The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-03-19

i i with quite bit of gusto. 1t was
such a lot of money, all together. to
hand to anybody. Stella flushed with
pride as she slipped it in her worn
pocketbook.
swell, my GIRL" Bill had said. II
guess now you and the young Ones'll
be getting some of those things you've
been telling me you needed"
"Oh, Bill, honey" Stella said. isn't
It 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 kiddies
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 it till see just
the right things, Bill DEAR" she prom.
ised, kissing him good-by at the door.
Stella's work went quickly that
morning. She whistled a little tune
az she did the dishes. It had been so
long since they had had money. The
kiddies we're little ragged and worn
In their last years clothes. And Bill,
the things he needed. and herself. too.
Well, she'd buy some of them this
fine morning. Shed surprise Bill to-
night with just what that ten dollars
could do.
It 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 it struck her forcibly
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 the bill,
retraced her steps anxiously to the
very door of the store. But the ten
dollars was gone.
She thought her heart would break
as she stepped into the busy street.
Bills hard-earned ten dollars gone |
How could she have been so careless.
Why hadn't she noticed that hole in
the pocketbook before she had placed
that precious bill within It
She paused a moment before the
entrance of the great Hotel Graydon,
leaning against pillar for support.
The world had gone dizzy and black
before her eyes.
A car, large and shining, drove up
before the Graydon, a chauffeur at the
wheel. A lady, beautifully gowned
and middle-aged, came down the Gray.
don steps to enter 1t. Blindly. Stella
moved on. She must not make dis.
play Of herself on the public street.
Then something brushed her elbow.
She turned and found 1t. the hand Of
the woman who had come down the
hotel steps.
as something the matter?" the wom-
an asked kindly. "You looked as II
you were about to fall Are you
3aint?"
"Thank you; no." Stella spoke
bravely, but there was no mistaking
the tears in her eyes.
wont you tell me what's troubling
your the woman urged. II can see
you are bothered by something. Per-
haps, 1t might help you IL you knew
had a daughter once, girl who
would be about your age today. I lost
her"
The sympathy Stella saw in every
line of the sweetly. saddened face re-
garding her was exactly what she
needed.
"Oh, I shouldn't tell you this" she
began. 81 don't even know you. But
it's nearly killing me. This morning
my husband. Bill. oh. you can't guess
how good he is to me. gave me ten
dollars to buy things for the babies
and myself. He worked so hard for
IL. And now, well. I don't know how.
but I've lost It'll And it was all Bill
had to give. And I've lost itr'
Tears poured unrestrainedly down
Stella's cheeks. 1t seemed so even
more monstrous. now that she had said
It, that she had lost that ten dollars.
Then she was surprised by a light In
the woman's eyes.
"Do you know, my DEAR" the wom-
an was saying eXcitedly, fumbling in
her own beaded purse. "It's the most
curious thing, but Jason, he's my
chauffeur, found this ten-dollar bill in
front of one of the large stores. !
think 1t was-er-"
"Blakeley'sT Stella asked eagerly.
"Yes, Blakeley's." the woman went
on" "and. my dear, fancy finding you
just after you'd lost it"
"Why, how wonderful" Stella exult-
ed. "To have you find me right after
I'd lost it." she echoed like child.
swell, run do your errands, my
dearp The woman smiled and gave
her a kindly. maternal push.
And it wasn't until after the woman
had departed in her great car, and
Stella was on her way rejoicing With
the ten-dollar bill held close in her
hand. that it dawned upon her that she
wasn't clasping the same ten-dollar bill
at all with which she had started from
home. This one was new and fresh.