Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-10-29

finished their mother began question
ing them:
"But, my dears, the place does MOI
belong to you. Papa doesn't own that
piece Of land where the sliding place
II u.s."
"But we got 1t first; the gardener
found it for u.s." contended Paul. "An
we own it by rights"
Their mother shook her head. mo
many otEer people have made use OF
that same embankment before we
moved here, my children. Suppose
some Of those persons should come
and drive you away, declaring they
owned the place because of having
used it first. Oh, my dear Paul and
Nell, you must not have such thoughts
of proprietorship Just because you
played on the spot first. 1t belongs to
those little children as much as 1t be
longs to you. In fact, the embankment
Is on city ground. for 1t is part Of the
roadway. It will be leveled in time
and then 1t will be used by folks in
common. And about these three little
children whom you think to be 1ntrud.
ers. tell me OF them. Why should not
you all play together?"
"They come from down in the hol.
low" explained Paul. "They live in
such a poor little place. Tommy Grant
says they are common people"
But aren't they nice and clean?"
asked their mamma.
''Oh, they look nice and Clean" said
Nell "The little girls are awfully
pretty, mamma
UT,11 on n fho c1idin0 p1aco wit h
you" said their mamma. "Then We'll
settle the matter about whose right to
play there should prevail
Within few minutes, Paul, Nell and
their mamma appeared at the sliding
place and the three little strangers
quickly prepared to withdraw. Bat
Paul's and Nell's mother called to them
to stay.
Come, l want to get acquainted with
you," she said smiling at them as
sweetly as their own dear mother could
have smiled Come, tell me your
names" And she put her arms around
the little tot, stroking her flaxen, silky
hair.
And the three little ones talked very
nicely, replying to all the pretty lady's
questions. And Paul and Nell came
close, too, and joined in the converse
ton, and, strange as it may seem.
Paul found himself making acquaint-
ance with the boy, Freddy. Why, Fred.
dy was an awfully fine fellow, after
all, and knew ever SO much about
things. And Nell and the older girl,
whose name was Betina (Nell thought
1t a dear OF a nancy got to chatting TO-
gether and Nell found out that Betina
knew how to make fudge. Betina's
mamma had taught her. And Betina
could sew perfectly lovely, too, for she
knew how to cut and fit very, very
we'll She had some patterns for dolls
dress which she promised. to lend to
Nell
And while the four older children
were getting acquainted Nell's and
Paul's mamma was making the best
Of friends with the wee one, who was
just little darling, and so sweet and
clean. And the morning ended by man.
ma sending Paul home with Freddy to
ask Freddy's mothers permission for
the children to remain at the "big
house" for luncheon. And when Paul
and Freddy came running back, saying
that Freddy and Betina and the little
one might remain to luncheon, Neil
jumped UP and down In glee And her
mother whispered to her so that the lit
tie visitors might no hear: "You see,
darling, how happy it has made you
to make others happy, too"