Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-08-05
The Mission of Stella
Felicity


weeks before, and it was on that morn
ing that the expressman had brought
the lovely doll. There had never been
just surch a doll in the family Grand
mother had sent her all the way from
Brooklyn, and Tiny Girl stroked her
fluffy curls, gaZed rapturously into her
smiling face, kissed her pink cheeks,
and held her close, wondering what she
should call her. What name could be
good enough for the little beauty.
The doll was still unchristened when
the morning came that Tiny Girl awoke
with a sore throat. 1t was early, TOO
early for any one to be stirring, so she
snuggled down to her little bedfellow
for comfort for of course she could
never be separated for night from the
lovely doll.
When the kind doctor arrived he
looked more sober than usual, and Tiny
Girl heard him say something about
scarlet fever and quarantine and
good many other things that she
couldn't understand. But mother re-
piled cheerily:
We'll do the best we can and hope
everything will come out all right. l
shall take care of her myself, for the
rest can get along without me better
than she can
That was the beginning Of two long
weeks Of pain. Tiny Girl did not see
how she ever could have borne 1t but
for the merry mother and the lovely
doll. The doll stayed right by her side
all the time, in her little nightgown
and even wore a bandage round her
throat, out Of sympathy for her little
mother.
1t was during this fortnight that
letter came from grandmother, and In
side was note for Tiny Girl.
"My 5ear ittla pra n6Gauphter.' it
said, Il am as sorry as | can be that
you are sick, and I hope that you will
get we'll fast; but meanwhile l am glad
that the new doll Is a comfort to you
What do you think of Stella Felicity as
a name for her? Stella means a star
and Felicity. stands for happiness so
Stella Felicity is the most appropriate
name I can think of. From your moth
er's account she is truly a star in your
night of suffering, and is giving you
happiness every day. I am glad that
she has found her mission SO early
Tiny Girl thought there could not be
better name for her darling, and
Stella Felicity sat up among her pill
lows and smiled as il she liked it too.
On the morning that Tiny Girl was
to go downstairs for the first time
mother had long talk with the doctor,
and then was proposed lifelong mis-
At the start Tiny Girl wept. How
could she give up her dolly even for
such mission! But at last, when the
doctor had said that it would never do
to let her go again among well chill
dren, and when the mother had ar
gued Think Of how much joy and COM
for she will bring to little girls that are
sick as you have been!"-oh, then the
sparkle came back to the Tiny Girls
i ~, >11c <~ = a1o
the question of Stella Felicity's mission
was settled.
So all that night Stella Felicity stay
ed alone in room filled with queer
smelling air: but it must have pleased
her. for the very mex morning, when the
doctor carried her away. she was as
smiling as ever. and ready at once to
begin her mission to little scarlet fever
girls. Her story quickly became known
throughout the town. and all the little
doll mothers said "Oh, my"
Now. whenever any little girl is taken
sick with the dreadful fever, instead Of
mourning because she will have to be
shut away from her mates, she is apt
to exclaim in delight, ooh. I can have
that beautiful Stella Felicity to come
and stay with me-" And nobody knows
Just how much good is accomplished by
the small home missionary.
When Tiny Girls birthday came
around again, the express team brought
another package to her door. She eager
ly opened the long white box and cried
breathlessly:
why, it's Stella Felicity! It's Stella
Felicity" and Rugged the darling to
her heart
But it was not 1t was Stella Felicity's
twin sister-Emma C. Dowd in Little
Folks.