Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-12-11
Hon Mile Spent
Her Ten Cents

l1Cs Ite
Julia pushed up the cover of hef
basket. and she and Molly peeped In
over the top. There were fiat parcels
to be seen and three-cornered parcels
and long ones and square ones, ana
they were all done up in tissue paper
There was something very interesting
and mysterious about the grab basket
Those paper packages might have
something in them ever rarer and
more beautiful than the paper-dolls, OF
the furniture or the pink gingham.
You could have two grabs for ten
cents" Julia suggested. You could
grab and l could grab, and would
give you my grab.
She was longing to know the con-
tents of a certain interesting irregular
package.
The furniture is SO sweet said
Molly, land l am quite sure want 1t.
The paper dolls are sweet, too
said Julia.
Eyes, and so is the pink Bingham.
shall have to grab to decide it.
Meanwhile more important custo"
mer had come in with whom the clerk
was absorbed. so Molly went over to
him and handed him the ten cents.
1--WE have decided to have two grabs
and here is the money! she said.
"All right Did you say you would
have silesia or percaline, madam?
he asked, turning to the other custos
mer.
"You grab first said Julia.
Molly looked from the fiat parcels TO
the three-cornered ones and could nos
decide which to choose.
81 think | will shut my eyes," she
said, and she put in her hand at ram
dom and pulled out a small fiat par
cell She opened it eagerly, and took
out block of black paper, to be used
as a slate and a pencil with which to
write on it. She was sadly disappoint-
ed, and felt very much like crying.
'It is horrid thing" said Julia
aWe don't want a paper slate when
you have got that nice blackboard. You
were very silly to shut your eyes. l
shall choose with my eyes open. am
going to take that queer thing thar
looks as if it might be a doll
She took out the enticing-looklng
package and began to unite the string
and presently drew forth a pink-and"
white-and- green china vase Of hid
eous shape. 1t was too large for dolls,
and too small for people, and too ugly
to please either
THAT grab bag is perfectly horrid, "
said Julia.
Molly was sure that she had never
been SO unhappy. She knew now that
it was too late, that she wanted the
paper-doll furniture more than any
thing in the whole world. The two
Ilitlel girls were very sober all the way
home When they reached Molly's
gate Julia handed over the vase.
4 .Take the old thing" she said.
"You have got something to remember
Priscilla by always now, and you can
send the paper slate to her.
well, what did you buy, dear2" her
mamma asked cheerfully, as Molly
: came into the parlor.
The little girl found it hard to keep
back her tears. Her Aunt Mary and
her brother Turner were sitting there
: too. She felt that it would have been
easier to confess her folly to her moth
er alone
She held UP the vase and the paper
block silently.
: 1.-THE block was sensible choice,
said her mamma, but DOM see why
you chose the vase
L uluu \ CuOOSO SiGilOl wi StASAAA'
Molly burst out I'VE grabbed and We
got them
+ in short, they chose YOU said
Turner.
E Then the little girl told the whole
sad story. II did want the paper-doli
furniture SO much" she ended.
, "Why didn't you buy it, then?'
asked her aunt.
Because we thought it would be
e more fun to grab"
"This will be a very good lesson for
$ you. Molly" said her aunt. ut Is never
well to spend money unless you are
f sure what you are spending it for.
am sorry for you. but you Will never
I be SO foolish again
There will be time to go to Fletch.
er's before tea" said Turner. Il will go
J, with you, and we will pretend that the
dime have was Priscilla's and You
l. shall choose what you want all over
again
+. Molly danced up and down with
/" with pleasure. and she and Turner
ft went to Fletcher's together. This time
she made her choice very quickly, fol-
= she knew just what she wanted. She
IL bought the bedroom set and the
Kitchen furniture. She remembered
Julia's words: Il should keep them
both. If Priscilla chose to spend he,
'e money on irecrackers, that is he,
- lookout"
RI But now she herself had spent he1
IS money foolishly. If Turner had though
lg as Julia did, that nobody who hat
sr made an unwise investment ought t.
\. have anything given her, she would
~ never have had the dear paper-dol
" furniture. So she kept the kitchen SCI
lie anu sent lHe Oeuroom SET 10 FrlScilla
of Eliza Orne White.