GRANNY WELSH'S SECRET.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 52, 2 March 1929, Page 2 (Supplement)

GRANNY WELSH'S SECRET.

(By ISOBEL BROOK.) The delightful summer holidays were drawing to a close, and Ruth Mclntyre sighed dolefully as she walked home from the little Pakahi Post Office. "Oh, dear!" she said. '"This time next week I'll be in the train, whirling away to my doom." For Ruth had passed her "Pro." exam, at the end of last year, and her parents had decided to send her to a girls' private school in town. Of course Ruth hated the idea of town life, being a countryite to the backbone, but the idea of a girls' school was not without its pleasant prospects; there would be lots of chums, for one thing, and there would be hockey and cricket and tennis tournaments, and fun in the "dorm." "Anyway, I wish something nice would happen before I go," she murmured, "just to sort of cheer a fellow up." She had now left the little country township behind, and had half a mile to walk to her home. As she approached a little cottage that stood by the roadside, she saw a little old woman standing inside the gateway. "There's old Granny Welsh," she said. "I haven't seen her for ages—l wonder if she wants something." The little old lady had lived in her little old cottage as long as anyone could remember, and nobody knew anything about her except that her name was "Granny Welsh." Very seldom was she seen out, and then she was dressed all in black, with a little pink flower on her bonnet. Ruth had done many little kind acts and errands for Granny Welsh, and the old lady had grown very fond of her. But Ruth had never been inside the gate. She waved as she came near. "I say, little girl! Could you come in ?" asked the old lady, with a quiver in her voice. "Yes, of course!" replied Ruth. "Is anything wrong?" "Oh, my dear, I am so frightened! There is a rat—a big rat—and he scared me so." "Where?" asked Ruth eagerlv. She certainly wasn't fond of rats, and wouldn't very much mind killing one for an old lady. "In my bedroom jug," was the reply. "I don't know how he got there, I'm sure. And he made the most awful noises, and glared at me so savagelv!" "I'm sure you were verv frightened" remarked Ruth, as "Granny" led her inside. She looked around her with interest. Everything was spotlessly clean, and the little kitchen was quite tidy, but rather bare. Quaint and prettv little pictures adorned the walls, and* a little vase of honeysuckle stood on the table "Come 011 in, my dear," said "Granny" and they went into the little bedroom whence strange sounds proceeded; and' peeping inside the china jug, Ruth beheld an enormous brown rat.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "What a horrible brute! The only thing we can do is to drown him." The rat died. Ruth went back to the kitchen al ,d the old lady greeted her \\ itli: Is he dead?" "Yes," Ruth replied. ''Oil, you brave little girl!" crl%A Granny. "I couldn't have slept there tonight. I think I'd have died of fear Listen, little friend. You have ahvavs been very good to me. Are vou really going away? " * "Yes, in a week's time," Ruth said, l , lim?° n' 1 ' b' n ° Wn before how Poor the little old lady was, and that she iv I n®" J-'fT m ° re little " seful g if ts. Well chi d, would you do one thine for me? HI tell you. My father used to Ine here after my mother died and my brother and I lived here too. mJ father was rieh-very rich—but he was mean, and someone told me that he hid its money in the kitchen wall just before he died. But, child, I can't find it! Ar v eyes have been failing these manv, ma v years, so I can't see. But I run ' hands along the wall, feeling, feelinfor the little crack in the wSwl that means the hiding place. I've never dared tell anyone, for fear they'd rob me But I trust you child. Can you S<M a k in one of the boards?" Ruth, looked carefully here, there aiul everywhere and at last spied a care ™ « »' tta boards

"God be thanked!" said the old 'Could you open it, my dear? Then are tools in a box in the porch." Ruth secured a hammer and a chiseL and, being handy with tools, soonhaj the piece of board creaking and Ecratcin ing as the nails came out. Bang! cam* the board, and Ruth, peering down, ba> held a metal box lying in a built-in compartment. She lifted it out an& handed it to Granny Welsh. "Thank you, my dear, oh, thank you,* she cried gratefully. "Now I shall have the few things I need most." Sha opened the box, and there lay money—» piles of it—mostly sovereigns and silver pieces. "What is left over when I di® will be yours," she said. "Meanwhile, take these to buy yourself something you want very much." And Ruth found five golden pieces in her hand.

"Thank you!" she gasped. ''But—" "Wait a bit, dear," said Granny, and disappeared for a moment. She came back again, holding a velvet case. "Ihi3 was my grandmother's, and I know you will prize it. No, I shall love you to have it, for I shall not live much longer, and you are the only one I shouli leave it to. Now, good-bye, dear, and God bless you. It's getting near evening, and you mustn't be late." She kissed Ruth good-bye, and when at home she had told her story, she opened the velvet case, and found a most beautiful necklace of diamonds!

FEBRUARY 24. Cleave, Harcourt. Harrington. Edwai^ Crowe, Dick. Johnson, Philip. / Davis. Ross. Smith, Alphet. Forsman, William. Sharp, Peter. Gibb, Marjorie. Tavlor, Basil. Holman, Elsie. Williamson, Mirifk,FEBRUARY 25. Barker, Edna. Kellv, Frances. Coombes, Freedom. Kerkin, Ellery. Croy, Annette. Peace. Robert. Hale. L. Hylton. Taylor, Ada. Harrington, Betty. FEBRUARY 26. Bone, Marie. Little, Mollie. Baker, Leslie. Manning, Henry. Currie, Roy. Jlawkes, Kitty. Cundell, Joan. Perrett, Bpssie. Fallon, Iris. Spragi:, Edna. Hood, Charlie. Tucker. Henry. Kelly, Mollie. Yearburv. Clarenctw Lightfoot, Joyce. FEBRUARY 27. Attonborough, Rona. Mahon. Svilner. Atkinson, Harry. Mitchell. Lilv." Bright, Margaret. Thatcher, Winifred, Culpan, Helen. Woodman. Ullu. Fisher, Pearl. Wiltshire, Maxwell* Laybourn. lan. Wilkins, F. Lofley, Cecil. FEBRUARY 2S. Blomfield. Ngaire. Mackie, DonaM. Brown, James. Miller. Phyllis. Beeston, Ron. Margaret. Winilr.QiJ Ford, Joan. Mason, Allison. Fairhead, Percival. Morris, Arthur. Foy. Mary. Myers. Zita. I Ilamblin, Mary. Noakes, Annie. [Lowther. Allan. Sharp, Fnink. Mann, Edward. Stewart, Leo. MARCH 1. Andwson. Alma. Hooper, Belt v. Brooks, Arthur. .loines, Tnmm'v. I'hasc. Edward. Kelly, Dulcie." Dromgool, Lucilla. Moore, Nora. (Jaraway, Mavis. Maxwell. I.ruiie. Iliggins, Edith. Pickett, Mabel. Hassett, Lynn. Potter, Nancy. MARCH 2. Ardley, Joyce. Johanson. Betty. Baker, Grace. Kins. Dawn. Birnie. Robert. Liddel. Thomas. Best. Nola. Popham, Jovce. Crosby, Sylvia. Wallace, Eeitv. Hopkinson, Muriel.