Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1919-11-12
THE LUCKY STONE
BY ELIZABETH r. GREENE.
Jerry was coming home.

jerry was coming home.
Anne's heart sang the words one
minute, and sighed them despairingly
the next--for what would Uncle Nate
/, say when Jerry told him of their love
and future pinns?
The troublesome question lay like Q
clond upon Anne's happiness. as one
by one her busy fingers tucked away
exquisitely embroidered linens into
the little hope chest in her room.
It was ridiculous to think that the
petty quarrel over the loss OF q
i lucky" stone should wreck her hap.
piness, but Anne knew that her uncle
had a reputation for being ''set,,,
which. alas. he managed to live fairly
well up to.
'But he won't spoil my life, just fol
an old lucky stone y argued Anne
one day to Aunt Jane, as they sat nj
their sewing.
Twelve years ago Uncle Nate had
purchased at a fair in Buxton gilt.
tering red bauble called lucky
stone.
Then one fateful day-Anne bad
never forgotten 1.-THE magic stone
had mysteriousiy disappeared out OF
Uncle Mates pocket,
It had happened the day that he
and Jerry's Uncle Cyrus had moved
the south field together. Anne remem.
bered that her uncle had been over
come by the heat and helped to the
house by his old pal, Cyrus. Lying on
the lounge In the cool living room,
Uncle Nate had lapsed into brief un.
consciousness. Later, that same day
he had startled them all by announc.
ing the loss OF the lucky" stone.
Then one dreadful day Uncle Nate,
trenulous with anger, had stamped
into the kitchen and wrathfully de-
/. clared to Anne and Aunt Jane that
"(;yrus had stolen the lucky' stone !"
Thus matters stood when one May
afternoon Anne walked slowly along
the dusty road. from trip In town.
That her uncle would never consent
70 her marrying Jerry. the nephew Of
his old enemy, Anne knew only too
well; but Jerry. Joyous, undaunted
Jerry. still confidently believed that
Uncle Nate could be "won over"
Absorbed In her thoughts Anne took
7 the narrow footpath leading across
lots to Aunt James, quite unconscious
that 1 tall. khaki-clad figure was hur-
ryiny joyously after her.
The third time that Jerry whistled;
Anne turned and looked behind her.
.Jerry-where on earth did you
come from?" she cried joyously. ~ her
lover flung an arm, wearing two gold
service, stripes quickly about her.
..Glad to see me. little girlf ha
asked eagerly.
"Yes." breathed Anne. "but-" She
turned away her eyes. How could
she make him understand the hore-
lessness of their love1
Jerry. seeing her unhappy face.
quickly OWNED its meaning.
Don't worry about Uncle Mare.
sweetheart" he said cheerily. I'm
going right now to beard the HON.
SO together they crossed the pas
ture to the field where Uncle Nate
was planting. Here Anne left Jerry
to make his way alone to her uncle.
Anne was In the garden when Jerry.
white and determined, strobe up to
her. "You were right. Anne" he said
bitterly, about Uncle Nate"
'Oh. Jerry. I told you sol" faltered
Anne woman-like. "What did he say7"
''That mo niece Of his should marry
the nephew of a thief"
Anne nodded. "You zee, it's as I
told you,'. she said. sour only hope y
to find the lucky stone
.Anne, I'll not give you up for q
dozen Uncle Mates. When will you
marry me?'
"rhe day I'm twenty-one." she
flashed. catching his spirit.
"But that's whole year away!r
Jerry looked disappointed.
Eyes; but perhaps Wen find the
ftOne before"
After Jerry had gone, Anne returned
to the house. Despite her lovers as
surfing words, she felt depressed.
Presently soft footsteps sounded out
side her door.
"Anne, dear"
Anne's answer was sob. Then
quietly Aunt Jane opened the door and
came in. Tenderly she smoothed in
silent sympathy Anne's silken hair
that had escaped from Its pins. There
was no need of words between them.
But after Anne had had her "crv"
she felt better.
Left alone. Anne proceeded to renr-
range her disordered locks. Finding
one OF the pins missing, and thinking
that perhaps it had slipped into the
crevice in the back of the lounge
she ran her fingers into the opening.
Something hard touched her hand.
Drawing it forth, a familiar red stone
met her astonished gaze.
'The lucky stone!" cried Anne In
credulously; remembering suddenly
that this was the lounge upon which
her uncle had lain the day he had
suffered from sunstroke. so long ago..
The stone must have fallen from his
pocket then and lodged in the lounge.
where it had remained hidden all these
years.
"You've kept your secret pretty well,
old lounge" said Anne aloud, "but I've
found you out at last"
Then with inynuS steps she ran In