The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-12-01
Sweet Daphne's
"Hope Box"
BY MURIEL BLAIR.
.~~~~.~~s~~~~~...~.~...


friend Daphne Willis, parted at the
village post office after receiving and
opening two boxes exactly alike.
THE lace Is exquisite" spoke
Daphne, glancing with taste and pleas
ure over the neck collar neatly done
up In tissue paper with dainty
sachet bag beside 1t. "Nellie Is very
thoughtful"
They had been great friends. those
three. All through Nellle's engage
ment Mary and Daphne had been clos
est to her OF her many acqualntances.
She had promised not to forget them
when she reached the city on her we'd
ding tour. Now Nellie had redeemed
her promise.
II shall wear the collar at the reg
ular club party next week." said
Mary. "You will be there, Daphne2"
81 think not. My aunt Is not very
well, you know, and needs me most
OF the time. Besides" and Daphne
gave nervous laugh. ~ fear I am
getting past the party age. Mary"
Nonsense cried her devoted
friend. "Twenty-three and you look
like sixteen"
81 shall put the collar away in my
hope box" said Daphne.
Just here Mary made pretense Of
clinching her pretty pink and white
fists and grinding her pearly teeth In
a feint of the most dreadful rage.
Daphne Willis" she scOlded Sc
verely, ''if ever | happen across that
hope box OF yours, Tll-Tll stamp on
IL; yes, I will"
That's enough!" retorted Daphne,
closing the CHEEKY lips Of her staunch
champion with kiss-"I know | am
beginning to feel very old, and think
II duty to he prepared II any likely
old bachelor-why, yes, even some re
spectacle wldower-should happen
along, you known
1t was all joke, Daphne's 'hope
box" feminine concelt that ap-
pealed to Daphne because IL led to
pleasant qulp and gossip among her
bright girl friends. In her own mind
Daphne felt pretty well convinced that
she would never marry.
Her hope box" was satin-lined
cedar chest, given to her by dear
girl friend one birthday.
1t was nearly year after the wed
ding of Nellie that Daphne received
letter from cousin who lived at Mer.
ton. She had been in correspondence
regularly with this relative. and sew
eral times Miss Daily had referred to
a nelghbor, Mr. Paul Barnes.
81 have great news for yo,,
Daphne" this last letter ran. ~ have
d. often told you what n fine young man
Mr. Barnes was. His parents left
him quite an estate, and | suppose he
got lonely in the old homestead. Al
any rate. he is about to marry, and
what do you think? he has picked oui
the poorest girl in the village. It Is
one Lima Temple. She Is so poor her
folks cannot afford any kind of an
outfit, and very quietly some friends
and myself are helping her ont. If
you have any little triles to contrib
ute, ! shall be glad"
Good-hearted Daphne had something
OF a struggle with herself. Then her
generous soul impelled sacrifice.
81 shall never marry" she said TO
herself. 81 shall be making some one
happy" and the hope box" went to
Miss Dalby.
Two months later Daphne's aunt
died II was natural that Miss Daily
should ask her to make her home
with her. This she did. and Daphne
found herself installed at Merton.
II have often thought of the we'd
ding you wrote me about" observed
Daphne. the first evening OF her ar
rival.
"Oh, did / never write youl" ex-
claimed Miss Dalby. "The match was
broken off. We got up quite hand
some outfit for Lima Temple. She
never used 1t, for she eloped with a
circus performer two days before the
date for the wedding"
"And Mr.. Barnes?" inquired Daphne.
81 think, secretly, he was relieved.
for the girl was not of his class
headstrong. capricious, all for tinsel
and glitter"
OF course. Daphne met Paul Barnes,
and there seemed to spring up mu
tual interest between them. One eve
n!ug as he stood at the garden gate,
the tender influences of the sweet
June night seemed to bind him lin
geringly to the spot
"You are good friend. Miss VIII
lis," he said. 81 never told you, but
l have heard Of your kind thought to
make happy the young lady at one
time thought to make my wife. Shall
we walk to the lake and back2 II is
such a beautiful evening"" he sug-
gested. and there was strange. wist-
full tremor In his voice.
Daphne listened to words that rang
so true their echo thrilled and lin
gered, even as she came back to the
house. her heart beating with the Joy
Of a new-found happiness, her face