Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-10
PRIZE STORY.
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Nv
WHAT LIZZIE FOUND

When her grandmother went west
on a visit. Lizzie stayed with Aunt
Millicent
Il want the child for company while
mother ia pone." said her aunt. "but
will teach her how to work, too; for
a girl of nine years ought to knows
more about work than she does"
So Lizzie had to wash and wipe
dishes. help make beds, and sweep and
DUST every morning; afternoons she
played, for that was the way Aunt
Miilicent had done when she was a
girl.
For several mornings Lizzie had not
swept the sitting room very thor
oughly. She was getting homesick to
see her mother, father and little sister
Ruth. The house seemed close and
dreary, and the wild canary in the
pear tree outside the window sang
distracting song. Just as X he was
calling me to come out DOORS" thought
Lizzie.
Il just ought to be gathering flower
seeds this very minute said Lizzie,
cause Ruth and I are going to have
a really garden Of our own next sum-
mer." Then, Lizzie had lost the quar-
ter she had earned picking currants.
That made her feel worse than any
thing else, because she was going to
buy a doll for, her sister. Ruth, who
was only six years old, but Lizzie said
that she could play dolls like real,
grown up girl.
Aunt Millicent had promised to help
make the clothes for the doll She had
satchel with "Millicent Beach" work.
ed across its canvas front in blue
worsted letters, filled with odds and
ends of cast-off finery, and she told
Lizzie that she might have what she
wanted to make Ruth doll dress.
Sewing would be a delight with such
bag of treasures to select from. and
then to think of Ruth's surprise and
pleasure at such present made LIZ
zie sorrier than ever, that she had not
her quarter.
Please let me do something to earn
some money" Lizzie said to Aunt Mil
llcent.
'"The currants are all picked. Be-
sides, you should not have lost your
quarter you did earn. 1t ought to
teach you to be more careful with
your money" her aunt had replied.
II don't feel a bit like sweeping this
old ROOM" pouted Lizzie to herself,
"and don't want to ever come to
Aunt Millicent's again."
Lizzie felt worse and worse, as she
swept across rugs and forgot dark
corners In her anxiety to finish the
room. But when she was through. It
looked almost as untidy as It had be-
fore she swept.
herself. that I ought to go to work
and sweep this room again. II doesn't
look bit neat and have not shaken
the rugs for nearly week, 'risn't
right to slight my work. even II I'm
not happy" she argued. SO she start
ed all over again and before she had
shaken the second rug she felt better.
rry(1I H1e III 81.
and was happier than she had been for
a long time
ut always pays to do things WELL"
raid Lizzie, as she lifted the last rug.
And there, where 1t had lain for nearly
a week. covered by the rug. was the
quarter that Lizzie had LOST
II remember dropping 1t In the Sit
precious coin into her pocket.
| When the room was finished she
ran to the village store, and bought 3
pretty china doll. with painted yellow
hair and blue eyes, which she named
Millicent Amelia, after her aunt and
grandmother.
Then, as there was no moro work
der the pair tree, with the doll and
satchel and began making a green
silk dress for Millicent Amelia.
! It'll not gather seeds until after
supper" she said to late blooming
morning glory that looked down from
the trellis, but If you want. ! Will tell
you story about naughty little
girl who didn't sweep clean for nearly
week and how she got ashamed Of
herself.
TITS true story. and 1t ends hap
ply" continued Lizzie, nodding her
head to the morning glory as II sway
ed to and fro In the breeze.
Addie Cheney,
North English, R r. D. No. s.
There must be something very SER
ious troubling the woman who Isn't