Smyrna times., 1935-08-01
WEEKLY STORY
AROUND TABLE
Reading to While Away Time
Under the Evening Lamp
When Days Work is Done
INTERESTING READING
BIRTHDAY GIFT"
BY M. P. Johnson

JOHANNA laid the long white
- envelope upon her breakfast tray
and sighed deeply.
Its going to be right nice
birthday for you, Johanna" she re
marked firmly. "With your divorce
decree served right along with your
toast and coffeeT"
VERY appropriate" she decided
nodding her golden curls at the cal
endar. IAN omen, most certainly,
OF with the old love and on with
the newl That's the ideal"
She slipped out of bed and into
her bath.
wen forget about the old love, y
she told herself hastily. Its a
gloomy thought. It's the new love
we shall celebrate today!" And just
to prove the thoughts of the new
love were indeed exciting and gay,
she began to hum in her pleasant
young voice. But the lovely violet
eyes held sober, stubborn little
light.
Mark AmeSbury, decided Johanna,
changing the hum to a tomboyish
whistle a little off key, was man
well worth any woman's thoughts.
She could see the crisp dark head.
with the touches of distinguished
white at the temples, the crinkling
gray eyes and the expressive twist
ing mouth 81 love you, Johanna" !"
that mouth had said-how many
times? Well, he could have her
now. She would tell him so.
1t would be fun to spend the
day shopping, she decided. Nothing
gave her spirits quite such a lift as
buying something new and lovely.
and of course she must be specially
gay and festive for Mark tonight
Johanna found a gown of gold
net that was a dream. In 1t that
night she felt glamorously gay. Just
as she was putting on the finishing
touch of lipstick florists box came
with a little bouquet Of old-fash-
toned flowers. Accompanying them
was a card with only one word on
it-Jerry. The flowers, it seemed,
were perfect with the gold net gown.
They were perfect for her. And
it was so like Jerry to send them.
Just to show there was no iii will.
Jerry Wedding, tall, laughing. low
able Jerry, with the wavy brown
hair and the very blue eyes. and
the hungry, eager arms, and-well,
inquired Johanna, wasn't that
enough about Jerry? SO, very firmly,
she laid aside Jerry's corsage and
wore the sophisticated shoulder
spray from Mark.
Mark came for her then, and
stood looking at her with a sort
of possessive pride. "How can you
be so beautiful, Johanna?" he asked.
She had intended telling him
about the decree at dinner. But
they ran into Nesta Norwood who
insisted they join her party. Mark
looked sulky but Johanna smiling
iy accepted. After all, everyone
knew how much of the trouble be
tween Jerry and herself had been
because of sophisticated. glamorous
Nesta, so she couldn't very well re-
fuse.
1t was during the dessert that she
turned to Johanna and said, I'D eI-
pected Jerry. you know, but he
wouldn't come"
Johanna laughed lightly. "Jerry's
like that" she replied looking
straight into Nesta's dark eyes.
4'He takes notions"
"And this last notion is the prize
of them all !" snapped Nesta, clutch
ing her fork tensely. She waited
for Johanna to inquire, but Johanna
didn't. Johanna couldn't bear 70
ask Nesta about Jerry. Not yet.
So she merely smiled. An irritat-
ing bright little smile.
"Going off to some crazy God
forsaken country on an expedition
to hunt snakes ~ Nesta flung at her.
"Snakes-of all things / think he's
gone madr'
Clearly, Jerry had disappointed
her.
! 1t didn't take her very long to
reach the telephone and call Jerry
at that funny rooming house that
no one else knew about.
Jerry" she said very low into
the phone. won't you come here?
i want to talk to you"
"All right" agreed Jerry, In the
manner Of one granting a last re-
quest.
And so he came. But can't
stay very long," he warned her
I'm of tomorrow
ITO hunt snakes" nodded Johan-
ma. "Jerry, whyr
Jerry's blue eyes flashed def
antly. I'm going,r he snapped,
because I've finished with things
here. You have your divorce. A
Birthday present. That's a laugh
q gave 1t to you because / love
you'll To make you happy. Jo-
hannai'
1Jerryw cried Johanna, speaking
very, very fast, do you mean you
weren't In love with NestaT