The suburban citizen., 1900-11-17
THE QUARREL CURE.
BY Ida Reed Smith.
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the block than Molly and
g Mabel They lived side by
side, went to the same school, read the
same stories, and wanted their best
hats trimmed just exactly alike, even
to the number Of white spots on the
gray quills, which made the blue felt
sailors so very charming in the eyes
of both. But on the tenth day-oh,
dear! how everything was changed!
Molly went to school on one side Of the
street, with never glance across at
Mabel, trudging disdainfully along on
the other; and from breakfast to bed
time the day was out of joint for both
To be sure, the quarrels never lasted
long; but they were serious matters
while they did last.
In vain the mothers took counsel to-
gether In vain they reasoned, each
with her own particular little girl.
Both Molly and Mabel protested that
they loved each other, and never
meant to quarrel; but still the duarrels
would come, and make both miserable.
And they arose over such trihing
things! After the making up" the
two friends never could see "how they
came to quarrel over a little thing like
that"
So things went on until Molly's Aunt
Frances came to spend the winter with
her sister. Now, Aunt Frances was
Molly's ideal of everything a young
lady should be. So it was no wonder
that her niece sang her praises morn
ing, noon and night. Neither was it
any wonder that Mabel, who had
young lady aunt Of her own, grew tired
Of so often hearing the same strain,
| and on the fatal tenth day chanced to
remark that, while Mollys Aunt
Frances was very nice in her opinion,
her own Aunt Angie was nicer. This
was the thin end of the wedge of dis
pute; but half an hour later Molly
rushed into the house declaring that
she would never speak to Mabel Bye
again so long as she lived-"so there!"
The wedge had been driven deep, and
friendship was split wide open.
Aunt Frances listened to the tale OF
Mabel's presuming to think any one
nicer than she with a perfectly grave
face, though her blue eyes were dane
ing merrily. When the story was end
ed, she said, soothingly:
Il wouldn't mind it so much Molly.
I'm sure l don't care If Mabel likes
her own auntie best. But I'm sorry
you two should have quarreled about
me. / didn't come all the way from
Texas to Minnesota to cause a cold
ness between friends, and 1 shall feel
dreadfully if you and Mabel never
speak to each other again."
We'll" said Molly, hesitating be-
tween her disposition to "stay mad"
and her desire to please Aunt Frances,
Il s'pose l could speak to her. just to
'blige you; but I'm quite sure l shall
never like her so we'll any more"
But, when Mabels kitten ran away
that afternoon and all the children in
the block were looking for it, Molly
could not help but look, too. And,
when she found it in the coal-bin-it
had fallen through the cellar window
Of course, she had to carry it home
Mabel was so delighted that she hugged
both her and the kitten, and the quar-
rel was over then and there.
That night, after dinner, Aunt
Frances called Molly to her. and
showed her a small pink box, with a
druggists label on the outside.
Molly" said she, lust look here!
What do you suppose I've got in this
box?"
"Not medlcine?" questioned Molly,
who, having lately recovered from a
slight illness, looked with suspicion on
pink boxes Of that particular sort.
Medicine sure enough" responded
Aunt Frances, cheerfully "You shall
be my first case. Molly, my dear, l
will cure yoJ; and my fame will spread
through the length and breadth Of the
land" Il forgot to tell that Aunt
Frances was studying to be a doctor }
But I'm not sick any more" pro-
tested Molly, drawing away from the
box before she should be asked to take
a dose Of whatever was in it.
"Oh, certainly not" agreed Aunt
Frances. But I want you to try the
quarrel cure, dear. See? These are
temper tablets Of the very best make. "
She opened the box and Molly saw
the contents-tablets about the size of
q peppermint lozenge, clear, and of a
lovely deep red. They did not look as
tn ugh they would taste bad.
TAXI one" said Aunt Frances. "My
prescription would include 'one at bed
time So you might as we'll begin the
treatment right away"
Molly obeyed. The temper tablet was
sweet, and tasted Of wlntergreen.