The Coolidge examiner., 1934-01-05
Sally and Her
Pearls
By ALICE DUANE
g. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicats
WNU Service

the uance at all II she had her
own way about it, but Jim talked
her into 1t.
Il have nothing to wear" said
Sally.
Make something out of that
sofa pillow" advised Jim, land
you'll look thousand times better
than the average"
And as matter of fact there
was not a more beautiful girl at
the great ball than Sally in her
wisp of evening gown that she had
fashioned. her gray slippers and
stockings to match. and the whole
topped as Jim put it by her red
riot of curls.
"That old string of beads could
be a priceless lot of pearls for all
anyone here might know" he told
her as they danced.
"And if they were real" retorted
Sally, 81 would not be here seeking
patrons for my art shop-I could
have such gorgeous shop that
people would come in spite of them
selves" She toyed gracefully with
the long string of beads in ques-
ton. "Oh, dearI Isn't that the
limit-right in the middle of the
ballroom !" she exclaimed, and
brilliant blush sprang swiftly to
her cheeks. The string had broken
and the beads were rolling every
where at once.
OF course. she was the center of
attention, and all the dancers
stopped to help rescue what they
supposed to be her pearls.
"Please don't bother" said Sally,
they are only beads"
Nevertheless they were nearly
all restored to her and she put
them carelessly into her small van
ity bag.
A young man, however, sitting
watching the affair had picked up
few of the beads and having over
heard Sally's remark about their
value, looked carefully at them.
"Hmphl | think I'll show these
to Barney-look like the real thing
to me. Perhaps | can do the young
lady a good turn. Rather fancy her
any way" He managed, by much
inquiry, to find out who Sally was
and that she had a little shop
where she sold lamp shades, cush-
ions and other such trifles.
And as Sally and Jim strolled
up Park avenue to the tiny place
that was Sally's home, Jim wished
with all his heart that he was any
thing but an independent artist
who dared not tell the only girl how
much he loved her. He had been
quite ashamed to give her the old
string of beads on the occasion of
her birthday some few years back.
When Sally said good night she
apologiZed softly for having caused
such a scene at the dance.
81 didn't want to let that crowd
know how much | valued all of
those beads, Jim. but l think we
found most of them" She gave his
hand an extra warm squeeze and
slipped up the stairs. "Come early
Sunday afternoon" she called back
to him.
Sunday was the happiest day of
their week, for Sally, tired Of her
own cooking, let Jim get her tea
and supper Sunday nights.
And on this Sunday evening
while Sally was idly running
through some music and Jim was
making something delicious in the
kitchen, some one knocked at the
front door. Sally hastened to see
who it might be and whether her
nice evening with Jim was to be
shared with a third person.
That third person happened to be
the young man who had picked up
three of the beads from Sally's
string. After telling her his mis-
sion he was promptly invited in.
And when Sally told him that
she had a string of them that would
90 three times around her neck the
young man gasped.
"My dear young lady," he excit-
edly told her, ''if those beads are
of the value of the three l picked
up you have a set of pearls worth
at least fifty thousand dollars"
"Jim," she shouted, come quick
ly-rm going to faint I" And when
Jim rushed from the kitchen with
a pan of steaming pigs-in-blankets
in his hand. she stood up, braced
her shoulders and decided not to
faint. "No, l won't" she said, and
turned to the strange young man.
"Tell Mr.. Barnes what you have
just said"
Jim had all he could do to keep
the steaming Sunday night supper
from gracing the studio floor.
"They've been in the Barnes fam
lily for ages-I don't think their
value was ever suspected" he said
calmly.
"My pal says that is only rough
estimate - they may be worth
double that amount"
'In that case | shall most GER