The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-05-20
1.-THE
CHILDREN'S HOUR
lDA'S "lFS."

lQa EndrooS STOOD at the Slttlng-
room window looking out ruefully.
1t had rained nearly all night and had
lapsed into a steady and dreary driz-
zle. Ida's face was as cherries as
the weather. She gave a little sigh
as she turned to her sister Edna and
said:
IF it hadn't rained SO we would
be miles away on that automobile trip
we were to have had today"
well, it did rain" said Edna with
calm acceptance of the inevitable.
II know, but if it hadn't we'd have
had our lovely ride over to Taylor
Woods and around the lake, and
luncheon at the Pine Cone House and
all sorts of delightful things that we
could have had if the weather had
been good"
(Which of these two pieces of lace
would you use on this shirt waist?"
asked Edna with the evident inten-
ton of changing the subject, but the
new subject also had its eff"
"That reminds me-" said Ida. eff
I had only known of that special sale
of shirt waists at Browns last week,
l could have bought perfect beauty
of waist for three dollars. Helen
Lane got one for three dollars that
is much finer material and prettier
than the one I paid five dollars for.
If I had only known about that
sale!"
"But you didn't" said Edna as she
took her scissors and cut off piece
of the lace she had decided that she
would use.
Having 1apsed into the realm of
bargains, Ida discovered still another
eff" to give rise to new complaint.
"If I had not been too dark to wear
pale blue 1 could have bought the
prettiest little housedress at Whites
yesterday for seven dollars. But they
had them only in white and pale blue,
and already have two white dresses.
If could only have worn pale blue or
if they had had them in other col
ors!"
Edna made no comment on this IF"
but began to hum tune cheerfully
as she stitched away on her waist. At
that moment Mrs. Endrees came into
the room and said:
"This rain will do world of good.
1t has broken long drouth and will
be worth thousands of dollars to the
gardeners and farmers,
But if it had held off another day
we could have had our auto ride"
still in her voice. Ted, the boy of
the family, had been lying on lounge
reading. He now came to the front
with his pertinent contribution to the
conversation:
Ida, what's the good of all your
fling? It's just if if if with you
from morning until night. Father and
mother ought to change your name
from Ida to If How would You like
to be known as If EndreesT We al
ways expect you to come to the front
with useless If about dozen times
a day. Ever know one of your ifs
to do any good or change matters any?
Your fling puts you in the same class
with the people who cry over spilled
milk. You haven't said an if this
morning that did not have to do with
things that nothing in the world can
change. You'd better change by drop
ping every one of your useless ifs ="
Good advice, Ida," said her mother.
Better think it over" said Edna.
Ida was not lacking in common
sense nor reasonableness. She was
very quiet for a few minutes. Evil
IDENTIFY she was taking the advice Edna
had given her. Suddenly she started
to leave the room. At the door she
turned and said:
II defy any of you to catch me
dropping into the useless If for a
week. If debut don't intend to.
I guess it isn't worth while"
Hold fast to that idea, DEAR" said
Mrs. Endrees. "If you do, you will
save yourself much useless complaint
and add to the happiness of your
home"