Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-11-26

SAID, ana LlTuBL 1Laln. f}&#i
Not for me" Babbie protested to
the echoes; then she slipped out OF
bed and knelt to open, the tiny hamper.
"It's surely mistake" she mur'
INJURED. I.
But it was not mistake, for under
the oiled paper was bunch of white
violets, with a card, For Babies
breakfast table" scrawled on it. Then
there was a grape fruit, six very small
white rolls, q little jar Of marmalade
and another of potted chicken, pat
Of sweet butter and bottle ofsmilk.
There was no name, but Babbie
knew the writing. She glanced hastily
from the window, but no one stood on
the doorstep. And though, when she
was dressed, she made many excurs-
ions down the stairs she did not come
upon him.
Every day there came small ham
per; sometimes it was sent from the
3delicatessen shop around the corner,
and held q hot meal, and again 1T was
from the fish market, with oysters
still In their shells, or a lobster with
all the accomplishments Of pickles and
crackers and mayonnaise or from the
fruit shop, with nuts and apples and
oranges, and grapes and figs.
\. While her pride rebelled at these
gifts, she would never find the donor
to ask him to STOP. Her timidity and
reserve made her shrink from going
to the shop keepers, and in the mean
time she grew rosy and strong with
the good food and the knowledge that
she had a friend
The charwOman whose lot was
cheered somewhat by share in the
good things which came to Babbie, of.
sfered pertinent advice.
IF you've got man that thinks
enough of you to send you such things,
you'd better tie to him."
Babbie shook her head. II mustn't"
why not?"
A sudden impulse came over the
do you think 1t is right for q
woman to marry when she thinks she
inherits an incurable malady? My
father died OF one and n have always
been afraid. The man who sends
these things wanted to marry me then
but was still afraid. One can't help
thinking Of what may, happen you
know. so / came here and have
sewed and managed to exist"
The charwoman's keen eyes met
hers.
DO you know what i Think she
asked.
mo"
you've been left to think abou.
yourself too much. Probably you pa
acoddled you, and got your mind in the
wrong way. don't believe you're any
more sick than am.
But Babbie began
Look here" the good woman said,
"you go, down to the hospital with me
in the morning. They have a big man
there who doesn't make mistakes
about such things, and hell tell you
the truth. set SIS ~ 15t,
q Babbie promised, but the trip was
never made, for that night the big
man. who was a famous doctor,
tramped up the stairs with Richard
Dwight .M
.I'm not going to have any. more
foolishness. Babbie,' Richard said
quietly as he came in. ''I've had to
wait all these days until the doctor
came back from trip. didn't want
the opinion of any one ELSE.
There was trained nurse with. the
doctor, and Richard went away to
talk in whisper to the charwoman,
who was an eager listener on the
stairs.
The doctor, coming down, delivered
his opinion with a smile. "she is as
sound as nut" !.
Richard wentnup three steps at a
time. And now, Babbie!" he said
radiantly., .
Jshe held out her hands to him. And
but he did not let her finish
her sentence, for his arms were about
her.
At the wedding the charwoman was
the only spectator. She was resplend-
ent in q new gown, which was the gift
of the groom and happy in the prom
Use of her new position as house
keeper in Babies home.
So perhaps the sum Of her prayers
for the bride amounted to more than
the usual formal petitions which ct
such functions go up from critical
audiences.