The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1900-07-07

ID q
wood there lived Rosalie and her baby
sister Elsie. The house was built Of
logs and had but one room, one win
dow, one door and 4: big chimney
pushing its way through miserable
roof of thatch. Resale shivered when
ever the little. sister awoke, for she
knew that each meal brought them SO
much nearer the end of the food. There
were but two potatoes left and only a
crust OF bread. Elsie awoke crying hard
for something to eat. Rosalie gave her
the crust and set the potatoes to roast
ing in the ashes of the big fireplace.
Against the panes of the one window
there had been feeble drizzle all the
morning and now it began to pour in
torrents, and Rosalie and Elsie were
forced to the chimney place to keep
dry. Even here the raindrops some
times managed to find the way and
sputtered and Kissed as they fell on
the fire. Rosalie went to large wood
box and flung handful after handful of
dry sticks on the flames.
There came a pound upon the door
as ii someone were hitting it in a great
hurry to get in. Resale crept cautious
ly to the window and looked out. All
that she could sc at the door was an
old woman, in high, peaked hat and
patchwork quilt pinned over her
shoulders to keep off the rain.
Poor old creature" cried Rosalie to
herself, and she flew to the door to let
her in.~ The old woman made a low
courtesy and entered hobbling. Her
face was wrinkled and very ugly and
her feet were quite bare. She made
her way across the room to the fire.
place where she sank YEARLY upon a
bench.
Il am sorry for you," said Rosalie,
pityingly. Il ought to have opened
the door sooner" and she looked at the
water dripping from the quilt and
making little pools on the floor.
BLESS you, my child,' responded the
old woman. II was doubling if you
would let such an ugly old woman
come in at ALL
Indeed would" said Rosalie hon.
estly. II am very sorry for you. Won't
you please take off your things?" and
she glanced from the dripping quilt to
the high: neaked hat. The old woman's
eyes almost twinkled as she unfast-
ened the quilt and laid it on the floor,
but she did not take off her hat.
She is hungry" thought Rosalie,
swallowing her own hunger. 'eWon't
you have this roast potato?' she said
aloud, and drawing it out of the hot
ashes, she broke it open, sprinkling it
with salt and handed it to the old wo-
man. @S 4. ~ . =ss, n i T =
my child, you are. very good" said
the old woman, Selling the food and
eating it so greedily that soon nothing
was left but the crisped, brown shell.
II am very sorry for you," said Rosa
lie," "but we have no more potatoes.
Perhaps when my father comes home
from the war we shall have plenty.
wish he would come soon, but he is far
away"
AS Rosalie said the third time, II am
sorry for you," the old woman's face
grew actually lovely.
my dear child" she said, II have
been clear round the world to find
some one to say to a poor, ugly, old
woman: I am sorry for you At last
I hear it from little girl, who gives
me shelter and her last mouthful Of
food. Do you know that these words,
three times repeated by you, have
broken my wretched enchantment?e I
am once more myself and you shall be
rewarded. This quilt lend you. It is
in six blocks, and each block will yield
you wish. After l leave, touch each
block with your hand, and all is as you
command"
Speaking thus, a marvellous change
was taking place in the old woman
Her bent and shrivelled body was be-
coming upright and beautiful, her
peaked hat had changed to crown Of
gold, and her coarse and ragged gown
to a dress of filmy primrose gauze
She was now a lovely fairy. With her
staff transformed to fragile wand
studded with jewels she touched the
quilt and said:
.= One, two three,
bid thee
I Be good
To Rosalie, 49,
AS she +
To me. .,
Then with a simmer and flash that
lighted the dull room like burst of
sunshine, she foated toward the fire.
place and vanished up the chimney. At
this instant the rain ceased. Rosalie
gasped, with establishment at all these
phenomena, while little Elsie clapped
her hands with glee at the pretty
transformation. -. szft. e.s
ooh. Elsie! isn't it wonderful cried
Rosalie at last. And the quilt; she
has left it to us. How beautiful it is!
It is made of velvet and silk and quilt
ed with goldi What was 7 tn dn with