Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1904-12-30

Bix.-or seven or eight,-so long as you
subtractcd four OF the years. The sig
nal code" was In the back Of all the rest.
Desire turned the pages 10 It with trem-
ulous fingers. She read 1t aloud as If to
Roxy:
Red trouble. Come over,
"Whitc-alPs well.
blue nothing but rheumatism. VIII
come over az Boon a. it clears of.
"Grccn-cumc 10 tea. Have made pork
cake"
The little code" ran IN through one
or " more colors. But Desires eyes
went back to the first and third signals.
"Red-troubIe. Come over" and then
the third with It's quaint ending Desire
smiled over that. She aud Delight had
a wayR spoken Of their rheumatism nS
clearing off," instead Of getting well.
She and Delight had Away had rheuimh-
tisru, it had been II strong connecting
link between them always. Delight had
Inherited hers from her mother desire
hers from her father, They used TO
laugh and say they Couldn't sec that
| there was much choice between the fem
lnlnc Kind and The masculine, Both Of
'cm hurt!
HOW often they used TO laugh! That
was another connecting link. When they
were little bitg, they had cried together
over their am. and made long lista Of
the beautiful poetry names" they
| lonEcd for. on the walls Of bcIiGbt's shed
-IfObcl, Ethnlind,- Joannettc.- Mandc
Mathlldc.- how they had porcd over the
lovely naine and "ChOgcn' again and
again, But when they grew older, they
had laughed over the quaint old names
their mothers had put their heads to
rethcr and given them. For they had
been named on the same day. when they
lay, little rcd-faceh, Fuuirming mprSnl5
In the came big cradle The mothers
had waited uutil they were n month old
ana then met together for mutual cOun-
sci.
"UcG,+trouble. Come over" Desire
shut up the diary sharply. but the words
kept saying Themselves over and over to
her. She could not forget them. or
course 10 was n spot in the red table
cloth. drying In tho fnn, but it kept On
saying. "IrOublr. Come over" "Trou-
bic. Come OVERHAUL the morning. II
took the pleasure out Of the sunshine and
clear. BWc"t air. the soft, & fallen
snow and the CHEEKY calls Of tho chicka-
Gc"B.-out Of the whole bright Ncw
Ycar'8 day. Even Roxy could not settle
down to her alternate nhpE ara placid
mcdi'ailOnB In the sunny wlnGOw. She
followed her uncnsy mistress about.
uneasy. too, and FIJI Of wl8tful sympathy
But Roxy was wise and said nothing
Some things 'tls better not even to purr
TO one another.
-Four years aRo Il trivial mlsunder.
standing had separated thrgc two lonely
women. II had not amounted 10 much IN
The beginning. u little grievance only
but win true Now England pcrtinnclty
they had chung each to her hurt
nursing Il into vigorous life. II wal
four years old now. The narrow WIdti
Of n country roadway that ron beiwccf
the two little brown huusrg might have
been the breadth Of tho sea.
In the early afternoon. Desire ant
Roxy had Now Years callers. The min
ister anne first and prayed with them II
. his simple, heartfelt way, He thankc,
the Lord for peace ~ goodwill OF
earth. for the pleasant old year ant
the beautiful beginning Of the now one
II was n grateful. comforting prayer
there WAS nothing In II about miBundcr
standings ana trouble and rheumatism
Then the doctors wife came In with
her baby. and stayed long enough Il
patch n pair of little stockings. Ther
Mrs. Deacon Bllnn came,-then Hos,
4, Todd's two little girls last Of all. laugh
Ing Jcffy Rand.
merry Chrls-I mean Happy Nov
Year!" laughed Jcfry. Thought II
come an wish II. I've been to all TIT
this side O'thc-Btreet houses ~ TO here
an I'm comm back on the other side
'xCcptin' | shan't 90 to folly Wallace
, house"
why not to Tolly's. Jcny?"
Jony lauEhed.-h always laughed.
/ "Cnusc we've fell out" hc said. cheer
/ ny. you don't 90 to folks houses you'v
/ lsii out with an wish en- HAPPY Nov
fTcar's. DO your"
3 Desire Drummond WINGED In spite q
y herself. But she had her duty to do I
, this little laughing child.
|, I'll should cali at TOlly's, too. Jcffy.
! she said. virtuOusly. you try It, and 90
4 how much happier yOuIi feel"
4 But I'm happy enough now" laughe
Jeny.
"Ihcn 90 It TO maj, FOLLY happlor,-
@ try that"
"M-m-," mumblod Jei'y, stopping I