Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-07-02
Love and the Loan
Exhibit
By JANE OSBORN

XKTHEN Mr.. Michael sterling
Wv reached his apartment one win
ter night he found his japanese stu
dent servant sitting up in the living
room. "A lady telephoned," he said.
"She didn't leave her name-just said |
to call Cedar Valley 772."
Michael Sterling's family had once
been closely associated with the pic
turesque suburban town Of Cedar Val
ley, and 1t was when Michael himself
was keeping sort of lordly bachelor
hall in the old Sterling homestead 1--WE
or six years ago that he had met and
become engaged to the charming Stel-
Ia Mapes Then there had been sort
of quarrel-Michael didn't even want
to remember what 1t was all about
and he had gone away, telling Stella
that he would never come begging for
her forgiveness.
Now Michael called the number as
he had been requested to do, A voice,
very suave and little too sweet, came
back to him.
I'm Mrs. Thornton Manchester of
Cedar Valley" she said. you may
not remember me, Mr. Sterling" She
paused while Michael stammered
something to indicate that he was
quite sure he recalled the name. Were
all so very much interested In the
Children's home out here and now I'm
so busy with this loan exhibit they
are giving. And l recalled that there
InIa I'm In
family, and--well, would you let us
borrow those family miniatures of
yours for our exhibit? They would be
80 interestlng-and 1t Is really a
worthy cause"
Michael Sterling assured the lady
on the other end of the wire that he
would be quite glad to do so and that
he hoped that she would accept a
small check for the home. The next
day, to save himself further concern
In the matter, he sent a check for fifty
dollars and asked his Japanese stu
dent-servant to open a certain cabinet
and take out case of miniatures
ancestors Of mine,' he added, giving
the man the cabinet key. "0ld-time
tunes that were once the style. There's
dozen or so. Take them to my Jew
eIers and get them to send them out,
insured, by special messenger"
And Michael gave the matter no
further thought-at least for the re-
mainder Of the week. The following
Monday the loan exhibit began and
Tint nj ,rht ,,ban Michael narna In ahout
ten his japanese servant was waiting
for him. "a lady from Cedar Valley
asked to have you call at once. The
number Is Cedar Valley 1856 1t Is an
other lady-and another number"
Michael felt no agitation now at the
prospects of speaking to lady In Ce-
dar Valley. But when the voice came
to him over the wire he almost stag.
gered. Surely It was Stella's.
"This Is Stella Mapes," came the
voice that Michael recognized for all
II was so unfeeIlng and formal. II
want TO tell you that what you have
done has caused me very great dis
tress. Perhaps I shouldn't have called
you up-except that everyone here Is
4
even knew that they existed. I can
make no explanation SO please won't
you send for them at once? Mrs. Man
chester asked you for the Sterling
family miniatures, which would have
been really interesting to people out
here in Cedar Valley"
"But-but didn't she get them2"
called back Michael. Don't cut off,
Stella Great Scott--you don't mean
that my man sent the--the other min
iatures Oh, Stella, won't you let me
explain2"
They met at luncheon the next day
and Stella, It seemed TO Michael,
looked lOvelier at twenty-five than she
had at twenty. 1t was not until they
were seated opposite at the table that
he made the explanation.
you see Mrs Manchester asked for
the family miniatures and I left my
man to attend to 1t. Told him to take
them out of the cabinet. Well, those
other miniatures we're In the cab
met. But | thought he'd know the
difference"
But where did they come from3 l
never knew that they existed"
"They were all made after our quar-
rel. / had some little photographs
some OF them snap shots-and had
to have something to remember you
by, something lasting and precious,
and so I took those pictures and got
the best miniature painter I could
find to make them. | have never
shown them to anyone"
"Then even after you went away
you caredT asked Stella.
II cared and / still care-very
much" said Michael
"Then, Michael" suggested Stella,
Tets pretend that nothing ever came
between us, but that we've just had a
lovely long engagement"
"But 1t can't be much longer" he
said. "All those In favor Of getting
married right away" And when
the waiter returned with the order
he was trihe surprised to hear the
lady and the gentleman he was serv-
ing unite in vigorous AYE"