Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-07-26


 the only way she could suit both the twins. and I don't believe you'll find any other way out of it. As for us-- we don't mind; we eat them all"
 "Oh!" said Cousin Helen, faintly.
 And another thing" resumed Tom. I've might as well settle the drink question right away-of course you'll want to know. Father is the only one who drinks cereal coffee. We Carrie and D like the real thing. every time: and the twins have cocoa-weak. of course, so there's not much to it"
 This was but the beginning. Bread, rolls, pastry, meat, vegetables-each had its own particular story. backed always by that ever-silencing mother did" until Miss Mortimer was almost in despair.
 Mother did"-"mother did"-"mo- ther did" Miss Mortimer would mur- mur wearily to herself each day, until she came to think of the tired little woman upstairs as Mother Did" in stead of Aunt Maria" No wonder Mother Did fell ill.," she thought bit. terly. Who wouldn't"
 The weeks passed, as weeks will even the dreariest of them-and the day. came for Cousin Helen to go home. Mrs. Dudley being now quite her old self. Loud were the regrets at her departure, and overwhelming were the thanks and blessings show cred in loving profusion; but it was two wekes later. when Tom, Carrie and the twins each sent her birth day present, that an idea came to Miss Mortimer. She determined at once to carry 1t out. even though the process might cause her some heartache.
 Thus it came about that Tom, Car rie. Rob and Rose each received let ter (together with the gift each had sent) almost by return mail.
 Toms ran:
 My Dear Cousin: Thank you very much for the novel you sent me. but am going to ask you to change it for book of travels; I like that kind better.
 
 travels whenever they want to please me. 1 might as we'll have something I want as something different, I suppose, so l am asking you to change.
 "Very lovingly.
 YOUR COUSIN HELEN"
 Carrie read this: 'lty Dear Carrie: Thank you for the pretty little turnover collar and cuffs you sent me for my birthday; but think 1t so funny you never noticed that I don't care for pink. Mother found it out even when I was but little more than a baby. Oh, I can wear It. but I don't care for 1t. Don't feel badly however, my dear Carrie: all you've got to do Is just take these back and make me some blue ones. and I know you won't mind doing that. Lovingly.
 COUSIN HELEN" 1 Rob an6 Rose received their pres. ents back with letters written in the same vein.
 After dazed five minutes of letter. reading, the four children hurried to the attic-always their refuge for a conference. There they read the four letters aloud. one after another. A dumbfounded silence followed the last word. Rose was the first to break it. q think she's a mean old thing-so there!" Rose was almost crying.
 Hush. dear. hush!" choked Carrie. ! "She isn't mean; she's good and kind we know she is. She-she means something by it; she must. Let's read them again." -~- i Bit by bit they went over the let. i ters. It was at the third mention of mother" that Tom raised his head with jerk. He looked sheepishly into Carries face.
 TT guess I know." he said with a shamefaced laugh. It must have been a month later that Miss Mortimer received a letter from Mrs. Dudley. One paragraph sent quick wave of color to the readers face; and this was the para graph:
 'T am feeling better than for a long time. Someway. the, work doesn't seem nearly so hard as 1t used to. Perhaps 1t Is because l am stronger or perhaps 1t is because the children are not nearly SO particular about their food as they used to be. l am so glad. for 1t worried me sometimes-they were so very fussy I wondered how they would get along out in the world where mother couldn't fix everything to their mind. Perhaps you noticed it when you were here. At any rate they are lots better now. Perhaps they have outgrown it. I hope so, I'm sure"
 Benny on Nature.
 Nature is a great thing. There are