The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-12-25
MRS. PEABODY'S
~ - SOLITAIRES
WHY THE "WORLDLY PEABODY" AS SHE WAS CALI Ed,
GAVE UP THE HANDSOME PAIR OF SOLITAIRES
THAT NORAS LIMB MIGHT BE SAVED.

IL 1o-iay. my Ia tlle, that's haVln Its
fling;
What good ataI are you if you're always
a-carn?
For carin' it IS tlit leads to despairin'"
II wonder who that philosopher is?'
said Mrs. Peab,ly
That's Bidd.e Sullivan. She's always
a singin' to keep them cheered"
''She is Nora : aunt, isn't she?"
mo, just friend from the old country
as always lives with them"
And she supports them!"
Eyes, what els could she be dom under
the circumstances
Mrs. Peabody found Nora not only very
ill, but wholly determined not to have her
limb amputated. To all that she could
say Nora persisIently declared:
Its 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 takin' the two legs of We. 1t was only
last Sunday that Father Maloney said,
quotin' the Holy Scriptures: "If yer leg
be bad cut it off and cast it from We, for
it's better to be halted and manned than
havin two legs all right to go 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 could not be undertaken for less
than $500 could save the girls life and
limb and she determined if possible to
have it performed. To that end she asked
her husband 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. l
never knew more trying times. | have
even withdrawn my subscription from the
Relief and Aid"
1t was but three days until Christmas.
The weather was cold, crisp and bracing,
Mrs. Peabody had all her gifts ready and
everything seemed to promise an unusually
pleasant holiday season. But a thought
that constantly obtruded itself on Mrs.
Peabody was the thought of the little
| household where Nora waited for death,
and brave, flithful Blddie Sullivan was at
| her washing and ironing board, early and
late, to keep the wolf from the door
"Tve decided to take you into my con,
fidence, y said Mr.. Peabody, 'and | think
| I'll do so before | look over the evening
paper As the worldly Mrs. Peabody has
perfect taste, want to know what she
thinks of these as a Christmas gift for my
best girl? Will they suit her? 've only
taken them on approval and he handed
her dainty open case in which were a
pair of brilliant and eXquisitely matched
solitaires, from the best house in the city.
This latter fact, the hallmark" meant
much to Mrs. Peabody, for nothing but the
best from the best satisfied her fastidous
| taste.
How very beautiful! All, how good
you are, Erastusn' she exclaimed, her face
glowing with pleasure.
81 have wanted them so long. You don't
know how they suit me-" she said, as she
adjusted the beautiful gems and viewed
her reelected self with the utmost satisfac.
ton.
"They do suit you," said Mr.. PEABODY,
regarding her admiringly, Then suddenly
! the light went out of Mrs. Peaboiy's face
and she turned from the mirror.
| 'Erastus," she said, don't think me
rude, but will you tell me how much you
are to pay for my solitaires?"
Certainly, Josephine, just an even
81, 0oo--"
'Erastus, will you take them back and
give me the price of one,' and she ex-
! planned that she proposed to have the oper-
alton performed which would restore Nora
''and you take the price of the other and
renew your subscription to the Relief and
Aid"
"But, my dear, you say you have wanted
a pair of solitaires for long time,' said
Mr.. Peabody.
And haven't l had them?' asked Mrs.
Peabody.
"But are you sure you are satisfied to
| do this?"
Entirely sure"
And this is the worldly Mrs. Pea.
body said her husband, putting his
arm about her.
eyes, it is" she said, throwing back
her head and smiling. 81 am worldly. |
love the world, and l was never happier
in it than 1 am just now.
ut was for love Of the world said Mr..
Peabody, softly, as he bent and kissed his
wife, "that the Christ whose birth we Gel
citrate came to teach, suffer and die among
u.s."