Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1890-02-20

to leave us again she insisted upon our
moving into her pretty room. hesitat-
ed, fearing it would be too breezy in
cold weather. But she spread great
soft rug by the bed, and another in
front of the Fireplace, and hung some
warm-looking pictures on the delicately-
tinted walls, and it took the cold feeling
all away.
] know / slept better in that room
than ever had in ours. 1t seemed to
put new life in me. almost forgot how
old l was growing Mother said the
same. And / was forced to acknowl-
edge that Mollie's idea was not so un-
pleasant in its effects as | had feared it
would be.
Before spring arrived had decided to
remodel our room after the same plan,
and send our elegant furniture, carpets
andcurtains as donation to some friends
in acolder country. Mollie laughed her
ripping, silvery laugh when she came
home for her second vacation and found
another room divested of it's cumbersome
elegance.
l said: sits all owing to your idea,
Mollie," and she laughed harder than
ever as she caught me around the neck
and cried: ''You don't think it's only a
silly notion then, do you, father?"
For, you see, that was the first time /
had mentioned the idea by its proper
name, always having called it silly
notion.
After that Mollie let her idea roam
around considerably. In fact, hardly
think she locked it up at all, except per-
haps when we had company. Several
times | found her big book on my
library table. / must confess | opened
| it on one occasion, and was so interested
in what found inside the covers that
was sorry when it disappeared. l
wouldn't ask for it, however, for Mollie
could laugh so when any thing amused
her, and l hate to be laughed at dread
fully.
Fall came and Mollie's idea hurried
her away again. Time dragged more
slowly than ever this time, until toward
spring when we experienced surprise
not altogether agreeable. My head
book-keeper decided quite suddenly to
take trip to Europe at my expense,
carrying with him sufficient means to
meet all emergencies. Immediately
after his departure fire broke out in the
basement Of the building in which had
my store, and, with the assistance of
water, kindly thrown as an extin-
guisher, compile tely ruined my stock of
new, unpaid-for goods 1t took all
could realize from insurance and the
sale of my city property to make me
straight with the world again. And
then mother and sat down to look the
situation in the face. Two elderly peo-
pie with nothing left but ourselves and
our great desolate home. Just then
in came Mollie, big book, trunk,
idea and all, like fresh June
breeze, or more truly speaking, a
regular Western cyclone. Bless the
child! We had almost forgotten her IN
our bewilderment. She hugged and
kissed us, and shed few tears over
mothers lace cap, then, with little
|
we'll see what that idea of mine can dc
for us. | think I've mastered it, and
haven't earned the title of Nurse Mollie
for nothing. So cheer up, dear folks
you have something left, if it is only
Mollie and her idea" And catching up hel
big book she pranced gayly up and dowr
the room until we were forced to laugh
in spite of the dismal state of affairs.
The weeks flew rapidly by after hel
coming, very busy weeks to us all, bu
particularly so to Mollie BY summer
time our stately home in the suburbs wa
filled with the most interesting compa
ny of individuals | had ever seen
Mother and / were allowed to keep ou
room in peace, and Mollie shared her
with sweet-faced girl who filled tn,
place Of assistant nurse.
The small parlor was turned into 9
eption-room, the dining-room ant
: kitchen placed in charge of good
natured Maggie, the cook, while the re
mainder of the house fairly swarmeC
I with babies.
Babies of all descriptions from tn,
plump little beauty to the frail, we,
7 morsel too weak to even smile. Over al
pres ided Mollie, blissfully, radiantly
happy. Always busy, yet never to,
tired to pillow weary little head ol
her shoulder or to sing a fretful, we
stranger to Sunderland. The babie
} soon learned to know her quick step
and would laugh and coo as she passet
by with smile or a kiss for each littl
upturned face.
Mother grew young again in spite o
her silvered hair, the company of tn
playful elves was so inspiriting
'Dranma," they called her, and neve
t wearied of her quaint, old fairy-tales a
she sat in her armchair with he
t bountiful lap full of the cunning Great
ures, and a row of curly heads abou
her knee. Every evening, just befor
l bedtime, l had grand frolic in tn
l nursery until driven forth by "Aunti
A Mollie," and loud cries of 'tum adm
l dranpam
BY winter was again established il
4 business, though on a smaller scale thai
t before. Mollie's idea paid her well
: and her wealthy patrons, the father
r and guardians of the motherless babe
!. in her charge, would not hear to he
: giving up her "baby garden, as she ha
c christened it. So she reigned mistres
over the house, and steadily added t
e the bank account, leaving mother an
= me to spend our money as we though
best.
o would see Auntie Mollie sit
sunny nursery, her swee
smile, and her prett
hbled from contact with bus
rs, l could not help thinkin
how good thing it was tina
Decome possessed by an idea, an
hch better it would be for tn
genersl and every body in pal
every girl had tied to he
bgs a good, sensible idea {
N.