Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-20

"You little poorsl" she cried piting-
ly: mo you shan't wait any longer! |
You go right straight out doors, and
go to playing things. I've almost
planned plan, but I've got to end it; |
it will take lot O. time to end it,
so you might as wen be playing things. !
1t wears you all out to sit still like
this, you poor little poors." /
When Theresa called them little
poors.'' it meant she was the tender
Theresa that tucked them in night,
and. darned them-not the sharp
Theresa. The Others all loved the ten
der Theresa.
Mother had been two long months at
the House of Little White Cots, and
the six little Homers had been keep
ing house alone or rather Theresa had
been keeping house for the Others
alone. Two months can be a very
long time indeed!
Mother-sick, white Mother had
planned everything carefully and
prayerfully before she went away on
her hard journey. She had left
special white envelope in Theresas
care, marked Thanksgiving dinner
on the outside.
Get a little turkey, dear she
had said; "but make heaps of stuffing
and gravy, to make it plenty. The
stufflng rule is in the plaid cookbook,
and the gravy rules in the brown one.
1t will break mothers heart II you
don't have a good Thanksgiving din
ner You must write me all about it. ;"
o, that was it! they must write and
tell mother all about it. She was not
to worry; the nurse had written that
she was not to worry, anyway That
was so very important. 1t would
worry her if her heart broke; per-
| haps it would kill her.
eve must have Thanksgiving din
ner,' decided anxious little Theresa,
"even if the doctor has eaten 1t all
up" she added sorrowfully. 1t sound
ed little strange, but it was all plain
enough to Theresa
| She got out the little empty envelope
and peered with wistful eyes into 1t,
as if she hoped some blessed miracle
had put the Thanksgiving dinner
back. There had not been great
| deal of money in it in the first place,
when mother put it into her hand:
'sbut some's so much better'n none"
Theresa sighed II only it hadn't TAX
en- it all every single cent to pay the
doctor for curing Joe-Johnny's and the
! twins measles. But measles are
pretty expensive things, and three
/ measles!
/ OF course they had not let mother
know about the measles. In the
House of Little White Cots, in moth
er's little white cot the patient suf-
4 ferer had not dreamed of such a
complication as measles in her little
brood at home.
After quite a long while Theresa
appeared among the Others out In
the yard. She had on her dressed
uppest apron, and walked down the
steps and across the grass to them
4 with her grown-uppest air. But joe
{, Johnny and Lutte noticed things =
Joe-Johnny. that her face was white,
and Lutte, that her eyes were red
They went to meet her with serious
little faces.
eve planned a PLAN Theresa an.
nounced clearly, but her eyes seemed
to be pitying them as she said it. you
stand in a row and listen to It," Hell
voice was the tender Theresa's voice
: $50. you see. you can't do anything
but smell Of it, she finished gently
all the little cruel plan unfolded. III
won't be an eat Thanksgiving dinner
%, I couldn't plan an eat one,
couldn't, | Couldn't" she cried, hel
firm little voice breaking into kline
of wall of pity for them; she never
t thought of herself: This is all the
: plan I could plan; I've done the bes
: could! Now I'm g-going over tt
: Mis- Reeds
: She was sobbing as she turned
0 away. She did not look back at then
J. at all. They would have been smilin.
if she had for Joe-Johnny had passet
a the word along in whisper! Smile
r Smile, if it kills you dead! Remembe
mother!"
+ Mrs. Reed was the next-door neigh
S Dor. She was baking Thanksgivin
V pies. and the red tints of heat in he
]. lean cheeks make her look a little
d very little. Theresa thought-les
J. grim and grave than usual. Mrs. Rec,
|. and Mrs. Reeds husband lived alon
on the great thrifty farm. Mrs. Rec
Il made it one of her principles" t
l. celebrate duly each national holida
S as it came around. There was
q WAYS a Reed Thanksgiving dinner.
e Good eve-I mean good morn
b mean good afternoon faltered littl
Theresa in the kitchen doorway He
courage was oozing away rapidly. Blu
D she remembered mother; she taugh
d back the last pitiful little remnar
b of it and held on to it desperatel.
1--WE come to see-to see if could bo
20 row your Thanksgiving dinner" sh
II said in her shaky, clear voice voice
She was prepared for-things, but nc
it for the speechless amazement in Mr.
IL Reeds face. 1t sent her on hurriedl
n Gust for little while. l mean :
a o, very! Just long enough for I
e. to sit round it, so l can write mot
= er. you know. An SMELL though
al maybe you'd be willing for us
at smell little bit, SO l could say I
lie how good it smelled!" Well take
as over lust as carefully, an bring
n right back in few minutes. We won
spill anything, or hurt anything
IS mite-iust put the things on the tab
i'd an sit around en- She was hurr
cSI.,, itr1 do,