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Show THE GIFT OF A BIRTHDAY. Not all persons born on Thanksgiving Day have the good fortune that fell to the lot of a little American girl. She received a wonderful gift, most gracefully grace-fully presented the Wly gift of this peculiar kind, perhaps, on record. November 13, from 1850 to 1890, was Robert Louis Stevenson's birth anniversary. anni-versary. Aftar the latter date, however. how-ever. It belonged to him no longer, for on June 19, 1891. he gave it away in the following characteristic words to his little friend, Annie Ide, who haul considered herself cruelly defrauded of one of. her red-letter days: "I, Robert Louts Stevenson, Advocate of the Scots Bar, author of The Master of Ballantrae' and 'Moral Emblems,' Em-blems,' being In sound mind and pretty well, I thank you. In body: "In consideration that Miss Annie H. Ide was born, out of all reason, upon Thanksgiving Day, and Is. therefore,, cut of all justice, denied the consolation consola-tion end profit of a proper birthday; "And considering that I, the said Robert Louis Stevenson, have attained an age when oh, we never mention it and that I have now no further .use for a birthday of any description: "Have transferred, and do hereby transfer, to the said Annie H. Ide all and whole my rights and privileges in the thirteenth day of November, formerly for-merly my birthday, now, hereby and henceforth the birthday of the 6Rld Annie II. Ide, to have, hold, exercise and enjoy the same In the customary manner, by the sporting of fine raiment, rai-ment, eating of rich meats, and receipt re-ceipt of gifts, compliments and copies of verse, according to the manner of our ancestors." Furthermore. Stevenson enriched this unique gift by presenting the little maid with the name Louisa, and he charged her to use the birthday, "not being 60 young as It was once, with moderation and humanity. |