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Show George and His Birthday By JANE OSBORN (Cocyrltrht.) IT WAS the eve of Griffith Villi's birthday. He probably wouldn't have thought about it If now, on the very day before, he had not received a letter from his mother, who wu-off wu-off on a year's holiday somewhere in France with his father. The leUei had reminded him of the fact that he was to have a birthday and a money order had slipped from the letter. It was for a hundred dollars and the letter had explained: "I know you can't possibly need the money, but 1 am hoping you'll take it and spend it do something that you really wan; to without thinking whether It is extravagant ex-travagant or not. Do you remember what fun you and I used to have on your birthdays?" So when George sat in his bachelor apartment that evening he fell to thinking of those birthdays long ago. From the time that he was a very little boy his mother had devoted the entire day to him. There had been other brothers and sisters, so in the i ordinary course of events he never j saw quite as much of his mother as he wished. . But when his birthday ( came his mother somehow disposed of, all other duties and from early - morning until bedtime she was his. And he could do just what he wanted to do and no one need know what they had done if it was something that the brothers and sisters might tease him about. Once he had wanted to spend the entire day in her car with her not to go where she wanted to go or where other people went, but just where he wanted to go. And they had gone down through all the dingiest sections of the city. I through, narrow crowded streets, alone the waterfront and finally out in the woods not to pick flowers as his mother might have suggested on any other day, but to play Robinson Cru-1 Cru-1 soe. One day they had gone together J to the seashore and spent most of the i day swimming. Another time they ; had followed fire engines. Once when : he was in his 'teens he had asked to go to an architects' exhibition and it' was an afternoon spent there that . had really started him on his career. Recalling those other birthdays he decided to spend the next day as he i had done with Ms mother doing just ; what he wanted, all day long. ' By the time morning came he had somehow managed to get himself In a perfectly -'responsible mood but he found himself eating just the same sort of breakfast that he usually did in the same little restaurant where he always went. He left the restaurant res-taurant and strangely enough his Impulse led him ' in the direction of his office. Yes, that was where he really wanted o go. He wondered why yet all the time he really knew. He didn't like to let the day pass without seeing Edith Lee. Edith worked there as a draughtsman, and a mighty good one she was shy, curly-haired, fre -kle-nosed Iltle Edith, who somehow felt that to work in an architect's office was the consummation consumma-tion of all her tjmbitlons. Or, at least, George thought that was what she thought. Well, he went to his office, and when he said good morning Edith smiled, and George rather surprised himself by asking her If she had a great deal to do. Perhaps she could get time to go with him to the next county to see the new church In which they had ;ach in their own way had a hand. Edith had a good deal of work before her, but while she hesitated, she decided that she could take the work home and work till midnight to get it dune. Then she said she would go. George and Edith took a taxi to the garage where George kept his car that he used only when he went to the country, and while they sat together to-gether George smiled to himself to think that he was really there with Edith. Ordinarily he wouldn't have thought of asking her because ordinarily ordi-narily he never acted entirely with an idea of his own personal satisfaction. satisfac-tion. He called on certain girls be- t cause for some reason or other he thought it was his duty to do so. And there was no earthly reason why he should be spending time with j Edith, except that he wanted to. He didn't even think that she cared. So it was that, after they had seen the church together and talked aboul j It as one architect to another, he j asked Edith to have luncheon with j him because at the time It seemed aa I if no;hm else lnrhe world would be so pleasant. Then they went on another, drive in t'ae country. He asked her to have dinner with him and to go to the theater, too. Edith said she couldn't. She had work to do that night and besides "It seem? so strange that you really wanted to be with me," said Edith. "I've often thought It would be fun to be with yon, but you've barely looked at me. ' George, sitting in nls car beside Edith, explained about his birthday. Then he drove to the curb and stopped the engine. "Edit," he said abruptly, "I believe I've Deen in love with you for months. 1 believe I - can never love anyone else. Forget the work I'll help you with It tomorrow. It isn't so pressing. Make the day perfect, per-fect, come to dinner and go to a show with me and before we part promise you'll marry me." And Edith promised. |