Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-12-27

he can't have q perpetual birthday ali
summer"
Jane put her treasures back into the
basket. 81 must be going" she said'
rising quickly. ct is getting very late.
Ny boy won't have any birthday pres
ent at all If 1 stay here any longer"
That's sol" he agreed reluctantly.
'"But won't you let me go with your
Jane considered a moment, then
looked up into his steady gray eyes.
''Mother's very touchy about my ak
ing to strangers, and the sky's been
our only introduction-that and the
car. But she's dotty on uniforms-a
soldier to her is a combination of mar
tyr and saint-so 1 guess you may
come and see Stephen get his pres
ents. Do you happen to know where
the Hamptons live?"
Eyes. I'll take you there If you
really don't mind my going"
Before long they turned into the
driveway of a very %pretentious country
house. Jane was startled.
"Where are we going?"
"To the Hamptons."s
"Why-I don't understand. Surely
they can't live here. l thought they
were poor"
"They used to be, but somebody left
them some money. But surely that
doesn't make any difference, does 1t!
They're the same people, not changed
a bit, and boys are the same the world
over"
"That's true" answered Jane, a bit
obviously.
"And do think you'll miss some
thing if you don't know Mrs. Hamp-
ton. She's the finest woman | know"
They had come TO the door now.
"All right" said Jane, stepping Out OF
the car. "But l was thinking OF the
~.sarsaparilla."
In the big sunny living room Jane
was to discover something. The photo
graph in a silver frame on the read
ing table and that of a little boy on
the wall were evidently the same per
son, and encountering the eyes OF the
officer, she realized that he was the
original of both.
AS this information conveyed itseiI
to her brain, and the consciousness OF
a fearful blunder was sending the
very blood to her cheeks, Mrs.
Hampton came in. Jane waited for no
introduction. "Tve made a terrible
mistake" she cried, pointing to the
basket. "Ive come to give your little
boy his birthday present, and ever ear
muffs and sarsaparilla would be better
than the stuff l have brought"
Then suddenly she laughed uncon-
trollably. "Oh, wait till l tell dad.
Won't he just die, though! Bean
shooters, marbles, peanuts! Oh, my!
For an army officer, tooP
"Dearie," said Mrs. Hampton, don't
feel distressed about it. Your mother
has always kindly remembered Steve,
but she never came out to see us, ana
l think she lost track of time. we
always made good use of the things
she sent, and saw that some n got
by explaining"
"Feel distressed! Oh, goodnessl l
don't feel distressed! l think it's a
splendid joke"
Mother and son nodded at each other
and smiled. If there was anything In
the world they admired, 1t was a n
of humOr.
Besides" said Stephen, 'ft's the
best birthday I've ever had. I'm going
to give your mother a special note OF
thanks for sending M the incest pres
ent in tie world"
And the gray eyes were too full OF
meaning for Jane to question what he
meant.
"That's true, DEAR" said Mrs. Hamp-
ton. smiling. Hes carried your pic
ture since you were a little girl with
curls. He said you looked so jolly"
Jane smiled gratefully and held out
her hand.
"That's splendid of you. Suppose
YOU go back home with me and show
mother how little Stephen has grown
up" she said.
sTd love to-" he answered, "and In
cidentally I'll mention to her a real
birthday present I want sometime"
But Jane, flushing, had nothing to
answer to this.