Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1931-04-24
Lost Ten Dollar
Bill Found
By RUTH DAVIS SARGENT


20 by Mcclure Newspaper syndlcateN
tWNU Servicel
LIE GAVE 1t to her that morning
II with quite a BIT of gusto. II was
such a lot of money, all together, TO
hand to anybody. Stella flushed with
pride as she slipped II In her worn
pocketbook.
"Well, my girl" Bill had said, II
guess now you and the young ones1l
be getting some of those things you've
been telling me you needed"
ooh, Bill, honey" Stella said. Isn't
1t wonderful after these four long
weeks with you wearing out shoe
leather trying to find job, to have
finally gotten placed, and to be giving
me ten dollars to fix up the Riddles
and ourselves !"
"Don't forget yourself Stella Bill
admonIshed her. IF you see some lit
tie thing you want, buy it," And then,
slowly, "but go easy with it, old girl.
| don't need to tell you that, know.
But ten dollars Is a lot of money to-
day Buy the things we really need"
"I'll hang on to ii till see Just
the right things, Bill dear" she prom
Used, kissing him good-by at the door,
Stella's work went quickly that
morning She whistled little tune
as she did the dishes. 1t had been so
long since they had had money. The
Riddles were little ragged and worn
in their last years clothes. And BIZ,
the things he needed, and herself, too.
Well, she'd buy some of them this
fine morning. She'd surprise Bill to-
night with just what that ten dollars
could do.
II didn't seem possible on that early
fall day that tragedy could Turk around
Stella, when she felt so happy and Sc
cure with that carefully folded bill In
her purse. But II struck her forclbly
as she stood beside the stocking cOun-
ter in Blakeley's big store, about to
pay for some socks, her first purchase
for Bill. The ten dollars was not in
her pOcketbOOk FrantICally. she
searched the shabby envelope she car
ried, discovered the hole in the inner
pocket where she had tucked me bi'i'
retraced her steps anxiously' To the
very door of the store But the ten
dollars was gone.
She thought her heart would break
rs she stepped into the busy street.
Bits hardearned ten dollars gone !
How could she have been SO careless.
Why hadn't she noticed that mole IN
the pocketDook Oetore she hau placeh
tina precious Dill within II.
She paused moment berore the
entrance OF the great Hotel Graydoh'
leaning against pillar Tor support
me world h0d gone diZZy ana hiack
tefore her eyes
car, large and shining, drove up
before the Graydon chauffeur at the
wheel. lady' Deaulliuhy goWhed
and mlddle.aged, came down the Gray
don steps to'enter 1t. Blindly. StelIa
moved on. She must moi make dis-
play OF herselI on ihe puDhc street.
lhen something brushed her eioo".
She turned and found It, the hand OF
the woman VINO had come down the
hOtel Steps
rs something the matterF the woin-
nm asked Klhdiy. you iooKed as II
you were ABOUT 10 ta'i' are you
faintF
"Thank you; no." Stella spoke
bravely, but there was no mlstaking
the tears In her eyes.
won't you tell me what's troubling
your the woman urged can see
you are bothered by something rer-
maps u mlght help you IT you knew
had daugh'er once gir' VINO
would he aDou' your age 'odnS' Ios'
her." .....
The sympathy Stella saw In every
line Of the sweetly, saddened face re-
gardin9 her was exactly what she
needed. n
"Oh, ! shouldn't ten you this she
began. 81 don't even know you. But
it's nearly killing me. THIS morning
my husband. BIZ. OH you cant guess
how good he Is to me, gave me ten
dollars to buy things for the babies
and myself lie worked so hard for
II. And now, well, don't know now,
but Eve lost It And 1t was all Bln
had TO give. And I've lost II"
Tears poured unrestralnedly down
Stella's cheeks. u seemed so even
more monstrons, now that she had said
II, that she had lost that ten dollars
Then she was surprised by light In
the wOman's eyes.
"Do you know, my dear" the WON
an vas saying excItedly. fumbllng In
her own beaded purse, "It's the most
curious thing, but Jason, he's my
chauffeur found this ten.dolIar blu In
front of one Of the large stores.
fbink n yyos--pr-"