Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-12-23

BE not c5Gttln' OF woes by lookin' 'em up
Just work and be merry and drink of your
cup,
Not carin' about what tomorrow may
bring;
It's to-day my laddie. that's havln' its
fling;
What good at all are you if you're always
For carin' It is that leads to despairin'."
81 wonter who that philosopher is?"
said Mrs Peabody.
"That'sBiddie Sullivan. She's always
asingip' 10 keep them cheered."
"She is Nora's aunt, isn't she?"
"No, just a friend from the old coun-
try as always lives with them"
"And she supports them?"
ayes, what else could she be doin'
under the circumstances"
Mrs. Peabody found Nora not only
verT i'll, but wholly determined not to
haze her limb amputated. To all that
she could say Nora persistently de-
clared;
"It's 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, at may be TO the bad place You'll
be taken the two legs ofye. Itwas only,
last Sunday that Father Maloney said,
quotin' the Holy Scriptures: If yer
leg be bad cut it off and cast 1t from ye,
for it's better to be halted and manned
than havin' two legs ali right to go to
hell" But 1t was all to no purpose.
Nora was obdurate.
Mrs. Peabody saw several physicians
and found that nothing but difficult
operation which could not be under
taken for less than $500 could save both
the girls life and limb and she de-
termined if possible to have it per-
formed. To that end she asked her hus-
band if he thought they could spare $500
to help some one in great need, and he
had replied:
81 think not this year, my dear. I
never knew more trying times. have
even withdrawn my subscription from
the Relief and Aid"
1t was but three days until Christ
mas. The weather was cold, crisp and
fine. Mrs. Peabody had all her gifts
ready and everything seemed to prom
Use an unusually pleasant holiday sea-
son. But cloud which constantly OBJ
truded itself on Mrs. Peabody was the
thought of the little household where
Nora waited for death, andbrave, faith
full Biddie Sullivan was at her wash
tub and ironing board, early and late,
to keep the wolf from the door.
GIVE decided to take you into my con-
fidence," said Mr.. Peabody, "and think
III do so before I look over the evening
paper. AS the worldly Mrs. Peabody has
perfect taste, I want to know what she
thinks of these as Christmas gift for
my best girl? Will they suit her9 I've
only taken them on approval" and he
handed her a dainty open case in which
were a pair of brilliant and exquisite
ly matched solitaires, from the very
best house in the city. This latter
fact, the "hanmark," meant much to
Mrs Peabody, for nothing but the best
from the best satisfied her fastidious
taste.
How very beautiful All, how good
you are, Erastusl" she exclaimed, her
face glowing with pleasure.
81 have wanted them SO long. You
don't know how they suit me-" she
continued, as she adjusted the beau.
tiful gems and viewed her reflected
self with the utmost satisfaction.
"They do suit you" said Mr.. Peabody,
regarding her admiringly. Then sud
denly the light went out of Mrs. Pea
body's face and she turned from the
mirror,
"Erastus," she said, adon't think me
rude. but will you. tell PIE hoy much