The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-12-24
Mrs. Rsaboay's SoA1al,s.
By ANTorNErTE VAN HoEsEN WAKEMAN.

| ing there came soft knock at the door
| followed by the announcement:
1T is just Annie, Mrs. Peabody. It's
about Nora I'm after comm" she said
as she came in. Its very bad she is
mum. The doctor says she must have
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 Twin wild stump
Nora's savin's are all gone, and Biddie
Sullivan's too, and all they have now
is Biddie's earnin's. Nora's mother
poor old dame, can do no more than take
care of her. thought, mum, if 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
| lived and 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 a metal stand:
''Be not courtin' 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 havin' its
fling;
What good at all are you If you're always
a-carin'?
For carin' it is that leads to despairin'."
81 wonder who that philosopher is?'
said Mrs. Peabody.
"That's Biddie Sullivan. She's always
a singin' to keep them cheered."
'She is Morals aunt, isn't she?"
"No, just friend from the old coun.
try as always lives with them"
sand she supports them?"
"Yes, what else could she be dom
under the circumstances?
Mrs. Peabody found Nora not only
very i'll, but wholly determined not ia
have 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 a 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 of We. twas 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 1t was all to no purpose.
Nora was obdurate.
Mrs. Peabody saw several physicians
and found that nothing but a 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 theycould spare $500
to help some one in great need, and he
had replied:
81 think not this year, my dear.
never knew more trying times. have
even withdrawn my subscription from
the Relief and Aid"
It 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, andIbrave, faith.
full Biddie Sullivan was at her wash
tub and ironing board, early and late
to keep the wolf from the door.
"T've decided to take you into my con
fidence," 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 Christmas gift fol