Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-12-21

And, indeed, 1 got letter meself,"
Ellen continued
May was looking at the knotted, swol-
! len hand held out to her. and as Ellen
spoke.
How is your rheumatism?" she
asked. a
'Oh, me rheumatism is thrivin after
| the common. Miss May, but I'm forget
tin it since 1 got the news this mornin
that me neyy has got a good job and
the child is well again, the Blessed vir-
gin be praised"
You don't think much about your
self, Ellen? II my hands hurt like
that
Now. the saints forbid! Sure, you'll
| never have it like that with the aisy life
of you. Indade, I think about meself
enough and to spare, sorrow to me, but
it's to the others 1 must be lookin if it's
moments joy I'm wantin, and sure
they give me many wan, the child
above all, he's, that clever and en-
groshin in his ways"
THE next time you come back from
Hoboken you must bring him with you
for little visit, Ellen. I want to see
him too" And Ellen went out, inco-
herent with pride and gratitude.
THE aisy life of me-" May repeated
and slowly once and again nodded her
head, but after glance at the clock
she drew in her breath with signing
gasp.
No new emotion born philosophy, no
old religion newly grasped. could make
1t easy to go to that rehearsal, but the
same force of will that last night almost
| destroyed her made her firm now in
holding to dim deserted unnamed
| ideal that had risen before her out OF
deep waters-dim deserted and unnamed
by her-but in truth it was one humans
| ty Is ever straining toward, and its
name is Duty.
ter and began to read. She caught her
breath, the color fuctuated in her
cheeks she sprang up starry eyed and
radiant. Yes, there is no bliss like ease
after pain. and now it was come to her
again. with the stimulus Of life instead
| OF the stupor Of death. Yet last week
this letter would have been thrown
aside unconsidered. Itcame from man-
ager, a rival of Chaplin, and 1t offered
her part in a new piece In process OF
preparation. The manager wrote that
he understood her connection with Mr..
Chaplin was broken. That meant only
that he had heard the news Of her
downfall. How swift and natural and
satisfactory this way Of righting the
topsy turvy world seemed now. And
from black CUFFS through a gray twi,
! light May emerged into the blessed
common sunlight Of comfortable. has
bitual interests and occupations.
| well, I'm glad I'm alive" the
| thought went through her as she runs
l God mildly In dro Pny. toJo.
graph blank.
Reaction made the pressing, prosaio
details of this new deal delightful.
In few hours, despite both cajoleries
and threats from Chaplin, Miss Doyle
was member Of his rivals company
and demurely aglow with the triumph
Of the achievement.
But IL the face Of life had changed
for he- 1t was not at bottom the new
engagement that caused the transfor.
nation. It had not really put back the
clock, and she knew 1t had not.
1.-THE kingdom of heaven lies within
u.s. and 1t was her changed point OF
view that made her thankful for Fate's
small favors. That her conversion--it
merits serious word-was deep and
fixed was demonstrated when. before
time to go to the afternoons rehearsal
at the new theater, she cleared an hour
for certain activities more significant
then than religious rites. It was long
since she had made her own bonneta
and gowns, but there was never wo-
man Of her type who could do as much
and do 1t well, and with grave face,
that showed the inward consideration
of the artist even more than the chars
acter Of the convert she locked hersel1
in her room now and fell to work on
various bows and furbelows. When she
was dressed to go out, she called in Eli
len.
Now say It right out-what do you
think Of this?" she questioned abruptly.
| giving the little close bonnet strings un-
der her chin a last touch as she glanced
from Ellen back over her shoulder to
her mirror. Ellen was no novice at
criticising toilets. She knew more than
any philosopher Of their psychological
possibilities. She looked long and cares
fully up and down the gracious figure
before her, and the tears stood in her
old eyes as she declared at last:
| And, faith, We never looked lovelier.
The Difference is that becomin to We"
1T had to come, and this is better
than showing you are trying to fight 10
OF. isn't 1t. Ellen?"
| "Yis, only the fightin It off is what
makes woman look that defeated like
that we've got to crow or cry over Ter.
And 'twould sure be you that 'ud find
that out and conduct yerself althegeth-
er diffrunt from the others, poor things.
It's a queen in her prime We look!''
They were not Irish for nothing.
They did not need to mention what
they were talking about, and, being
Irish, they found It pleasanter not to
mention it, but May Doyle went out Of
the house that Christmas day shorn
forever Of the girlishness that had ale
ways marked her toilets. She bore from
top to toe the stamp of serene and ac-
cepted maturity. 1t was so that she
! gave an outward and visible sign Of her
new found inward grace.
NANCY HANKS LOOM.
The loom on which Miss Nancy
Hanks. the mother of the great enamel.
pator, Abraham Lincoln, did her weav-
ing is now owned by Dan Smith Of Gar