster looked at the draw
ing with interest. "Ellen's watch has
one, too" he said. "a big boy gave
1t to her when she was q little girl.
Isn't it funny both Of you've got pic
lures, only hers IL lots prettier. Two
little birds, she calls them love birds,
kissing each other-lots prettiert than
those hearts with a stick running
through EN-
The watch closed with a snap and a
look of keen interest crept into the
mans eyes.
II must make the acquaintance of
this wonderful lady who tells stories
and carries love birds about with her.
Where can we find herr"
Blair looked at his uncle In aston
ishment. "Don't you really, truly
know herr She's been here a long
time. She did go away but came back
yesterday, an she's been slidin' down
hill all mornin'. You're jokin' Uncle
Blair
DO you mean Miss Fairbanks? Is
she Ellen?'"
Blair junior nodded. SAN now l
must go an it certainly Is nice to have
birthday parties" Slipping from his
unele's knees the boy marched from
the room leaving the man in q brown
study from which he did not emerge
until aroused by the opening of the
library door.
The girl paused as she was about to
enter, then came into the room. Even
then she seemed to hesitate, he
thought, and watched her intently as
she approached, searching for some
resemblance between this woman of
graceful bearing and the awkward but
lovable child who had grown into his
heart when a youth. He offered her
his chair and himself stood before the
glowing fire.
He was unconscious of the intent
ness of his gaze as he searched her
face and as she did not speak at once,
ne. said abruptly:
my nephew has made of my mind
a maze of memories, Miss Fairbanks.
VIII you be so good as to push your
hair back a trifle from your left ear.
/ do not mean to be rude, but l want
to identify you, as your name Is un-
familiar. / lost a very dear friend
years ago. l have looked for her but
have not found her. Today Blair
tells me she may have been In my
home for weeks past"
From the depths Of her chair she
looked up at him. There was a little
smile about her lips as she replied:
1.-THE years have effaced the scar
Mr.. Henderson, If it is that you have
in mind"
THANK heaven If there Is no trace
of it. / have always been afraid l
disfgured you for life. But without
it how am 1 to know that you are
really your
sam | so greatly changedT"
you have heard Of the duckling
and the swami"
"Surely 1t was not as bad as that,
but now that you mention it ] recall
that you named me 'duckling.'" She
laughed. 81 have been wondering how
long 1t would take you to remember
me and when I entered the room I had
reached the moment when / despaired
of telepathy. Mr.. Henderson, / must
have made of your life a burden. Boys
do not always care for alteration, and
l adored you"
'It developes chivalry In the right
sort of a fellow" he answered thought
fully. as he watched her. II have
often wondered what became of you
why you should have dropped so ut
terly from out my life. I was Devil