Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1890-02-20
M0LLIE'S IDEA.
It Proved an Excellent One, as You
Shall See.

It Proved an Excellent One, as You
Shall See.
"My mind is made up and nothing
but an earthquake can change it," said
Mollie. with saucy smile, as she
turned from the window, where she had
been idly standing while | reasoned
and expostulated until was completely
tired out.
Mollie has will like iron. l fancy
she inherits it from her mothers side of
the house, though on occasions my wife
has said she got it all from my side.
But that has nothing to do with our
story; suffice it to say the will remains.
/, elderly man that was, with
whole regiment of book-keepers, clerks
and cash-boys under my control, felt ut
terly incompetent to battle against one
frail woman who had become possessed
by what is now termed IAN idea" but
what in the good old days we should
have called, without moments hesita-
tion, a silly notion. Mollie always was
inclined to be strong-minded, from her
baby-days up and | had fought many
battles with her during her short life.
But never before had the enemy made
so fearless and daring an assault as on
the occasion upon which our story opens.
After hearing the last decisive sentence
fall from her lips, sat speechless for
some time, but finally found breath to
calculate my strongest expression:
christopher Columbus" Mollie burst
into laugh, and such a laugh as would
have drawn smile to lips more Grabbed
than mine-rippling, tinkling laugh,
like sparkling water playing over shin
ing pebbles.
1t was also victorious laugh over an
enemy defeated. For well she knew my
flag of truce-the arch little traitor!
Peace was then declared and sealed
with hearty kiss, and Molly hurried
away to confide her success to her
mother, who had been won over to the
idea long before.
The result of all this was that the
next Monday morning Mollie was in a
very becoming travelling dress with hat
to match, small reticule in one hand
and well-worn book in the other, took
an eastern-bound train for b. felt
strange goneness when the last flutter
of her pink and white handkerchief dis
appeared from view as the train passed
out of the long depot, and wished fer
vently that an idea had never got hold
OF her. She was plenty good enough be-
fore, and great deal more comfort
The weeks and months passed slowly
by, with Mollie's breezy letters coming
to us like little whiffs of fresh air. She
seemed to be getting on finely with her
idea, or else it was getting on finely
with her. | never could quite decide
which way the matter stood.
The house was very quiet without
her When got home from the store
at night how l missed herl She was
the only ono of our children left to
brighten our old days Some we had
buried and the rest were happy in homes
of their own. So We naturally clung to
Mollie.
Spring came at last and brought her
home for vacation. Whether it was a
vacation from her idea or not | never
asked her l had dim misgiving that
she had it with her locked up in her
great trunk, so kept quiet on the subject
for fear she might produce it At any
rate it had not spoilt her. She was
brighter and prettier than ever, and
more interesting than whole houseful
+ ofpeople without ideas. She played on
the piano, and danced, and ran races all
over the place with her pet dog; man.
aged her own boat on the river with
more skill than many man could boast
of; rode horseback, worked in the gar.
den, tried her hand at the lawn-mowel
and took long romps over the country
That idea had frightened her up won
derfully. She was almost monomaniat
on the subject of fresh air.
The first thing she did when she
reached home was to tear up the heavy
carpets and take down the massive cur
tains in her room, and bundle them out ts
the store-room. Then she got light
mating for the floor, bamboo furni
ture in place Of the elegant walnut
which l took such pride in givingS
on her eighteenth birthday, and 3
delicate lace curtains in the wide
dows, so that the sun could SCI
welcome rays into the room frs
time he rose in the morning gu
tired at night. There didn't
trace of an idea around
ssweet breezy room, with
ners or shadowy places whers
ant spirits could dwell.
1 enjoyed taking my Sd
there. on the wide bamboo
sunny bay-window, ] sleJ