Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-12-16

ron snore 10 SKY llnt. ana sEe paused
and enloNed it as on IL person gifted
with fire appreciation could Mrs, Pea
body knew thai she possessed this gift
and she never attempted to belittle OF
exceed it, Fer appreciation of the
efforts of Others was cordial and intclli.
gent and wholly dnmiXed with weak
desire TO lnlta'e Them.
For this reason she was a favoriic
with artists musicians und literary
corkors ""bo vn,nod hnr crioion and
regarded her not as the worldly Mrs.
Peabody, but quite one of themselves
Still, Mrs Peabody was a 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 professed.
Indeed She was in all things wholly sin
eere. There was not even in her youth
full appearance single note of arti-
ticiality.
The Peabodys were not rich, but they
were able to have many Of the luxuries
OF life. On the wall above Mrs. Pea
body's work table was one of Cazin's
vivid yet delicately ideal interprcta-
tions of nature Further on was a
small Corot, a brilliant bit of Vibert's
realism. Landseer, a Gibson girl and
a 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 II possibly the coveted
soltaires might not be among her
Christmas gifts. She had confded to
an intimate friend, with whom Mr..
Peabody invariably consulted when he
gave her presents, how much she want
I'd them. As she sat sewing and think
ing there came a soft knock at the door
followed by the announcements:
ut is just Annie, Mrs. Peabody. It's
lbout Nora I'm after COMM" she said
rs she came In. "It's very bad she Is,
mum. The doctor says she must have
! operation that costs dale Of money,
lave her leg took off or die. Nora says
'he will 90 to Heaven on the two legs of
Ter, but won't be livin' wild a stump.
iora's savin's are all gone, and Biddie
'ullivan's too. and all they have now
s Biddie's earnin's. Nora's mother,
,oor old dame, can do no more than take
are OF her. thought, mum, II you
would see Nora you could be chance in
nee her to have her leg cut of"
Nora had at one time been Mrs. Pea
,ody's favorite maid, and she did not
Iesitate about going to her at once,
Though she knew the snow, so beauti-
ul as part Of her window picture, was
making most disagreeable slush on
he streets.
When Mrs. Peabody and Annie
cached the tenement where Nora
ivedand were mounting the stairs,they
card a strong melodious voice singing
o the strokes and clicks Of fatiron
S II was used and placed and replaced
n a metal stand:
Be not courtin Of woes by lookin' 'em up,
ust work and be merry and drink Of your
Gun.