The Ely miner., 1930-02-14
THE
CLOTH
OF
GOLD
&c by j Walsh.l

@ADIE sat erect in her mothers
big rocker. ''rake off your coat,
Mrs. Thomas babe her.
But Sadie shook her head.
package wrapped in white tissue pa
per and tied with ribbon lay in hel
lap. Mrs. Thomas watched her daugh
ter nervously finger the dainty bow
knots.
"Why don't you open your birthday
present. Sadie?" she persisted, rails
ing the window shade. as If to obtain
better view of what the tissue paper
concealed.
~ can't" Imply responded Sadie.
"You say it's from CharIie?"
"Yes It's the very first time since
we've been married that he's gone
shopping alone. If | haven't gone
with him always I've told him
what to get. We've needed funds sc
badly of late thought | could do
without birthday present this year
l told Charlie so.'
"And he wouldn't let you," inter
rupted mother. "Bless his heart"
"But. mother, know it is some.
thing terrible. He's been acting SC
silly"
"They do" another laughed, upon
occasion" Then she turned vigorous
ly upon her daughter. sadie. this
may be something nice. Let's open
it."
Sadie remembered too well the very
day this Stiffness had come to haunt
Charlie. They had been sitting in the
lamplight after supper one evening
weeks ago, Charlie reading aloud
Suddenly he had peered over his bone
trimmed spectacles. "Darn pretty
Sadie" he had commented irrelevant
ly. 81 mean," he had explained. "thal
thing you're working on. Sadie; why
don't you ever sew with gold threadP
"Well," she had pondered, "they
use gold thread only on special
things"
"very special?"
"Well-yes."
"You don't say" he had chuckled.
"Why, Charlie, what's the matter?'
For Charlie had been smiling, grin
ming, exulting. He had got up out OF
his chair and had set about investigat.
Ing the far corners of the living room
in a queer, disturbing sort of way
Charles equanimity. To what un'
known region had it retired? Charlie
what is the matter with you
Charlie"
But all Charlie had chosen to say
had been. "Wait until your birthday
"Well." smiled Mrs. Thomas. "sup.
pose you open it, Sadie. | see your
father coming up the street. Better
open your present before he gets
here"
Sadie united the ribbon, straight
ened the paper at the ends and In
wink there it lay-some sort of tapes
try creation from which every now
and then a network of gilt threads
glinted. 1t blinked mischievously
boldly. Stiff-necked and brazen, in
the modestly toned living room IL
seemed to vaunt itself as next In
glory TO the sun.
"Dear, DEAR" sighed mother as she
felt the stiff, coarse texture between
her fingers, "and the gilt comes off
too"
,"What will | ever do with ft?" de-
plored Sadie, as she dropped her head
to the arm of her chair and wept
"He must have bought it from some
crazy drummer"
"Perhaps," soothed mother.
"T never saw anything like 1t be
fore" continued Sadie. "Pm sure II
cost a lot. It looks like 1t, doesn't 1T
mother?'
81 fear so," agreed Mrs. Thomas.
sand, oh mother, we can't afford
luxuries," walled Sadie, particularly
such ugly, useless ones. I'd like tt
hide 1t away, or take 1t back"
"Now, Sadie," began Mrs. Thomas
I'm sterner voice, "brace right up. You
tell Charlie it's lovely. If you &c
weeping and ScoIdlng around MIN ilKe
as not he'll let you go without any
present your next birthday"
"But mother"
"Sadie, you listen to me. Men gel
over these notions soon enough. Yor
must expect a few white elephants In
your lifetime. Wait till Charles as
old as your father. You'll be looking
back on this birthday as the very
happiest you have ever known be
cause Charlie went off all by himself
and had a glorious time choosing your
present"
"And it's $3.50"
"Ugly, you mean. Yes, l know it's
ugly" and Mrs. Thomas voice traile6
into laughter. "Thank goodness, its
yours, dear, not mine," and her glance
fell here and there over her well
ordered living room into which
white elephant of any denomination