The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-04-11

- white teeth with the stubby pen
i Gil and scOwled at the sheet of
figures. If she saved vigorously
she might be able to do it, But il
would be penny deals, with sometimes
a dime or a quarter. Tins salary did
not admit of any more expense. And
he must be fed properly. The way he
worked he was entitled to good food
ar least
Peggy was not yet the wonderful
manager she meant TO be some time,
! but she was notwithstanding hard
slow but sure. Leftovers and stale
bread bothered her. And now came
this business of the layette.
! Thirty-five dollars would buy
| beautiful layette. OF course, the more
you paid the lovelier were the articles.
| She had set her heart on the $50 one
To that end she pondered and saved
and sighed
! Before the $50 was gathered in the
| little tin bank Tim Jr. arrived. When
he was three weeks old. a pink. puck
cred, squirming little bundle of hope
and promise, Peggy said to her hus-
| band:
Tim, darling. I've got the money
! for Juniors layette at last! Cousin
Alice sent me SO and Aunt Maria
sent me So. That just makes it. But
l can't go downtown and buy the
things myself. You will have to do it,
Jimmy dear"
| Tim scratched his russet-colored
head. He looked down at his son, clad
imma culately, but rather shabbiIy, in
some things Cousin Alice had hastily
| assembled and sent. Yes, he'd do any,
| thing for Junior. And more than any,
thing for Juniors mother. He stopped
and kissed Peggy's cheek and looked
| love into her wide, brown eyes. Be-
| fore the day was over he would GER
tainly find time to buy the articles she
wanted. Peggy said he could trust
Miss Gordon to advise him. Miss Cor
don was the saleswoman in charge of
the department store Peggy desig-
mated.
Left alone, Peggy was wonderfully
happy. She did the homework. She
planned dinner for Tim. Then Junior
he had 10 be bathed and taIcumed
and dressed and kissed and admired
and wondered at. All the time she
was thinking of what Tim was going
to bring home that night. The layette
She could picture 1.-THE darling tiny
thinUC II inst oc
Junior had had to wait for his first
outfit, because she hadn't learned yet
to sew so awfully well.
Tim usually bounded up the stairs,
although he must be tired after all
the work he had done. Tonight he
was late and he did not bound. He
entered bit reluctantly. Under his
arm was package.
where's the box?" demanded Peggy.
"The-box?"
YES! The layette. 1t comes in
box. Tim! What have you there?"
Tim put the large parcel down upon
the table. He looked miserable. His
hands fumbled as he removed the
wrapping. Out came a vase. An ugly
vase. it seemed to Peggy. She stared
at ii unbelievingly.
you'll hate me-" Tim said. "But |
just felt | had to do it, Peg. well,
it was put up to me, sort of. Rufus
Page is selling out and quitting here.
He is going back home. He did me
good turn once-that time | had ty-
phoid. You remember told you about
it. Well, he's in hard luck. His wife's
got TO have an operation. ! went in
their apartment and looked around.
1t was full of queer things. All saw
I'd bring home with me was this
vase"
How much did you pay for it?"
Peggy was tight Tipped.
"Thirty-fve dollars" he said.
Peggy went into the kitchen. She
leaned against cupboard door. her
hand to her throat. Juniors layette!
A wild impulse came to her to break
the vase. After few dreadful mo-
ments she calmed down.
"Dinner's ready" she called life
lessly.
She did not look at the vase or
speak of it again. 1t stood there.
wretched reminder of Tins thought
less folly. Yes. il was that-thOught-
less folly. Rufus Page-she knew all
about him. working a little. painting
few pictures, marrying girl with ex-
pensive tastes
Days passed. The vase sat there.
Peggy busted round it. She would not
lay finger to it. She hated it. But
she was determined that Tim should
have it to look at until never again
would he make that kind of error.
Meanwhile. Junior was fairly bursting
out Of his charity clothes.