Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
Where will we live now,

family pride. Where will we live now
tather?"
We'll rent a house-any house We
| like-and live like white folks"
Rent! Mercy, father, doesn't the
conference furnish the elders with
houses? We can never afford to pay
rent! Never!"
"Oh, we have a salary of twenty-five
hundred year now he said, with
apparent complacence. but careful to
watch closely for the effect of this
statement. 1t gratif1ed him, too, as
much as he had expected. The girls
stood stock-still and gaZed at him, and
then, with violent struggle for self
composure Carol asked:
did you get any Of it in advance?
need some new slippers
So the packing was finished. suit
able house was found-modern, with
reasonable rent-on Maple avenue
where the oaks were most magnif-
cent. and the parsonage family be-
came just ordinary folks" parson-
age household no longer.
you must be very patient with us
if we still try to run things Carol
said apologetically to the president Of
the Ladies' Aid We've been a par.
sonage bunch all our lives. you know,
and it's got to be habit. But we'll
be as easy on you as We can. We
know what it would mean to leave two
ministers families Gown on you at
once"
Mr.. STAIRS new position necessitat-
ed long and frequent absences from
nome and that was a drawback to the
family comradeship. But the girls
pride in his advancement was so
colossal. and their determination to
live up to the dignity of the eldership
was so deep seated that affairs ran on
quite serenely in the new home.
Aren't we getting sensible?' Carol
frequently asked her sisters, and they
agreed enthusiastically that they GER
tainly were.
Il don't think we ever were so bad
as we thought we were" Lark said.
Even Prudence says now that we
were always pretty good. Prudence
ought to think so. She got most OF
our spending. money for good many
years, didn't she?"
Prudence didn't get it. She gave
it to the heather"
well, she got credit for it on the
Lords accounts, suppose. But she
deserved it. 1t was no joke collecting
allowances from us.
One day this beautiful serenity was
broken in upon in most unpleasant
way. Carol looked up from De Senec-
tute and flung out her arms in an
all-relieving yawn Then she looked
at Lark, who was aimlessly drawing
feathers on the skeletons of birds in
her biology text. She looked at Con-
ME. sitting upright in her chair. a
small book close to her face, alert,
absorbed, oblivious TO the world.
Connie was wide awake and Carol re.
scented it.
What are you reading, Com" she
asked reproachfully.
Connie looked up. startled, and col
ored little. "Oh-poetry,' she STAN
mered.
Carol was surprised. Poetry" she
echoed. Poetry? What kind of po-
etry? There are many poetries in this
world Of ours Life is real, life is
Bangor. "A man and maiden de-
cided TO we'd Sunset and evening |
star, oh, there are lots of poetries. |
What's yours" Her senseless disser-
alton had put her in good humor |
again.
Connie answered evasively. 1T is |
BY an old oriental writer. don't sup |
pose you've ever read it. Khayyam
s his name"
Some name said Carol suspicious
" Whats the poem?" Her eyes had |
and darkened. BY this time |
Carol had firmly convinced herself /
hat she was bringing Connie up-a
belief which afforded lively amuse-
nent to self-conducting Connie.
why. it's The Rubaiyat. It's
The Rubaiyat!' Caro- frowned.
ark looked up from the skeletons
With sudden interest. The Rubaiyat?
BY Khayyam? Isn't that the old fell
ow who didn't believe in God. and
heaven. and such things-you know
What mean--the man who didn't be-
ieve anything. and wrote about it?
Let me see it, I've never read it my
elf. but I've heard about it. Carol
NTDeu the pages Will CIlllCdl uiSdpr
,roving eyes. Hum, yes, | know
bout this" She faced Connie sternly.
I suppose you think. Connie. that
ince we're out Of parsonage we
an do anything we like. Haven't we
ny standards? Haven't we any ideals?
\re we--are we-well. anyhow, what
BUSINESS has minister's daughter
eadine trash like this?"
II don't believe it, you know" Con.
lie said coolly. I'm only reading 1t.
low can know whether it's trash or
OF. unless l read it? L"
Ministers daughters are supposed
0 keep their fingers clear of the burn
1g ends of matches" said Carol neat
v 1--WE can't handle them without
citing scorched, or blackened. at
east We have to steer clear of
hings folks aren't sure about. Pru-H