The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-02-15
A VALENTINE AND A MISSION.

that baby. Ever since it was three .
weeks Old--it was born in August, and .
now It was FebUary-shc had taken
the who e care of it every day, except /.
ing Sundays, f ON morning until night. /
Mira GOOgens, her mOther-her IA
Their was dead-when she wasn't out
washing and iron ng, was washing and
ironing at home, and having no other
children besides Eecta Eliza and the
baby, of course the care OF the small
boy fell almost emit ely on his siste.
This was rather ha d, for she was on
" twelve wears old, and lame besides.
and it requires great deal Of patience
and good nature to mind a baby, Ospe-
cially a lively, wide-aWakc baby who
Jumps, and 'pat-a-cakes," and Coos"
and goggles, - and wants to 90 day
day. all the time.
1t WASH t pretty tabv, and it wasn't
an ugly baby. 1t had round blue eyes,
round red checks, round wee nose, and
u very bald head and sometimes it
looked so wise you COUldn' help think
ing it wasn't n baby at all, but a 10 ly,
lazy old gentleman dwarf Just making
believe to be one. to be carried around
and waite ! upon.
Electa Eliza had gone to school be-
fore the baby came, and had been
very good scholar-at the head OF her
been obi gcd TO stay ut home altogeth-
or, and it was but seldom she got
chance to look at her books
Now around the corner from the
house where E!ecta Eliza lived was
church, and on the steps of this church,
sheltered oy he porch, she often rested
when tired walking with the baby.
Indeed. it was her favOrite resting
place, and even when the weather was
4 1 4,
watching most of the time the house
directly opposite, at whose W ndOWs
often appeared another girl and another
baby.
This young girl, who was about three
years older than Electa Eliza, and
whose name was Theodore Judson, and
her little brother were her mother s
only children, lust as Electa Eliza and
her baby were her mothers only chill
drcn.
But, ah! how far apart their paths in
life were
The Judson baby had a nurse-maid in
constant attendance upon him, his sis
ter only playing with him when she felt
SO inclined; and Miss Theodore had n
French and German teacher, and n
music teacher, and riding master be-
sides being one OF the day pupils at
n celcl rated academy famous tOr its
excellent scholars. And her father and
mother were the most indulgcnt of par
entS, refusing her nothing that she de-
sired.
But yet Theodore was not cOntcnted,
but was continually wishing to be some
thing that would make her Of more i'm
pOrtance in the world, and wondering
when, if ever, she would find a mission.
On St Valentines morning-Nale
tines Day happening that year to fall on
a Saturday--she was holding forth, rs
she had held forth a hundred times be
fore, to her mother, who was listening
patiently, as mothers usually do, on the
subject which always lay nearest hel
heart.
"Pd like to become famous" said
Theodore, her eyes sparkling and her
cheeks glowing; "be an artist or NJ
author, or an inventor, or somebody
great. 1t seems so hard to live in this
big world, and be woman and nothing
more. To paint lovely picture, tC
write beautiful book, to make dis
Coverv that would gain me the praise
and thanks of thousands of people-ah
if l dared to dream | should ever dC
any of these things, l should be perfect
ly happy
"My dear" said her mother, mildly
''there are many other ways beside
those VIII ch you have mentioned b,
which praise, and thanks, and love, ant
happ ness can be gained. 1t ism cas-
TO become famous, but it is eaSy-tha
is, if ones heart is in the work-tO d
a great deal of good to ones fellow
beings. Young rs you are, l ha e n
doub there are many sad hearts NO
might gladden., and many gloomy home
TO which you might bring brightness.
"Oh, mother, can You show me Oneg
said Theodore, eagerly.
Il could, many a one, answere
the mother, smIlIng5 " but surely $
bright and intelligent girl rs yourse.
ought to be able to find out who need
your help and encouragement WIthou
my assistance
twas now lust about the hour for tn
mornings mail to come in, and With
ten minutes of he tine when tn
scrio $ conversation took place, Mis-
Theodore and her fr end Bessie lie
were on their way to the post-Otlice.
What a hurrying and skurrying Their
was. what a laughing and sho ting.
How did the deaf old clerk in tn
post Office ever manage TO take charg
OF such dainty mjssivcs? There wer
bio valentines and little valentines. va
Cntines with coarse figures acCompan.c
bv bad poetry, and valentines that wer
marvelS of art There were hearts. an
darts, and tUpids, and roses, and par
sizes, and everything that goes TO max
the valentine wonder and delight.
No one had n large supply tina
Theodore and Bessie and arm in arl
they walked down the street displayin
their treasures. and demanding ever,
bodv's sympathy, from the old docto
on his way to treat critical case,
Pussic Evans, the minister's little On
who WIS Forbidden to leave the doc
step. and had to wait for somebody
bring her valentines to her.
Not one OF the merry party notice
FIecta Eliza. Yet there she was, IN
without the babv-a fact so rcmarkab
that it might well have attracted attic
ton had there Teen a person IN u
world to give the poor child tho 'gf
But Elccta Eliza had special int
est in this Valentines Day. Not tn
she e>pe ted a va entina; such TIM
would have been too absurd. Still, n
interest in those wonderful missiveS
the post-Oilice was quite sufficient To /
duce her to give up fully one-half of b.
dinner TO a friend who agreed to min
the baby for an hour Then with h.
little crut h she mounted the hill to u
post-Cfice, waiting quietly about un