Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1918-04-05
The Birthday
Party
@0
Nv SUSAN ci.AoETT
Copyright, 1913. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate.)
BY SUSAN cLAoETT


per Syndicats.)
A crunch Of feet upon the hard
snow; gurgle Of laughter ending In
a scream Of delight. Blair Henderson
lifted his head, a 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 a gale of laughter, a bob
sled came from the end of the house
rushing with the fieetness of the wind
down the steeply sloplng 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
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 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 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 a 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 q 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 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 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 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 'Ellenr"
The boy looked surprised. "Why,
you see her every day"
II do1 Then perhaps I don't know
her by that name. But II sounds
familiar" He thought for a moment,
diving back into old memories. IT had
n LITTLE SWaathpart nv that mama Che
was inst about 40 bio nc Won ana she
sent mo a valentine every voar until
after I went to college. have one of
them in the back NJ nv watch whore
I can look at II now and then" He
pulled out his watch, opened II and
gazed at the picture within with
reminiscent smile "Tbat was the
last one she sent me and 7 never hoard
from her again am alwovs IooL,no
for her and sometime hone will
find herp
The younester looled at the draw.
ing with interest. "Ellen's watch has
one. too" he said. "a big how gave
II 10 her when she was n lIttia girI
Isn't It funny both Of you've got mic.
lures. only hers ia lots nrettjer Two
little birds. she calls them love birds
kissing each otber--lots nrett,er than
those hearts with stick running
through 'emp
Tho wotcb c,osod with n sno and
look NJ kaen Jntorost cron, IT, .ho
mans evos
az must rnoLo thu ocouot,.ono =,
tb,s wondorfuI lodv whe ta,,s ato,,os
and carries love h,rds obout w,th har
Where con wo ana hors" ~ ''
p,a,. $3.50 :. ST. ,,o,. . -
,at. ar. "o "" ~ oseon
$50. =. CO., ' i'
.,- cha At, o -. ~ io"s
san...Sn~ an, go s"% -. Dus s,, .une DucA
s% ~ ~ 1 D.en s uo"n
p,a,.a w nm o' ie ''Ain on'''
an uou ,,oou ATT. r.,... T.