Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-11-30

to its stalk.
Helen cried: my dollie is bwoke +!
My dollie is bwoke!" and ran to pick
her up. She stepped on the rosebush,
right on dear little bud Dora had
expected would be blossom on
Thanksgiving day. Dora caught at
Helen, just too late to save the bud,
pushing her away so roughly that the
little girl fell backward. striking her
head on The brass fender in front OF
the fireplace.
There cried Dora. now | CUES
you'll be more careful
But Helen lay very still. Her face
was white, her eyes shut.
Wake up cried Dora. you must
not act like that"
Still Helen did not move. Dora
took her hand and tried to pull her
up, but the child lay as she had fallen.
"Mother!", Dora called. Mother!
Come quick"
Mother was busting in the next
room. She came in quickly, saw Hell
en- on the floor, took her up into
her arms, and hurried with her into
the kitchen. She will be all right in
a minute" mother said.
Dora's knees knocked together in so
queer way she could hardly walk.
The kitchen looked big and strange,
and seemed to be turning around and
around. while the sink seemed 10
stand on the top Of the hill.
Mother turned the cold water faucet
caught handful OF water, and dashed
it into Helen's face. oh cried
Dora, don't
But mother did it again and again.
Then Helen gave little gasp and her
eyes opened. She's all right now"
said mother, wiping the wet face tend
erly and kissing both cheeks and lips
Then she carried her back into the
sitting room, and laid her on the
couch.
Put your coat and hat away
Dora" mother said. "You may stay
at home from school today to help
take care of Helen. l want her to
keep quiet and rest, and you may sing
to her and tell her stories"
All day long Dora tended Helen as
gently and lovingly as possible. At
night, after Helen had been put to bed
in, her little white and gold crib, and
Dora lay in her own bed, thinking,
thinking, suddenly she burst into
tears.
what is it?" mother asked, coming
in with lamp and gathering Dora up
in her arms.
"Im so sorry I hurt Helen. Idid it,
mother I pushed her over. | didn't
mean to hurt her, but was Cross
What was the trouble?'
"Everything went wrong-things al
ways do go wrong just when l can't
bear anything at all"
Mother gave a queer little smile.
Ibid you take a pill, Dora?"
mo mamma" Dora answered. II
take one now?"
Mother nodded Dora reached
across to the dressing-table and took
up a little pillbox. It was marked:
''Pills for Dora, when she can't bear
at all. In mild attacks, take
one, in acute illness. take two; If
very severe, take three" In the box
were left about a dozen tiny rolls of
paper, tied with bits Of colored silk.
Dora chose a pill tied with blue. She
slipped off the thread, unrolled the
paper, and read: Think of something
pleasant that is going to happen"
But I wish there wasn't any
Thanksgiving tomorrow I've been
wishing it all day. 1t won't make me
thankful bit, I know it won't. I'm
just as sad as can be, and I wish 1t
was day to cry instead"
Dear me! This is an acute attack.
l think you'd better take another pill"
Dora opened the box again. This
time she chose pink. 1t said, Count
how many things you have to be thank
full for"
"But I'm not thankful one Bit" said
Dora, land Thanksgiving won't make
me be-"
Mother looked very sober. mo,
dear, Thanksgiving doesn't make peo-
pie thankful or happy. That isn't what
it is for. It is to give people chance
to show that they are thankful"
'Im not. I'm puff1ckly mizzable."
with a nice school and pretty
clothes and playthings and Lena?
With home and mother and father and
Helen?"
Buff I'd been Pilgrim, with a
wild turkey dinner to eat, and a red
cloak to wear, and whole ship load
of good things come over from Eng
land to them, I'd have been so glad
shouldn't have known what to do. No
wonder they made Thanksgiving!
They didn't have to go to school, nor
10 ~
"Why, Dora! They had to work
harder than you ever thought of work
ing, and without any conveniences to
work with, either, There were no
stores, and no money to buy things
with if there had been stores. They
were glad to get the ships food be-
cause they were almost starved. They
were thankful because that terrible
first winter and the wild animals and