Innocent Youth

Katie Jones had been working hard all day to get the little house clean for her Mother's birthday and she had finally finished. The nine-year-old girl quickly ran outside and collected a whole bouquet of flowers. She darted back in and put them in a cracked vase in the middle of the two-person table. She then plopped down in a chair and started talking to herself as was her want when alone in the house.

"What else can you get Momma, Katie? Flowers are not nearly enough! hmmm." She sighed loudly and put her elbows on the table, tapping her temples impatiently. All of a sudden she started clapping her hands excitedly.

"I know!" She once again dashed away full of energy and emptied her piggy bank onto the before-mentioned table.

"There! I told you I had enough money in here, Katie." She grinned proudly at herself as she counted up one dollar and seven cents.

"I can use this to buy a card and a candy bar! We best hurry on to the store, not much more time before Mum gets home." She stuffed the money in her purse and once again used an almost alarming amount of energy to get to her destination as quickly as possible. When she came bounding into the quaint general store she gave the storekeeper a start and a good laugh.

"What are you about today Kate Jones?"

"It's Mum's birthday! I'm getting her a card and a treat."

"What? It's Lily's birthday? It seems just yesterday she was born!" The round old man laughed heartily and Katie with him. She could never resist laughing when he did, even if she didn't understand why she was laughing.

"She wasn't born yesterday!" she giggled

"She was born in nineteen forty-nine! that makes her…" Katie stuck her tongue out and squinted her eyes thoughtfully. "Twenty-three!"

"Why so it is young Kate! So it is!"

Katie crossed her arms proudly and picked up a small shopping basket and walked around with her head held high. After much debate with herself, she decided on a card and a candy bar.

"This is a very good selection you've made Miss Kate. Mind if I send a gift for your mother as well?"

Katie beamed with delight "Not at all!"

"What are you having for dinner?"

Katie started hopping up and down excitedly "Potatoes." her voice lowered to a soft whisper "With butter."

"No! Butter you say?"

"Yeah!"

"While how would you like some cheese to go with them?"

The child squealed with delight "Do you really mean it?"

"Ay, and a quart of milk to go with it too."

She ran home and set up her card and chocolate by the flowers, then got the fireplace roaring, set up the butter and cheese, and poured some milk into two cups. Katie sat at the window patiently watching for a quarter of an hour until she saw Mrs. Lily Jones walking down the pavement. She ran out to meet her and then led her into the house as if she was a queen and little Katie had the privilege of escorting her to a feast.

***

It's a very simple story about a young girl who worked all day to give her mother a pleasant birthday. It's strangely happy and innocent, though I must confess I started with a much more, unhappy, idea. "And whether we shall meet again I know not. Therefore our everlasting farewell take. For ever, and for ever, farewell. If we do meet again, why, we shall smile. If not, why then, this parting was well made."