Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-08-14

afraid. But. you know, I shall be ever
80 much older next summer; and
papa,"-this very eagerly,-"when I
am grown UP it would make such a
pretty study, and could learn my
lessons there" ~
''How very sensible!" said her moth
no to that; but shall expect to see it
blazing up to the skies the day after
you move in," Then Mr.. Ashford
laughed and took up his book again,
while Mrs. Ashford said, "This is a
large house for three people, and
think the little girl can find room
enough for the dollies."
Now this was not encouraging, but
Nelly returned to her seat on the rug
and went on telling stories" for a
while. She enjoyed very much an i'm
aginary visit from her cousins. They
came at night and the first thing In
the morning after breakfast she took
them out in the garden, and they
were surprised to see the lovely
playhouse; and then she was to have a
whole ring full of keys, like her moth
er's, and take these out of her pocket,
choose the right one, and unlock the
door.
You see by this that Nelly was very
fond Of notwithstanding herself
stories, she called it, and l think it is
very good name. 1t is a very pleasant
thing to do, only we must be careful
to build as well as dream.
After Nelly went up to bed that win
ter evening. Mrs. Ashford said, ri
wonder why she couldn't have a play
house? know she would enjoy it, for
l remember used to wish for one my
self"
81 was thinking about It," said Nell
ly's father. II don't think 1t would be
much trouble. I will draw little plan
myself, and go down and see Mr..
Jones, the householder, tomorrow,
and ask him about It,"
I'VE will send Nelly to Boston
when he is ready to build it, and. sur
prise her when she comes home" said
Mrs. Ashford.
Mr.. Jones was consulted not long
after and promised to send some men
in May. So, just before the appointed
time for laying the foundations, let
ter came from Nelly's grandma, who
lived in Boston, asking her to come
Immediately to make her avisit She
often had such invitations as this,
and was always willing to accept
them. She never suspected that she
could be sent away from home for
any reason; and do you think, as she
drove from the street to the station
she met one of Mr.. Jones' men driving
a load of lumber. Wouldn't she have
jumped out of the carriage and follow
ed him home if she had known what
interesting boards those were!
l can't stop to tell you much about
the visit in Boston, for that would
make long story by itself. Nelly's
Aunt Bessie was much younger than
her sister, Mrs. Ashford, and every
young lady. She was very fond Of Nell
ly. who was her only niece, and Nelly
often said she was just as good as a
little girl to play with. You see she
harn't forgotten the way she thought
and felt when she was child, as am
sorry to find great many people
have.
Grandma was always as good as
gold, and the house was Gerry pleas
ant; and Nelly knew several nice
girls about her own age, SO she never
thought of being homesick.
Grandma and Aunt Bessie were very
much interested in something Nelly
did not know about; and they had a
way of talking busily, and stopping
suddenly when she came near. Aunt
Bessie was hemming some napkins
and tablecloths, and her niece was
of sewing. She said that a friend Of
hers was going TO housekeeping, and
Nelly thought it queerer than ever,
for Aunt Bessie did not often make
that kind of present.
One morning grandma came down
stairs dressed for a drive. and told
Nellie that she was going shopping,
and that she might come, If she liked.
Ihis was always great pleasure for
she could choose between sitting In the
carriage and going into the shops,
and grandma almost always stopped
at candy shop before she came home
little tired, they stopped before some
great windows full Of carpets, and
grandma said she wished that she
would come into the shop, because she
was going to choose carpet for the
room of little friend Of hers. If it
had been anything else, Nelly would
have thought it might be for hersel;
for grandma and Aunt Bessie often
made her choose her own presents in
this way; but only a few weeks before
she had left home. a new carpet had
been put down in her room. Such q
beauty it was, too!
They found another almost as pref
ty, and grandma gave the man a card
with the address to which it was to be
sent, and they went away 1t was such
a pretty carpet. l saw 1t myself. and
know; very soft. with dark gray for
the ground color, and little punches
Of wild roses and dark green leaves for
figures with little blue flowers and
yellow and white field daieies mixed
into the dainty little bouquets.
Nov, Nelly" said grandma, what
would you like for a prevcnt?"
Nelly thought of picture she had
seen Of child dressed in black with
fair hair, and some lovely dogs. The
name of it was Her Only Playmates, -
and 1t was In the picture store where
they had been that morning. So they
drove back again, and grandma liked it
as well as Nelly did, and told the man
to frame it; then they went to candy