Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-12-24

regarded her not as the worldly Mrs.
Peabody, but quite one of themselves.
Still, Mrs. Peabody was society woman
to the end of her finger tips. She
would no more have missed social
function from choice than she would
have broken the decalogue, and she
certainly would not have done that, for
she was not only member Of one Of
the most fashionable Presbyterian
churches in the city, but her husband
, was one of its elders, and in her way
! she lived the religion she protested.
Indeed she was in all things wholly sin
cere. There was not even in her youth
full appearance q single note of arti-
fciality.
The Peabodys were not rich, but they
were able to have many of the .uxuries
of life. On the wall above Mrs. Pea
body's work table was one Of Cazin's
vivid yet delicately ideal interpreta-
tions of nature. Further on was y
small Corot, brilliant bit of Vibert's
realism, Landseer, Gibson girl and
gay, impossible poster, for Mrs. Pea
body's appreciation was Of the ALL
around kind. Still, there were some
things which Mrs. Peabody wanted
very much which she did not have, and
one Of them was pair of diamond
solitaires. Her ears had been pierced
when she was child. She never would
have thought of wearing anything less
handsome than fine gems, and the
small, vacant punctures were an ever
present thorn in the rose of her satisfac-
ton as she viewed herself costumed
and ornamented for the many functions
she was never weary of attending. She
would not have told just how it was
that desiring them so much she had al
ways missed having them, but so 1t was.
AS she sat stitching she found herself
wondering if possibly the coveted
solitaires might not be among her
Christmas gifts. She had confided to
an intimate friend, with whom Mr..
Peabody invariably consulted when he
gave her presents, how much she want
ed them. AS she sat sewing and think
ing there came a soft knock at The door
followed by the announcement:
ut is just Annie, Mrs. Peabody. It's
about Nora I'm after COMM" she said
as she came in. TITS very bad she is,
mum. The doctor says she must have
a operation that costs dale of money,
have her leg took off or die. Nora says
she will go to Heaven on the two legs Of
her, but won't be livin' wild stump.
Nora's savin's are all gone, and Biddie
Sullivan's too, and all they have now
is Biddie's earnin's. Morals mother,
poor old dame, can do no more than take
care of her. / thought, mum, II you
would see Nora you could be chance in
| JUICE her to have her leg cut off,
] Nora had at one time been Mrs. Pea
/ body's favorite maid, and she did not
| hesitate about going to her at once,
although she knew the snow, so beauti-
full as part of her window picture, was
making a most disagreeable slush on
| the streets.
| When Mrs. Peabody. and Annie
reached the tenement where Nora
1 lived, aad were mounting the stairs, they
heard strong melodious voice singing
to the strokes and clicks Of fatiron
| as it was used and placed and replaced
on metal stand:
BE not courtin' of woes by lookin' ZEN, up,
Just work and be merry and drink Of your
cup,
1 Not carin' about what Tomorrow may
| bring:
It's to-day. my laddie. that's havin' its
fling;
What good at all are you II you're always
| a-carin'?
For carin' IT is that leads to despairin'."
81 wonder who that philosopher is 2"
said Mrs. Peabody.
THAT'S Biddie Sullivan. She's always
a singin' to keep them cheered."
"She is Nora's aunt, isn't she ?"
NO, just friend from the old coun-
try as always lives with them"
| Sand she supports them ~
Eyes, what else could she be DOM
under the circumstances"
] Mrs. Peabody found Nora not only
! very i'll, but wholly determined not to
have her limb amputated. To all that
she could say Nora persistently de-
clared:
TITS me two legs I'll be takin' to
| Heaven wild me, mum. I'll never be
after carrying stump around wild me. %
"Don't be too sure" said Biddie Sulli-
van. ut may be to the bad place you1l
be taken the two legs ye. TWAS only
last Sunday that Father Maloney said,
quotin' the Holy Schriptnresi IT yer
leg be bad cut it off and east 1t from We,
Tor it's better to be halted and manned
than havin' two legs all right to 90 to
hell" But it. was all to no purpose.
Nora was obdurate.
Mrs. Peabody saw several physicians
and found that nothing but difficult
operation which conld not be UNDER
taken for less than $500 could save both
the girls life and limb and she de.
termined If possible to have 1t per-
formed. To that end she asked her hns-
band 1.-The thought they could spare $500
to help some one In great need, and he
had replied,