Mower County transcript., 1903-12-23
FRANCES ST OREY'S
= HAPPIESI =
CHRISTMAS
BY HILDA:S :: RICHMOND

! = :. 2. '...
Papa, says one Of you girls must
accept Aunt Caroline's invitation for
the holidays said Mrs. Storey, with a
troubled look on her motherly face.
"I am sorry to have you go to that
dead-alive little village, but you know
papa seldom says must so we will
have to make the best of it. Now
which will it be?"' >f'S -
! cts simply impossible for me to go,
mamma, said Margaret, :whirling
lightly around on the piano stool. I've
practiced for weeks on this Christ
mas music and the entertainment
could not 60 on without, my playing.
{ Frances or Kate will have to sacrifice
this time, and it's only fair, for they
have not so much on their minds as
| l have"
"Why, Margaret, my time is as pre-
cious as yours" said Kate, looking up
| from the new dress she was finishing,
land besides I am going to sing at
the party next week."
Il might go if someone would finish
dressing these dolls for the tree down
at the mission. Poor Aunt Carrie
must be Lonesome since her only
daughter went to Oregon to live and
I'd like to see her again. She used td
let us make little pies and muss
around in her clean kitchen, and at
home Sarah never allowed us to spoil
her domain" said Frances
|'I'll attend to the dolls," said
Margaret, promptly, "and help you
pack your trunk If you need help. I
have no doubt you will have a good
time at Cedar Hill, for Aunt always
thought SO much of you"
In spite of her 19 years the whole
family considered Frances mere
child and no one but the mother
thought it made any difference that
she was to spend the holidays in a
lonely house with Aunt Caroline, in
stead of having a share in the city cele-
brations, which she so much enjoyed.
Mrs. Storey slipped a number of pack
ages marked "open on Christmas eve"
In the big trunk and provided a sty
lish travelling dress. but her heart
welled as the trim figure disappeared
amid chorus of farewells and the
noise of the busy station. MIR. Storey
gave his daughter some bright gold
pieces with the instructions to spend
them as she liked, but Frances reflect
ed that she was likely to bring them
home gain for want of a chance to
invest in anything except goods found
in n country store at Cedar Hill.
It was late in the afternoon before
the brakeman announced Cedar Hill,'
and Frances was surprised to see a
number of passengers get off, ''Is this
really Cedar Hill?" she asked of an
old man near. ;..
ut really u.s." he answered with a
SMILE IF am not mistaken, you
are Fanny Storey that used to play
with my granddaughters Don't you
remember Grandfather Devon?"
"Of course do. How are Nellie and
Ruth? The reason thought this was
not Cedar Hill is because the town
WHEN I knew. it., was only little place,
and this looks like a city,"
We've had boom since those days.
Here, Horace, help Miss Storey with
her luggage. I can take care of my
self This is the young lady who used
to play with the girls dozen years
ago. but I don't suppose she remem-
bers the freckled boy who built play
houses for her"
Yes l do" said Frances shaking
hands with the elegantly dressed young
man. "You always built the very
incest houses of any boys we knew,
Mr.. Devon, and still recollect them
with pleasure"
All this time they were leaving the
train and looking for Aunt Caroline.
who evidently had not received the let
ter announcing Frances visit, for she
was not In sight. well take you to
Mrs. Howard's, for she lives close to
u.s." said the young man, loading him
self with ''sissy's" baggage: "You
never would find the old house without
a guide, for factories and stores ana
churches have sprung UP in such pro-
fusion that it is entirely overshadowed."
II wish mamma and the girls could
SEQ me now" said Frances, gazing at
the latest styles in dresses in q store
window. Mamma cried to think Of
my coming to mis- out-of-the-way
place and very nearly started with
only satchsi, thinking I would only
need a few clothes We write and ret
letters from Cedar Hill so seldom that
l never dreamed Of the change see
to-day"
You'll be glad enough you brought
your trunk, for things are lively during
the holidays.">' -: >"=>.. 2-.s s":s
What is that beautiful building Wa
are coming to-" inquired Frances. an
they neared q stone structure that
might have graoed = city. ,.%@%s
THAT is the public library" said Mr..
Devon II suppose you. have q supply
of books in that big trunk for fear
there would be nothing to read in o,,r
town. I won't mention it to the ctti-
%zens though, for fear they might mt
you on the hrst train for home. <There
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