Cottonwood chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1917-current, 1920-12-24
STERLING HOME
D. IDA ". GOULD.

was neither young nor pretty. Her
dishevelled hair and ink-stained nng-
ers were not attractive. Over her desk
hung q motto. Nothing worth win
ming except by hard work"
The fruits Of this woman's work sur
rounded her. A bust of Clytie. earned
by the sale Of ''The Sailors Revenge"
stood near the set Of Dickens. result
ing from the Midnight Mystery"
Once her energy slackened. then she
let her eyes refresh themselves with
the sight Of her real antique prayer
rug, bought by the sale 0f "AnOthers
Child" Over the piano hung we'll
earned water color. one made possible
for her by selling '.rhe Double MUIR
der" Upon the mahogany table were
ins bits Of pottery. The very robe
Zarella worked In was q japanese
lrimono, delicately embroidered In ar
tistic fashion. That resulted from "A
Temperance Tale"
With splendid health and small
income from Investments. she lived In
a top room Of house that sheltered
many other business women. Her cur
age was supreme; NO amount Of re-
Iected manuscripts restrained her A.
siduity.
As early dawn giimmered. the wom-
an flung her last production aside. put
out the light. and slept till noon. Ev-
cry afternoon she sent the work on
to the editors Of a limerick contest
which had been running some weeks.
She aspirei to build small home like
one illustrated In STEERING Homes"
A faint odor Of heliotrope pervaded
all her belongings. In her plan OF
house a bed Of heliotrope plants just
outside her workr0om was Indicated.
Heliotrope was her mothers best-loved
flower. Zarella always bought hello
trope perfume instead Of the more
J common violet.
She remembered her mother. work
ing at the common tasks In the old
homestead, and saying OF her moth
er's brought the most vivid and tender
memories TO her.
always keep something sweet smell
\ ing that grows about You. 20 take
your mind or your drudgery."
\ She would have Dutch colonial
/ home, box trees like prim old maids)
Z ON each side Of the brick wall. She
J would have plenty Of heli0trope plants
In her home. She would have brass
( knocker on her front door. q lilac bush,
] a shelf for pitchers, and q cupboard
Z like one described In q New England
story Of long ago. There must be q
N high shelf with brass candlesticks. and
Y banjo clock. Outside. she desired
u duck pond and few weeping Willows
gracefully reflected In the small sheet
: Of water. She knew she could gather
fresh material for more stories In such
7, surroundings. She pictured herself iy-
ing In the hammock. looking at the
fieecy shapes above her, inhaiing per-
fume from her flower beds.
III She would paint her house white.
with green blinds. She loved giisten-
ting white paint.
She remembered when her mother
had taken her to visit sea captains
wife In Newburyport.
III The sea captain had an absolute
passion for white paint How kind
everyone had been there. Perhaps she.
Zarella How. might pass along those
same happy memories to some little
girl, when she really owned her Ster-
ling home.
iii The captain had given her bunch
Of catnip and shell at parting. The
shell still did duty as paper weight
The catnip had long ago been con
l sumed by cats long since deceased
III Zarelia's musings were interrupted
by a knock, followed by the entrances
Of the top floor matron:
Good evening. Miss How. A speshul
d'iivery for yer. just come; boys walt
in"
iii Zarella broke the seal. read the con
lighted cry to the astonished listener
III MARY, hear this; no. FIRST tell ths
boy. here's the receipt for the letter.
''No bad news. miss"
ood-good-nothing like II evel
came my way: hurry. then come back
but don't tell anyone"
Mary made haste and was soon seat
j ed admiringiy feasting her eyes ON thu
- beauty Of the kimono.
D Listen. Mary"
"Aiadam-Enclosed find our checl
for Ave thousand dollars.
"'You are winner. not for the clever
= ness Of your last lines, but for the sus
tanned interest shown. Out Of 1000
answers yours are noted for genera
= merit. but principally for being tn
only contestant sending an answer ~
cry day since the contest began.
81. Kauff, Editor. The Searchlight.'
"Glory be to God. miss. In II writtn
brought yer thatf"
!. Eyes, Mary. and I'm going to get -
]. white Sterling Home with gree