The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-02-08
When Mmianna's Valentine
Party Was Different

Mariana was to have a party,
real Valentine party with ice
cream and candy and little heart
shaped cakes. Virginia and Dor
othy Runnels and Willis Rondilt
were coming, and,-oh, about five
other of her very best friends.
There were to be hearts around In
different places in the house, and
each little guest was to receive
real Valentine. fact, she and
mother had gone to Brennans' the
week before and picked them out
and they were cute as could be.
1t was the day before Valentines
day, unlucky old thirteenth day,
and everything Yves excitement as
far as Mariana McGreggor was
concerned. Suddenly from an up
stairs window, she saw the post
man, coming up their steps. A
thought struck her! Sometimes
she received Valentines the day
before. Maybe he had one for
her this morning! She makes one
rush for the stairway. But in her
eagerness, she went too far, and
bump, bump, bump,-she fell down
all thse stairs. Mother and Aunt
Susan who were busy in the kitch-
en-, rushed in and found Mariana,
little crumpled crying heap on
the floor. Mother picked her up in
her arms, while Aunt Susan ran to
telephone for the doctor.
In a few minutes the doctor
came and said that nothing real
serious had happened, though it
might have ben very serious, but
that she had a sprained wrist and
was so scared and shaken up. that
she would hive to go right to bed
and stay for several days.
"Oh, but l can have my party
tomorrow, Can't L? Oh, must!
We have the Valentines and every
thing. And" but here the kindly
doctor broke in. ''I'm afraid not
little girl. You must be quiet and
in bed for several days, SO that
you will get real strong again"
This started tears, which were
not at all quieted when the doc
: tor left. Mother carried the little
girl upstairs and put her to bed in
her little, white, coy room. Then
she sat down by the bed rubbing
Mariana rather feverish head
with her cool, gentle hand.
Listen, dear, it is too, too bad,
that you can not have your little
party tomorrow am very sorry
about it. But now that it can't be
helped, let's try to play Pollyanna
would never have been the brave,
glad little girl she was, If nothing
unhappy had ever happened to her.
She would have been glad, of
course, because there would have
been nothing in the world to have
made her any other way. But she
was brave, because she kept on
being glad, after all kinds of un-
fortunate things happened to her.
And remember Yvette, to your lit
tie Campfire French Orphan, who
has lost her Daddy and her pretty
home and can scarcely get enough
bread, and never thinks any more
of heart-shaped cakes. My little
girl can be really brave, can't
she?"
Mariana was silent, that is, she
was trying to be silent, but some
how, a big lump kept coming in
her throat as she thought of Dor
othy and Virginia and all the 9th
ers and the Valentines, and-but
as she looked up at her mother
and began to think about what she
had said, the lump in her throat
began to go away. She was a very
sensible little girl and very kind
and thoughtful-"As If I can't be
like Pollyanna and Yvette!" she
thought.
"But can't I have my party
here" she asked. But mother shook
her head.
ut would be too much for you
DEAR" she said. There now, don't
look SO gloomy or all the sunshine
fairies will run away for shelter
they'll be so scared"
| At this. the smile that had start
ed to venture forth once before
came out and grew into a merry
laugh.