Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-06-10
Evening Story
A MATTER OF BUSINESS.
BY Olive Mable.
Copyright, 1915, by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.

Copyright, 1915, by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.
The three girls looked at the lawyer
in frightened unbelief.
1t could not be possible that their
fathers fortune had been such hol-
low mockery. How had they lived all
these years in such quiet comfort?
1T was the nature Of his business,
explained Mr.. Ames "a broker never
really knows whether he is rich man
or pauper. Your father was under
taking big coup when his illness and
death put finish to everything. He
was on the wrong side Of the market
when he was stricken. There will be
nothing left for you except the place
in the country - your mothers cid
home"
But that is only a house and fur
niture. How can we earn our bread
and butter?" asked Kitty.
l''We might take summer boarders, y
suggested Dorothy gravely.
THAT isn't bad ideal" said Mr..
Ames. "Ill send you all the people I
can. Can any of you cOok?' ....
ST can," said Dorothy proudly. Il
have taken prize at cooking school,
'You will need big, strong woman,
said the lawyer. Keep up good table
and the money problem will take care
of ITSELF
June found the Henderson girls set
tied in the old house in which they had
been born Keziah Lake, a distant
cousin of their mothers and famous
housewife, reigned in the great kitch-
en-. The other household duties were
divided among the three girls. Lillian
was business manager and attended to
the living room. Kitty was waitress
and Dorothy, with the assistance of a
small colored girl, was chambermaid.
The mountains, with their many at
fractions, brought a houseful of guests.
The unaccustomed work was not with
had never spent a summer in other
tnan self amusement, but the fact that
they were making financial success
of it sustained them admirably.
Old village friends called upon them,
and, to Cousin KeZiah's great satisfac-
ton, several young men were attracted
to the Henderson house., Tom Bixby,
Walter Mott and Paul Clarkson had all
been to the village school with the
Henderson girls. After James Hender-
son had moved to the$city and had be-
come rich, the little mountain village
had not seen his daughters until now
they returned to it to begin life all over
again. e..-
Lillian Henderson, the eldest sister,
was ambitious. She had determined
that her sisters, as well as herself,
should improve their fortunes by good
marriages. And with that end in view
she discouraged the attentions OF the
village doctor and his two friends who
were law partners.
81 thought you liked DR.. Mott OBJ
served Kitty when Lillian delivered
her ultimatum...
81 do, dear, but we must think about
practical matters. We should marry
well,'' she returned decidedly.
"You mean marry for money!
For answer Lillian took one of her
sisters rough little fingers and stroked
it suggestively.
81 wouldn't mind working hard for a
man liked declared Kitty, stoutly,
and Dorothy added, Il don't suppose a
real man would mind our hands if they
were red and coarsened by honest toll
81 didn't mean that, dears," cried
Lillian sharply, "but I am afraid you
viii miss all the things we have been
accustomed to. You know, Derry
dear, that since Harry Blake has fol
lowed you here = Of course it would
be perfectly fine if you could love him
we'll enough with all his money"
1 my world" Knocked Kitty. Does
that mean that you are going to &C
cept old Mr.. Alison?"
(! Lillian whitened, but she nodded
From the lawn tennis courts came a
mans jolly laugh
! Kitty looked embarrassed. She knew
that her sisters wondered if she was
going to accept Lester Marshall, whose
/ sister had been their first guest
! Marshall was young and handsome
and rich, and he made no secret of his
! devotion to charming Kitty.
Il suppose would be foolish to LEI
such an opportunity pass" laughed Kit
I ty. oddly. "Well girls, we might have
a triple wedding in October and an
nounce to our friends that our bushes:
had been very profitable venturep
As che ran from the room her sister.