Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-12-20
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IGH "A TIME! ~
The Peabodys were not rich, butthcy I
We're able to have many of the !uxuries
of life. On the wall above Mrs. Pea +
bodys work table was one of Cozin's 7
vivid yet delicately ideal interpreta-
tions of nature. Further on was Il
small Corot, brilliant bit of Nibert's
realism, Lapdseer, Gibson girl and
a gay, impossible poster, for Mrs. Pea
hody's appreciation was of the all
around kind. Still, there were some
things which Mrs. Peabody wanted
very much which she did not have, ard
one of them was a pair of diamond
soltaircs. Her ears had been pierced
when She was child. She never would
have thought of wearing anything less
handsome than fine gems, and the
small, vacant punctures were an ever
present thorn in the rose of her satisfac-
ton as she viewed herself costumed
and ornamented for the many functions
she was never weary OF attending. She
would not have told just how it was
that desiring them so much she had all
ways missed having them, but soft was.
AS she sat stitching she found herself
wondering if possibly the coveted
solitaires might not be among her
Christmas gifts. She had confdcd to
an intimate friend, with whom Mr..
Peabody invariably consulted when he
gave her presents, how much she want
Ell them. AS she sat sewing and think
ing there came a soft knock at the door
followed by the announcement:
cit is just Annie, Mrs. Peabody. It's
about Nora I'm after COMM" she said
as she came in. "It's' very bad she is,
mum. The doctor says she must have
Il operation that costs Il 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 livin' wild stump.
! Morals snvin's nrc all gone. and Biddie
4 Sullivan's too, and all they have now
is Biddic's cal-lin's. Nora's mother,
| poor old dame, can do no more than take
care of her thought, mum. if yen
would see Nora you could be chance i'm
JUICE her to have her leg cut Off
Nora had at one time been Mrs. Pea
body's favoritc maid, and she did not
hesitate about going to her at once
4 although she knew the snow. so beauti
full as part of her window picture. was
making n most disagrceable slush or
the streets.
reached the tenement where Nor;
lived.and were mounting the stairs, they
heard strong mclodious voice singing
to the strokes and clicks of n flatiro1
as it was used and placed and replaced
on Il metal stand:
"Be not courtin of woes by lookin' 'e,n up
Just work and be merry and drink Of you
cup,
Not cnrin' about what Tomorrow ma.
bring;
It's to-day. my laddie. that's havin' 1t
fling:
What good at all are You II you're Away
a-carin?
For carin' 1t is that leads to despairin."
81 wonder who that philosopher is :?
said Mrs. Peabody
That's Hiddic Sullivan. She's Away
a singin to keep them chccred."
'She is Nor;'s aunt, isn't she?"
s'No. just a friend from the old cour
try as always lives with them"
"And che supports them
"Ycs, what else could she be Goil
under the circumstances?
Mrs. Peabody found Nora not onl
very i'll, but wholly determined not /
have her limb anlputated. To all thu
she could say Nora rcrsisten,!y d,
clarcd:
"It's me two legs I'll he tal.in' I
Heaven wild me, mum. I'll never |
after carrying stumparound wild me
Don't be too sure" said Biddie Sull
van. ut may be to the bad place yon'
betakcn' the two legs ye. ii was onl
last Sunday that Father Maioney salt
quotin' the Holy Scriptures: If 50
leg he bad cut it off and cast it irony
for it's better TO be halted and maine
q than hayin' two legs all right to go
q hell" But it was all to no purpos
= Nora was obdurate.
" Mrs. Peabody saw sevcrn physician
u and found that nothing but n ditiicu
le operation which could not be undo
Y taken for less than $500 could save bot
4 the girls life and limb and she d
te.mincd if possible to have it re
Il formed. To that end she asked her hu
y band if he thought they could spare S.
's to help some one in great need, and
/, had replied:
8. 81 think not this year, my dear.
n never knew more trying times. l ha
re even withdrawn my subscription fro
u the Relief and Aid.''
d 1T was but three days until Chris
&c mas. The weather was cold. crisp al
II fine. Mrs. Peabody had all her gil
If ready and everything seemed to pro-
n Use an unusually pleasant holiday Sc
d son. But cloud which constantly G
) trudcd itself on Mrs. Peabody was t
Il. thought of the little household whe
u Nora waited for death, andibrave, fait
l. full Biddie Sullivan was at her was
j. tub and ironing board, carly and la
to keep the wolf from the door.