Lavender and Old Lace

"I'll send you some samples, Aunty, and then you can take your choice."

"And--" began Mrs. Ball.

"Did you know Mrs. Pendleton was going away, Aunty?" asked Ruth,

hastily.

"Do tell! Elmiry Peavey goin' travellin'?"

"Yes, she's going somewhere for a visit--I don't know just where."

"I had laid out to take James and call on Elmiry," she said, stroking

her apron thoughtfully, while a shadow crossed Mr. Ball's expressive

face; "but I guess I'll wait now till I get my new black silk. I want

her to know I've done well."

A warning hiss from the kitchen and the odour of burning sugar impelled

Aunt Jane to a hasty exit just as Winfield came. Uncle James followed

them to the door.

"Niece Ruth," he said, hesitating and fumbling at his belt, "be you

goin' to get merried?"

"I hope so, Uncle," she replied kindly.

"Then--then--I wish you'd take this and buy you sunthin' to remember

your pore old Uncle James by." He thrust a trembling hand toward her,

and offered her a twenty dollar bill.

"Why, Uncle!" she exclaimed. "I mustn't take this! Thank you ever so

much, but it isn't right!"

"I'd be pleased," he said plaintively. "'Taint as if I wan's accustomed

to money. My store was wuth five or six hundred dollars, and you've been

real pleasant to me, Niece Ruth. Buy a hair wreath for the parlour, or

sunthin' to remind you of your pore old Uncle."

Winfield pressed her arm warningly, and she tucked the bill into her

chatelaine bag. "Thank you, Uncle!" she said; then, of her own accord,

she stooped and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

A mist came into the old man's eyes, and he put his hand to his belt

again, but she hurriedly led Winfield away. "Ruth," he said, as they

went down the hill, "you're a sweet girl. That was real womanly kindness

to the poor devil."

"Shall I be equally kind to all 'poor devils'?"

"There's one more who needs you--if you attend to him properly, it will

be enough."

"I don't see how they're going to get Aunty's silk gown and a ring like

mine and a haircloth parlour suit and publish a book with less than two

hundred dollars, do you?"

"Hardly--Joe says that he gave Hepsey ten dollars. There's a great

discussion about the spending of it."

"I didn't know--I feel guilty."

"You needn't, darling. There was nothing else for you to do. How did you

succeed with your delicate mission?"

"I managed it," she said proudly. "I feel that I was originally destined

for a diplomatic career." He laughed when she described the lemonade set

which she had promised in his name.

"I'll see that the furniture is shipped tomorrow," he assured her; "and

then I'll go on a still hunt for the gaudy glassware. I'm blessed if I

don't give 'em a silver ice pitcher, too."