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Show JULIET'S TEA PARTY. 'Birthdays are such lovdy days'" The new girl in the next door cottage breathed the words wiih soft ifcdiance as she locked over the fence i:t Juliet Moffat. "I didn't dream ym knew it was my biiih-dav. biiih-dav. It's such a beautiful handkerchief. I never owned one before that ws handmade." "I'm glad I finished it in June," Juiict smiled with hppy eyes at the girl on the other sid'i of the fence. "I knew it was your birthday because I heard your brother Sam tell Mary yeste.vlay. he didn't want her to pick thc sweet peas. He said he was saving them for your birthday today." ''He's the dearest brother, Sam is." the girl smiled. ' "I wish you had a brother, too." "Juliet, another birthday gift for you. dear," called a voice from the open window of the house next door to the cottage. "Yes, mamma, I'm coming," Juliet answered. "Is it is it your birthday, too?" the other girl asked gladly. Juliet nodded her head. "And Im the luckiest girl ever! Aunt Juliet sent me a dollar to do with as I wish. I'm going to buy a book I've always wanted to own." "A whole dollar! That seems a jrood deal to spend on just one book, when you could buy pretty blue hair ribbons and and things." the girl pulled herself up quickly. "Susie and Gladys do so love blue hair ribbons," she added apologetically.. Suddenly Sud-denly her face grew radiant. "Oh! I'm so glad! I have a birthday gift for you. too!" She turned and ran across the worn grass plot and was back again in a minute. "It just came out this morning. I'm sure it was meant for you," and sjie held out a red rose. "You arc just as sweet and unselfish as your namesake. Rose!" Juliet cried softly. And her eyes shone with pleasure. "Good-bye: I hope you'll have a beautiful day. The baby's crying; I have to go." Rose hurried away. The steps reached, she paused for a moment to wave her hand to Juliet. A little later, Juiict, who had been talking to her mother about the new next-door neighbors, said: "Mamma, why can't we have them all in for tea? you and father and I could never cat my birthday cake alone, and I'm almost sure that Rose isn't going go-ing to have one. Can't we invite them, dear?" Mrs. Moffat gave her consent to having the rive Donaldsons for tea, partly because she wished to please Juliet, and partly because she felt a motherly mother-ly interest in the sweet, brave" girl next door who was a year younger than Juliet, and already was taking a woman's part while her. mother was away all day at work. Rose was sweeping the front steps when she saw Juliet coining down the street, her arms laden with packages. "Did you get your book f ' Rose asked, resting against the broom handle and looking look-ing with interested eyes at her neighbor. "Xo, I didn't," Juliet answered. "It did seem sort of foolish to spend a whole dollar for a book and the circulating librarv so handy." She paused a moment, then added: "Rose, mamma mam-ma and 1 will be glad if you will come in for tea. We will not have it until half-pa six I think your mother conies at that hour." "Oh, it's lovely of you to ask us all!" Rose cried with a sudden burst of gratitude. "It's lovely you ran come: you don't know how much we want you." Juliet answered, and hurried indoors. s That night Juliet told her father that she never before had had so much pleasure out of any. money as the birthday dollar she had spent in blue hair ribbons, a doll, and candy, with which to treat the Donaldson children. "At, first, they seemed to think it strange for Juliet to give presents on her birthday instead of receiving them," Mrs. Moffat chimed in; "but after awhile they forgot everything save the good time they were having. It was really delightful to see how they enjoyed themselves, from Rose down to the baby." "It was the very nicest birthday tea party T have .' ever had." Juliet said softly. Catholic Citizen. |