Middletown transcript., 1922-05-13
Sweet Daphne's
"Hope Box"
Ey MURIEL BLAIR.

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 a dainty
sachet bag beside it. "Nellie is very
thoughtful"
They had been great friends. those
three. All through Nellie's engage
ment Mary and Daphne had been clos
est to her Of her many acquaintances.
She had promised not to forget them
when she reached the city on her we'd
ding tour. Now Nellie had redeemed
her promise.
Il shall wear the collar at the reg
ular club party next week." said
Mary. You will be there, Daphne?"
II think not. My aunt is not very
well, you know, and needs me most
of the time. Besides" and Daphne
gave nervous laugh, 81 fear 1 am
getting past the party age, Mary"
"Nonsense" cried her devoted
friend. "Twenty-three and you look
like sixteen"
Il shall put the collar away in my
hope box" said Daphne.
Just here Mary made u pretense of
clinching her pretty pink and white
fists and grinding her pearly teeth in
feint of the most dreadful rage.
Daphne Willis" she scolded Sc
verely, "if ever / happen across that
hope box Of yours, Ill-Tll stamp or
It; yes, I WILL"
That's enough!" retorted Daphne
closing the CHEEKY lips Of her staunch
champion with a kiss-"I know l ar
beginning to feel very old, and think
it duty to be prepared If any likely
old bachelor-why, yes, even some re-
spectacle widower-should happen
along, you know"
1t was all joke, Daphne's "hope
box feminine conceit that ap-
pealed to Daphne because 1t led to
pleasant quip 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 we'd
ding of Nellie that Daphne received a
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
neghbor, a Mr.. Paul Barnes.
hnx
Daphne" this last letter ran. II have
often told you what 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 think2 he has picked on,
the poorest girl in the village 1t 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 out. If
you have any little trifles to contrib
ute, l shall be glad"
Good-hearted Daphne had something
Of struggle with herself. Then her
generous soul impelled sacrifice.
II shall never marry" she said to
herself. II shall be making some one
happy" and the hope box'' went to
Miss Dalby.
Two months later Daphnes aunt
should ask her to make her home
with her This she did, and Daphne
found herself installed at Merton.
81 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 you" ex-
claimed Miss Dalby. 1.-THE match was
broken Off. We got up quite hand
some outfit for Lima Temple. She
never used it, for she eloped with q
circus performer two days before the
date for the wedding"
"And Mr.. Barnes?" inquired Daphne.
'I 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
ming as he stood at the garden gate,
the tender influences of the sweet
June night seemed to bind him lin.
gerngly to the spot.
"You are good friend, Miss viii.
lis" he said. II 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 back? 1t is
such beautiful evening"" he sug-
gested, and there was a 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 newfound happiness, her face
radiant with teltale bushes.
She went up to where Miss Dalby
sat and put her arms around her, and
hid her conscious face on her shoul.
der.
Dear cousin" she whispered, "you
told me you had stored my old hone
box in the garrett"
"Yes, dear" replied Miss Dalby.
smiling wisely.
Il should like to have it back again,
II you please" said sweet Daphne
willis.
WORDS OF WISE MEN