Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-06-18
A Reward of
Thrift
.~NNNNN~~~
By EUDORA r. RICHARDSON
(coDyrightl

~
~ cantly into space as she sat on
her quaint little porch. In her lap
beneath her fingers that interlaced
ceaselessly lay the letter telling OF
the loss of her savings. Only two
thousand could be salvaged-scarcely
as much as her mother had left her
Suddenly Lizzie leaped to her feet
under the compulsion OF new and
daring thought. Two thousand dol
lars on interest would yield nothing
worth considering.
Half an hour later Lizzie Mcbride
presented herself at the window of
the local bank. Everyone was. as
usual, polite to her, but she longed
to be greeted as person OF impor-
lance. She admired Carl Bristow, the
cashier, who had married her cousin,
Mary Thompson and buried his wife
many years before.
81 want to place this two thousand
dollars on my checking account" Miss
Lizzie said seriously. III may need oil
Of 1t soon."
Carl Bristow looked up from the
batch of bills he was thumbing.
"Good LordI" he gasped.
The little lady slipped out Of the
bank, pleasantly aware that she had
aroused a mans curiosity and inter
est. That night in her bare little
room she reviewed with something
akin to a girlish thrill the events OF
the day. A new hat fapperlsh in
its gayety, sat proudly upon the bed
Miss Lizzie loosened the prlm coil
and let her hair fall about her shout
ders. Looking upon her reflection in
the glass, she flushed. Indeed, with
new interest, she was almost pretty.
Thinking of the flivver coupe that re-
posed stifr and shiny In the old stable,
she smeared powder over the few
crows feet at the corners of her eyes,
arranged her hair eXperlmentaIly and
slipped into the most summery of her
dresses.
There was an inslstent clang Of the
brass knOcker. In terror Lizzie Nc
Bride realized that she must run down
and answer the summons in the new
and daring outfit Cheeks still abnor-
mally hot, she swung the door open.
and Carl Brlstow entered. When LIZ
zle beheld his perplexed countenance
she laughed outright and there was
note in her voice that sounded even
to her more like twenty than forty.
81 hear you've been doing a deal
of buying" he began. II reckon It's
my duty to give you bit Of advice"
In a twlnkling the Illusion OF youth
had vanished Miss Lizzie, sitting
quite erect, looked her guest In the
eye.
Have my actions In the past led
you to think me the sort Of woman
who would spend beyond my means2"
she asked directly.
The man shook his head. Then
perhaps I've been left money" she
smiled and quickly changed the sub
ject.
During the next few days Miss LIZ
zle began to realize that a new atti-
tude toward her was the most delight
full aftermath of her extravagances
There we're social invitations that
had never come before. She had be-
come a parsonage at last. Indeed,
Lizzie wondered how she had hap
pened ever to suffer from an inferior
fly complex. From Carl Bristow's at
tentiOns, moreover, came the real
thrill.
For when one evening there came
party invitation accompanied by
for her, Lizzie did not feel the lack
of any youthful emotion.
Lizzie" Carl said on the way home,
slipping his hand to cover hers, you
are mighty pretty tonight. ! never
thought that money could make such
difference In woman. I've always
liked you, but | didn't know It'll re-
Gently that my feelings go a whole
lot deeper than liking"
For a moment Lizzie's head reeled.
Carl Bristow was making love to her.
She would not have to be drab Miss
Lizzie any longer. Then the mans
first words came back with poignant
agony. Money made the difference.
"Oh, I'm fool !" she burst forth.
"a fool have no money. I've been
spending all / had to get some Of the
things I've wanted all these years.
I'm penniless now"
Jerking her hand from Carl Bris-
tow's, Lizzie Mcbride ran up her gar
den path. She would now live in the
lonely little house all the rest OF her
ilfe-or until she was no longer able
20 teach, and then she would 90 to
the county home. She did not even
,ook back to see what Carl was doing.
AS her hand CROPPED for the lock, she
realized that Carts arms were encir-
cling her, that her face was being
onrned toward his.
Lizzie the man said husklly, you
IlGn't think loved you for the money
you limited was yours, did your l
meant that the money that bought the
pretty clothes that made me see how
pretty you really are. | love you"
Love me, when ! have deceived
you and the whole town !"
You may have deceived the town,
bur you didn't deceive me. heard
about your losing your money and |
came w to talk It over with you that
night you met me at the door look
ing so pretty that / wanted to take
you In my arms at once. | knew you
were blufing, and ! loved you for
being so brave. VIII you marry me,
Eizzie?"
The woman buried her face against
The nice roughness OF the mans coat
and left It there. She was thinking
now strangely fate works to bring
.hout ifs miracles