Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-01
Mabel Finds Out That
/, Jimmie Has Courage

Last summer MI. Sm1CQ DullC new
barn, and as they finished 1t just a
week before Halloween they told
their little girl, Helen, that she might
have a Halloween party and invite all
the children in her neighborhood.
I, Helen was very glad to do this, and
as week Is not much time to pre-
pare for a party, Helen was sure that
she would be very busy, so she asked
her big brother Tom and sister Maud
to help her decorate the barn, and
they kindly said they would. Then
she asked Mabel Brown if she would
help her write out the invitation and
Mabel said she would. So the little
kris set right to work writing them
but. They thought that they were al
most through, and every child had q
neat invitation something like this:
s'Helen Smith desires the pleasure
Of your company at her party Hal
lowe'en evening. From seven till
eleven" 1'
When Helen suddenly exclaimed,
"Oh, we have forgotten the Gordon
children .".. rs.
"Oh, DEAR" said Mabel, "you sure
Jy are not going to invite those poor
ragamuffins to your party! why,
Jimmy Gordon and his sister Mary
were both at Sunday school Sunday
with patched clothes on, and they
really had the impotence to look right
at me and smile and say good morn
ing. OF course, didn't say anything,
and looked the other way, but / was
SO afraid somebody had seen them"
WELL" said Helen, 81 am not quite
sure which they would have thought
the most polite If they had. At any
rate, 1 shall invite them, for mamma
said was to invite all the children
in my neighborhood, and I am sure
she would not have me leave them
out, simply because their parents are
POOR and they have to wear patched
clothes. Besides, they are very good
children and are always at the head
Of their. class in school"
Every we'll" said Mabel, "but If
they are to be there you will have to
please excuse me, as it is bad enough
TO have to go to school with them.
without going to party"
ct am very sorry to hear you say
that" said Helen, @'but I cannot slight
those poor children"
So Helen gathered UP her invita-
lions and went home, feeling quite
badly over MabeTs ,unkind words But
when her mamma kissed her and said
she had done quite right, she went
xaily on with her preparations. Oh,
how busy they all were. They had to
70 to the woods and get the lovely
autumn leaves to decorate the barn
with. There were jack-o-lanterns to
make, and mamma was making pies
and cookies and doughnuts. On, such
piles of them! Helen was almost wild
with excitement.
But at last the night came. Helen
was all dressed and ready by o'clock
and right pretty she looked in her
white dress and blue sash, as she
went down to have a last look at the
barn to see that everything was IN
readiness for her guests.
How pretty it was. sJack.o-lanterns
were hanging everywhere, gay bunt-
ing decorated the rafters and the col
ored candles made a scene Of dazzling
beauty. Soon the children began to
arrive, and the fun commenced.
Almost the first to get there was
Mabel Brown, who had not been able
to resist the temptation Of coming to
such a fine party. The big table was
set out on the lawn and loaded with
good things of the season that chill
dren like so we'll. They were all
chosen in game of drop the hand
kerchief except Mabel Brown, who. [
am sorry to say, was often left out
OF the game on account Of her rude,
ill-natured ways, and kind hearted lit
tie Mary Gordon asked her to take
her place in the game.
WELL" said Mabel. "get away then.
for you do look a fright with those
clothes, anyway" and pushed her
rudely backward so hard that little
Mary fell and struck her head against
one of the jack-o-lanterns, causing the
candle in it to fall in such manner
as to set fire to the fleecy bunting,
and in a moment flames were leapins
to the top of the barn.
Instantly all was confusion The
children screened and ran around,