Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-12-25

| numerous impecur Gus re1atives), she awak-
| ened to the fact THAT her money was spent,
her house mortgaged, and she was on the
| verge of ruin through their "care and SYM.
pathy." She p.ucked up courage swept her
house of kinsfolk. and went practically into
the business at which she had PLAYED too
long. She was pump, rosy and motherly,
with great soft hands, tender heart and a
kindly spirit-a great contrast to the pale,
ethereal Penelope and the slight, nervous
Estella, but her very dissmilarity was an
attraction to the others, their different
characteristics serving to draw out the best
| side of their natures.
Estella had lately returned to the old
town where all had lived in their early girl
hood, and she brought a spirit that stirred
to life many tender memories. She had had
her sorrows. Widowed and made childless
in the second year of marriage, she had to
face the world and turn the art that she
| adored into packhorse to sustain her life
and carry her over hard bridges.
Now the three had met, and-well, they
| felt young again, and acted So.
"Three old pieces of driftwood toughened
by the tide" said Estela. TOO old to eel.
citrate anything, even day antique as
/ Christmas"
II have heard that driftwood makes a
beautiful fire for warmth and color" said
Penelope, softly.
eyes" added Urania. "and an open fire is
SO comforting. Three logs and pair of well
polished andirons-"
An unexpected laugh rang out; Estella
| was certainly forgetting nerves, and cold,
age and infirmity.
DO you remember said she, that aw-
full Christmas we were forced TO spend at
Miss Verplancks boarding school? Bless
me, girls, it will be so wears this Christmas!
Surely you remember it?"
well, guess We do,' chimed in Pencil
ope. II was exied because of scarlet fever
at home; you because your mother and
father were called to London, and dear
| Urania, here, stayed lest we should be un.
happy; bless her!"
YES" added Urania, with slight flush,
"and do you remember the feast in Estella' s
room? How you knitted something soft
and white, and Estella played minor things
on the piano, till a tear dropped on one Of
the apples was roasting for supper, and
apple, so that should swallow my own
tear. Then how We danced the Highland
| schottische, tilllittle Miss Verplanck put her
| head in the door, and said, with that little
cough Of hers: "A little less noise, young
ladies, if you please"
Let us do it all over. again." cried Estel.
Ia. Come to my rooms on Christmas night
/, at i've o'clock. Urania may send the cooked
chicken; you, Penelope, shall send the nuts
and candies, and will do the rest"
| Prof. Wensel did not become richer in
pocket through these old ladies, but if, as
he said repeatedly in his lecture, spiritual
rewards always found and enriched aim, he
must have been in affluence after this night.
People wondered why Urania laughed SO
much, one old boarder saying some one must
have left her fortune. Another thought
she must be on the lookout for husband,
after which astute conjecture he gave extra
attention to his hair and clothes, and tied
his, scarf with wondrous care
| Penelope worked with such zeal that her
employers were surprised. One day she
hummed a little tune to herself, at which the
| junior partner remarked:
| by Jove, there's plenty of courage and
work in the old girl yet"
Estella spent every spare moment in max
ing her two rooms beautiful and immacu-
| late. She had ceased to grumble about the
chimney place being draughty. 1t was no
| longer IAN unsatisfactory heater and quite
out of date" 1t was now glorious, such a
perfect ventilator and so cheerful.
On Christmas day she was prompt al
, church. The anthem passed off capitally
Everyone was pleased. She VISITED the chill