The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-10-21
FROM
ANDANTE TO
ALLEGRO
(O by d. J. Walsh.)


II 'Tm ready grandmother"
Sally Runnels pinned on her
hat with fingers trembling slightly
from haste. She did not have time
to look in the glass.
Look out! Don't catch your toe!'
The warning smote her as she was
descending the stairs. Warnings al
ways smote her and made her do the
very things she was warned not to do.
In this instance she did catch her
toe, but Sara with spring caught
her. Il told you to be careful" said
Sara.
"Are we going to walk?" Sally
asked.
Sara shook her head.
'Too cold. You'd freeze. ordered
a cab"
Sally sighed. She had been in the
house for three days, nothing to go
out for until today, and it seemed to
her that little walk in the bracing
air would not hurt her.
Sara was leading the way to the
cab and Sally followed reluctantly.
She was popped in and the door shut
upon her.
Aren't you coming, too, Sara?" she
shouted to make herself heard above
the roaring engine.
Sara shook her head.
mo, Pm going to walk"
Sally looked wistfully after the bril-
liant young figure. 1t did not seem
so long since she was another Sara
and here she was shut up in padded
box which smelled of stale perfume
and cigar smoke while Sara, free and
blithe, enjoyed the fresh air and SUM-
shine.
She was old and yet the heart of
her was young. 1t must be, else the
sunshine would not have looked so
golden, the sky so blue or the breeze
sounded so like a carlton of silver
bells calling to joyful activity. The
sights of the streets charmed her, al
though she could only peer at them
through the dusty glass. And then
there was the heart-stirring fact that
she was going downtown to shop-to
Wasn't this enough to turn the an
dante movement of old age into the
lively allegro vivace Of youth?
The cab drew up before the motor
entrance of Blandon's department
store and Sally, with the help of the
chauffeur, emerged. She went in and
sat down to wait for Sara. There was
a mirror opposite which gave back
the gentle, gray reflection of herself
in gloomy little black hat and coat.
Once she had been a beauty in the
days when Sam Runnels woOed her,
taking his chance with dozen others.
She became Sally Runnels with the
accent on the last syllable and an
added letter. And Sara had no beaux
at all, perhaps there weren't so many
men nowadays. Goodness knows, there
were enough and to spare when she
was young.
Sara appeared slightly breathless,
but earnestly businesslike.
Now, grandmother, we'll start in
with your dress and match everything
to It," she said.
In the softly carpeted, softly lighted
and many mirrOred place of thou
sand gowns Sally waited with sinking
heart while Sara appraised and Sc
lected.
Something plain for grandmother
and quiet-and rich," she said. And
soon Sally found herself trying on
Nhin oh l.
her old one that she saw no differ
ence. She longed for color with that
warm feeling in her heart Why must
she wear black? Sam had been gone
some twenty years. He wouldn't care
"The very thing" Sara decided.
"Eh, gran imother?"
Sally mdrmured something.
FLATS next" said the capable Sara
glancing at her platinum wrist watch.
"Hope We'll get through with this
so / can join Betty Archer at the
Plaza for lunch. "Pll send you home
in the cab grandmother"
Before the leaved mirror Sally was
seated while Sara and a deft sales
woman fitted her with a hat which
was new but scarcely different other
wise from the old one.
IL am tired of jet ornaments"
she tried to say.
Nothing better for you with your
dark eyes and white hair" declared
Sara.
So the hat was purchased. And
after that came a coat, rich and soft
and sOmber. Sally paid the bill That
was the one privilege left to her when
it came to buying an outfit. she could
pay for the things heSself. Sam had
left her quite independent of her sons
and daughters and well provided for.
Toward the last Sara hurried a lit
tie. She kept glancing at her watch
impatiently.
"Ill put you in your cab, grand
mother" she said, "then I'll race to