Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-12-25
MISS DOROTHY'S DAY.
An Entertaining Story For the New
Year.

81 reckon baby'n have to be mighty wei
bundled up, to go that far on muleback
and come home in the dead o. night, Su
sanna," said one mother to another, a
they sat with each child on her lap be
fore blazing fire, that cracked and sput
tered and threw it's light into the farthes
corner of the room. The speaker continued
without giving her neighbor an opportu
nifty to reply: say on remember the shaw
Miss Dorothy gave my Amandy last yea
because she had learned to read so nicely.
Well, Pm going to wrap my baby in it to
keep it from takin' cold. 1 only wish yor
had something as warm"
The tone was intended to be kindly anG
the offer friendly one, but there was al
underlying something in the voice, OF
words, or both, that caused the other to
glance quickly up from the child's face
and reply with a certain dignity:
"You are very kind, Samanthy Jones
but have plenty of clothes to wrap my
baby in--thanks to Miss Dorothy's teach
ingn ~ - :.
Pm sure l meant no harm, and going back
to what we were talking about must
say, don't see how We ever managed to
live before she came among us. Pm alters
afeared she'll go as she came, all of a sud-
den, and no one knows where. There's
something mighty mysterious about her,
anyway, with her dainty ways, her quiet
voice and her snow-white cap. I'd give
O good deal to know what that cap COW
ers-o
.Hush, Samanthy Pm afraid to speak in
that free way about her. I've told Simon
over and over, the day would come when
we should have no Miss Dorothy, riding
around with her little mules and cart,
teaching US how to bring up our children,
and helping us nurse our sick folks. be-
IL tno
the old ways of living again, though that's
really impossible alter all these years
teaching"
~ feel just the same as you do, Susanna,
only / never had quite your chance at book
larnin', and can't tell my thoughts quite as
pert you do; yet, much as set store by
her, it alters puzzles me to Enow where she
gets all her money. 1t stands to reason
she must use a sight o. it. What with
medicine, and books, and presents-and all
her fences and building, it must cost her
nigh about as much as all the county. If
you stop to think o. it, she never learns one
o. our ways, but we've learned a sight o.
hearn. Good evenin', Simon"
s'Good evening, neighbor. We never
hear 'howdy' any more, do We? OF course
you're ready for tomorrow. Give me the
child, Susanna" and taking the half sleep
ing child from the woman's arms he re-
tired to a corner where the shadow fell,
and was soon intent on getting the baby
asleep. In the meantime, two or three 9TH
ers came in, mostly near neighbors, and
seated themselves by the Fireplace to talk
over the coming event, whatever it was.
ssIhere's been great doings at her house
this week" spoke up Mrs. Fundy, in a
shril voice, conscious that she was utter
ing something of more than usual import
ance, II sent John over a minute this
morning to ask for pattern wanted, and
he said they Were all fixed to fits, and a
hammering like mad, and outside the door
were big boxes that hadn't been opened.
We're going to have big treat to-mor-
row, or 1 miss my guess. Pm glad it's
full moon. SO coming home we'n have
plenty o. light. Where'n she put us all?
But pshaw what do say that for, when
I've seen her stow us away every year?
She's wonderful woman, she is"
1--WE were just saying the same thing
when you calne,'' said the one who had
been called Samantha Jones, land I was
wondering where all the money came from
for her to spend. You may depend ont
there's something back of her coming here
that she wouldn't have us know for worlds,
and though / think as much of Miss Doro-
thy as any one. / know that where there's
q mystery, there's sure to be something
..Then it's a pity there is not more wrong
going on in the world, if it makes such
women as she is, l says" the voice came
from the corner in the shadow and was a
mans. and il what she says about GOD is
trne. / don't see why He don't make more
folks like her, and not such a no-account
lot of women as there are. Just think how
we lived here before she came. Hog and
bou,iuy. year in and year out, and mighty
clad ii we got the hog then. Now we have
Chickens, and eggs. and white bread and
,,otatoes. and sorghum, and our places are
Eli fixed up, our windows have glass in
eha,,, and not one of US that hasn't a
borsa or mule to go about on. She knows
,,,a,.x,tbino worth knowing, and can doctor
o,r COWS and pigs as well as our children,
an1 I don't see whose business it is where
she gets her money as long as she is MOTH
;,,sr Snt a blessing. All 1've got to say is,
Wv ON earth amt there more like her?
Perhaps where she came from they're all
land p,rays there's men there to match
jam reckon ones made to suit the 10th
erE'' replied Mrs. Jones, in voice far from
anliable.
temper over what said, though never
like to hear folks hint at something wrong
about the woman that's done more for
M than all the ministers that ever lived.
what did we use to do Christmas, Fourth
p July, Thanksgiving and New Years be,
fore she came here! You know as well
as do. We Just sat around barefooted
and ragged, with pipes IN our mouths.
How did our cabins look then! Not
e,.., Of ola &c m. window curtain, let alone
having gardens, and vines, and fancy mo-
4;.,,s What did we ride theng Blessed, If
~ didn't walk everywhere. Yet, I've
sss.,si more than one that has been helped
1 - 10, saw there was something out of the
~ :, Nth her. cause why: She just lives
- 3o rood to everybody, and Tomorrow
- - III ~. x.x.<,rla ooinC to her house, and