Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-05-30
The Real Mary

mother said to her, IF you'll be just
as good as gold all day, l will take
you to see little Mary this afternoon"
I'm afraid l can't be all good, Nam
ma" said Thelma, "but I'll be some
good"
Thelma was not quite four years old.
and had not played with many little
girls; and, when Mamma said she
should be taken to see Mary" she in
stantly thought of the Mary in her
picture-book who was dressed in a
beautiful pink dress, and wore a great
white hat with floating ribbons.
The picture book Mary wandered ov-
er green fields, and after her strayed
a snow-white lamb led by a blue rib
expected to see; and she was SO good
that, when nap-time came, Mamma
told her that she had been 'as good
as gold" and should surely be taken
to see Mary.
"And the lamb?" asked Thelma,
drowsily; but Mamma did not hear.
Thelma walked from her nap with
her blue eyes as bright as stars and
her cheeks like roses; and, when she
was dressed in the whitest of white
dresses and the bluest of blue sashes,
she danced about, singing: I'm going
to see Navy! Pm going to see Mawy!"
Thelma and Mamma walked and
walked along the pleasant country
road, and at last they came to a large
white house.
"This is Mary's house." said Nam
ma; and Thelma squeezed her moth
er's hand and shivered all over for
joy.
They were taken into room that
seemed to be full of sunshine and
green growing things. There was an
aquarium near bright window, and
beside it stood little girl, feeding tho
fish. Long yellow curls fell over her
rosy face, and she wore red dress
and white ruffled apron.
THAT is Mawy's sister," thought
little Thelma to herself; but just then
her mother led her forward and said,
This is Mary"
A sob rose in Thelma's throat; but
the strange little girl smiled so sweet
ly that she said to herself, 'P'r'aps
she doesn't wear her pink dress 'cept
when she's having her picture taken"
So she ran forward and took Mary 8
hand and looked up into her. face, and
said, won't you show me your lamb"
Il haven't any lamb" said Mary,
wonderingly; and then poor Thelma
could bear no more. She lay down
with her face against the floor, and
cried and cried.
Her mother and Mary's mother and
Mary all gathered around her to find
out what could be the matter; but 1t
was long time before she was able
to tell them.
At last she told them, sobbing:
1T isn't the veal Navy. Mawy's
dress is pink and the lamb goes every.
where that Navy goes
Then they all knew
But after a while little Thelma grew
quite happy, looking at the gold and
silver fish as they darted through the
clear water and nibbled Mary's fingers
or ate the food she gave them; and
when the time came to go she kissed
Mary and said "Good-by, Car'line!
I'm going to call you Car'line, after
my dolly"
After Thelma and her mother had
walked quite out of sight, Mary said
to her mother, Il don't like to be
called Caroline, and l wish I coulc
have a lamb"
Her mother laughed and said: "Sl
you could be the veal Nary"
Time and time again, in the early
morning Mary had heard the sheer
passing the house on their way to the
town. She had listened to their bleat
/, ing and the patter of their soft fee
without thinking much about them
! but now, remembering little Thelma
the next time that she was awakened
by the shouts of the drivers and the
hundreds of pattering steps, sht
jumped right out of bed and ran tt
peep through the blinds.
The sun had not risen yet and every
thing was gray-the sky, the road, thu
sheep, and the clouds OF dust which
almost hid the shouting men wh'
drove the great flock.
! AS Mary stood there looking out, sh'
saw a lamb that limped painful!
along, sometimes just little way OF
only three feet. ooh, the poor thing!
she cried softly; and just as though |
heard her, the lame lamb turned from
the flock unseen and dropped in littl
heap behind some bushes.
Mary waited until the sheep and mel