Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-12-28

Anu III ner neart OF hearts as Sne
turned away. she murmured: ut is
always something!"
CHAPTER xxx
The Spanish Stamp.
1t was wonderful how like the
mantle of Elipah out of the heaven.
peace fell on the stricken village.
Men coming from a distance found
the widows cold. almost un-
sympathetic. Unsympathetic they
were-to those who visited them thus
casually. They declined to make a
spectacle of their sorrow. But the
ministers knew different-those who
had seen to 1t that every week twenty
shillings went into each stricken
house. They encountered no hard
ness, ingratitude, or lack of sympathy.
Only these Scottish widows were
of the scriptural opinion that the
heart knoweth its own bitterness. and
that stranger intermeddleth not
Herewith. Grave. quiet, as If making
acknowledg that these things
came in the ordinary course of provi-
dence = such We're the leading char
acteristics of Kirktown's sorrow.
Pumping engines, newly erected
for the long labor of emptying the
Pit No 2, were already at work The
widows for the moment abode in
their cottages in the long red-brick
rows Of Blocks K and L. but in the
other pits the double shifts went to
and fro as if nothing had happened.
No. nothing was forgotten That Is
not Scottish wont But. equally, moth
! ing was said.
1t was brisk. bask childish day in
! the back end. late in November. with
the wind hlow'ne over the Baltic ice,
when Janet Fowler received her first
letter from Spain. She knew it by in
stinct although hitherto she mad only
seen the handwriting in SCRAPS of cal
culations. The address on the envel-
ore made her tremble
1t was breakfast time Janet was in
/ her place at the. head Of the table.
Little Tim brought it in He had
heard the dog barking at the post
mans uniform.
II want the stamp he cried "Our
Jenn has got a foreign letter I want
the stamp"
NE. too : give 1t me: you don't
collect vcu little beast" eaid his l,v.
ing brother Alfred under his breath.
Eth. what's that said Mr.. Fowler
who was looking over the morning
paper. which he used as a kind OF
counter-irritant for c'ar fving his
thoughts on All subjects, If the Tartan
thought one thing, he John Fowler
generally felt himself pretty safe in
4 believing exactlv the opposite. He had
lived long and honorable life. direct
ing himself thus. The Tartan's argu
ments. clever and brilliant at times
4 were seldom meant to be ANYTHING NUT
Irritating. Yet each morning dreamy
John Fowler read the complete series
Of Tartan editorials in order to rouse
within himself sufficient comhative
ness to think out arguments tending
to directly opposite conclus 'ons.
4 Now. If the hovs had only beer
quiet. he would have subsidized into
the mental construction Of a never
to-bewritten sermon. demolish!ns
the third Tartan editorial But. pres
emily, they We're all raging together
kicking each other fTrtivelv undor the
table SO much SO that one stingins
"shin-plaster" intended FIR Master
Tim caught his sister Violet who
nothing 10th lifted mp her voice ant
went
John Fowler put down his paper
"What is the matter now2' he ask
ed. beaming mildly through his sDac
tacles They were verv round ant
gave him in spita of his persona
beauty a silently surHrised. though
distinctly benevolent air.
Then ALI and Tim explained vol
ubly that Janet otherwise Jessie. thu
names being interchangeable N Scot
land) had got letter from Spail
that morning and that = that =.
But what has letter from Spail
81 Kamschatka to do with Violet cry
ing?' demanded the Rev John Fow
Ter
because Aft" began Tim.
Because Tim" riposted Alf
''They are young fools, father,
sad Raft. who was busy with his sec
end egg. They are always kiclSin
each other under the table. They don
mean any harm, and vi was COOS
Ito howl. All the same, I'll punc1
them when I get them out after nTay
ers."
There was a time for everyInins
and the Rev John recognized hi
sons wisdom.
"Ah, do SOL said this sage parent
He knew that, when you know you
Oldest son, there is no fam ly chastise
ment SO admirable as his. Your owl