The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-05-17
The Birthday
Party
BY SUSAN cLA0Err

snow; gurgle of laughter ending in
scream of delight. Blair Henderson
lifted his head. smile upon his lips.
He glanced at his desk piled high with
work, hesitated, turned toward the
window, paused again, then walked
across the room, threw up the sash
and leaned out.
AT the moment no one was In sight
then, amid gale Of laughter, bob
sled came from the end Of the house
rushing with the fleetness 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 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
mad 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 house guest, meeting her
only ut meal time, and lately not then.
He had given this no heed. Now, as
he watched her, he idly wondered If
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 very tired little boy
crept into his uncle's arms to tell Of
his wonderful afternoon.
"You know, It's my birthday, an
Muvver gave me party an told me
l could go out into the 'byways and
hedges an gather 'em in. I didn't
know just what she meant Uncle Blair
an didn't see no 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 of 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 I asked him as nice as I
could an when we got back Tim was
here an cooks boy and girl"
The man laughed. II hope your
mother had enough to eat"
ut was just beautiful. There was
ice cream hearts an cakes an SAN
wiches 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 ELEM"
The boy looked surprised. "Why,
you see her every day"
Il do? Then perhaps I don't know
her by that name. But 1t sounds
familiar" He thought for a moment,
diving back into old memories. II 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 went to college. I have one of
them in the back of my watch where
I can look at 1t now and then" He
pulled out his watch, opened It and
gazed at the picture within with
reminiscent smile. "That was the
last one she sent me and I never heard
from her again. I am always looking
for her and sometime hope I will
find her."
The youngster looked at the draw
ing with interest. "Rllen's watch has
one, too" he said. "A big boy gave
II to her when she was little girl
Isn't It funny both Of you've got pic
lures, only hers is lots prettier. Two
little birds, she calls them love birds,
kissing each other-lots prettier than
those hearts with a stick running
through EN-"
The watch closed with snap and
look of keen interest crept into the
mans eyes.
al 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 her? 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 Elem"
Blair junior nodded. "An' now
must 20 an 1t certainly is nice to have
birthday parties" Slipping from his
uncle's knees the boy marched from
the room leaving the man in a 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 youth. He offered her