The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-20
EVENING STORY
The Birthday Party.
BY SUSAN CLAGETT.


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 gale of laughter, a bob |
sled came from the end of the house |
rushing with the fieetness 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
perfect 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, be idly wondered if
she had been away and had just re-
turned. AS the thought came to him
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 party an told me
| could go out into che 'byways and
hedges an gather 'em in. didn't
know just what she meant Uncle
Blair an 1 didn't see no hedges an no
byways, but 1 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.
| make any difference cause his crutch
walks as fast as the good leg. An
coming back we met the butchers
boy, and l asked him as nice L
could an when we got back Tim was
here an cooks boy and girl
The man laughed. Il hope your
mother had enough to eat
1T was just beautiful. There was
| ice cream hearts an cakes an SAN
/ 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 Ellen p "
| The boy looked surprised. why,
you see her every day
/ Il do? Then perhaps I don't know
! her by that name. But it sounds IA
| lie tnOORnt Tor moment,
| diving back into old memories. Il 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 l went to college. 1 have one
of them in the back of my watch
| where can look at it now and then"
i He pulled out his watch, opened it
and gazed at the picture within with
la reminiscent smile. That was the
last one she sent me and L never heard
fr.r ha- .rxxrrax 11D Mi,
for her and sometime 1 hope 1 will
| find her.
The youngster looked at the draw
ing with interest. "Ellen's watch has
it to her when she was a 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 thru
| EN-"
/ The watch closed with snap and
a look of keen interest crept into the
mans eyes.
81 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 men Miss Fairbanks? Is
she Ellen p
II ust go an it certainly is nice to
have birthday parties" Slipping from
his uncle's knees the boy marched
from the room leaving the man in a
Thrown 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
tsne approached, searching for some
resemblance between this woman OF
lgracefui bearing and the awkward
but loveable child who had grown into
his heart when a youth. He offered
! her his chair and himself stood be-
| fore the glowing fire.
Ii He was unconscious of the intent
| ness of his gaze as he searched her
face and as she did not speak al
| once he said abruptly:
my nephew has made of my mind
q a maze of memories, Miss Fairbanks
a Will you be SO good as to push your
hair back trif1e from your left ear
9 do not mean to be rude, but / want
. to identify you, as your name is I'M
. familiar I lost a very dear friend
= years ago. 1 have looked for her but
= have not found her. Today Blair tells
: me she may have been in my home
= TO- weeks past"
From the depths of her chair she
looked up at him. There was little
u smile about her lips as she replied:
""Thc years have effaced the scar
5 M. Henderson, if it is that you have
I in mind
Thank heaven if there is no trac,
9 of it / have always been afraid
n disfigured you for life. But withou
it how am I to know that you arr
| really you?''
Am 1 so greatly changed? '
( you have heard of the ducklinl
and the swan"
Surely it was not bad that
but now that you mention 1t I recall
s that you named me 'duckling-' Sh
a laughed. Il have been wondering how