Show The Fiction SOMETHING OF VALUE ANNA E. E By WILSON Corner THE THE pHE PORCH was broad a and n d 1 sunny and Elsie placed the big bighair chair hair where Dad could see the people passing and look across Into Barnes grocery store You see Dad she said cheerfully cheerfully cheer- cheer fully ully be happy here in the sunlight and you can watch what goes joes on over there in the store it'll be no time at all until you forget forget for for- get about the s shop hop h 0 p Goodness knows a man who's worked until hes he's sixty-five sixty years old has earned a rest Dad sank back In the chair and sighed wistfully I know Elsie and the company was real nice Mr Minute p r e e- e 3 3 Fiction me with a a watch and said they were real sorry about my eyes and hated to let et me go Watch making is such tine fine work and Dad finished carefully carefully carefully care care- fully there was no other place open in the shop where they could work me in Mr explained explained explained ex ex- ex- ex about it all before re I came away Yes Dad tried to settle himself himself him him- self uneasily but sitting here isn't going to help pay for this house and andI I did hope to see you settled in a ahome ahome home bome of ot your own before I died He was glad when Mrs Frisby stopped to talk She was gossipy and friendly and liked a chat Glad to see you taking a rest at I last Dad Goodness knows it was time I see youve you've been looking at atthe atthe atthe the sketch for tor the new Memorial Isn't it wonderful that a great artist like Mr Bonelli's been engaged for forthe forthe forthe the job They say hes he's been asking for medals to copy on the figures of the war veterans and Im I'm hurrying hurrying hurry hurry- ing right down with this one of Willies Dad stared at the sketch of the Memorial thinking of what Mrs Frisby had bad said Something of ot value Dad went over all his meager possessions and they weren't much Just his clothes neat and clean the watch Mr had given him and that old coin Dad was confused by the noise and arid bustle when he entered Mr Bonelli's studio but Mr Bonelli smiled at Dad and took him into a little office in the rear Its about a coin said he be humbly humbly hum hum- bly and took out his lucky piece Where did you get it and why do you want t to sell it Dad It was easy to talk to Mr Bonem Bonelli and Dad explained about his home bome an and Elsie THE THE ARTIST sighed It uIt might L have been valuable once bulit's but bul its it's too defaced now for restoration Im I'm Im I'm sorry he looked as if he really was I wish 1 I could tell you that Its It's worth something but Im I'm afraid its it's not Dad thanked him but as he be got up to go Mr Bonelli spoke I have a friend coming tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow tomor tomor- row and 1 If you drop In you can talk it over with him All AU afternoon Dad polished the coin and when he went down to the studio in the morning the metal in inthe inthe inthe the coin shone Mr Bonelli was talking to another another an an- other man when he saw Dad he beckoned him in Dad took out the coin and the stranger glanced at it but he was really looking at Dad Dad in his neat worn clothes was worth looking at He had lived a good life and all this good living showed in his wrinkled face and clean blue eyes Mr Bonelli's OWE owr eyes twinkled We find you have something of value Dad after all he said softly The coin was worthless he be continued We want to use you as asa asa asa a model for one of ot the figures on our Memorial We want to employ you in the tile studio to keep track of valuables loaned to us Mr ger says we couldn't get a better man The pay is good well over five hundred dollars for the tile years year's work he said gently You see see Dad the thing you have of value is yourself Youve You've been a good citizen and it shines shines right right in your face |