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THE NEBRASKA ADVERTISER
If tV. BANUKUM, rablltber.
I l M I M
KKMAIIA, NEBRASKA.
TWO TYPES OF CLEVERNESS.
I'lie Wiiiiiiiii Wlin 1'nnkCN im n NHuli.
liorliooit Wnmler nml llrr
f.rxM Tlulfl)- SUlrr.
"8I10 is JitBt (lie most wonderful
womnn J over snvv," snld (lie speaker.
"Why, hIic docs every bit of licr own
work, and her house in KpotlcKB from
mellnr (o garret. I never bhvv such
niotisckccpiiiff In nil my life. I keep
two Hcrinnls myself, and I eun't he
ight (o come up to her Htnndurd. She
'docs till her own Hewing; hIic und lier
jclilldren nro always exquisitely
,drcsRed, und (here Imii'I a more
.wtyllsb-lookiiig woman on tho E(reet
.than nhe is, It'e u standing wonder
!lo me how she does It nil."
A wonderful woman?
"Yes, Indeed, says the Washington
Stnr. And there are so many of these
(Women nowndnyK thut they are fnst
censing (o be wonderful. You find
ttliem in every town, on every H(rect,
tin every social elrele and In every
graveyard (heir nameR are ehlHeled
on (ombstoneH, nnd little children
come often to lay flowers on "mam
ma's grave." They are (he women
who are trying1 lo do the impossible;
.trying to make the silk purse out of
(he sovv'b ear; trying to bridge the
10-foot chasm with the HO-foot pole;
trying to inilke both ends meet when
they never were intended to meet;
trying to keep up appearanees; trying
(o conform (o the requirements of so
elety; burning the enudle at both
ends; using up (heir vital forces, and
dying !'. years too boon.
The really wonderful woman to-day
In (he woman who takes things vnny.
Sho is not known among her neigh
bors iir a model housekeeper, but she
lakes a complete bath, a long walk
and u long imp every day. She Is not
always eMpilsllely dressed, und she
frequently wears the same bonnet and
wrap two seasons, but she keeps two
servants and employs a seamstress
twice a year to help with the sewing.
..Jller children do not look llko walk
IngftiHbluu plntes, but they are
healthy and happy. She 1b not re
nowned for charitable work or club
work or missionary work; but, on the
other hnnd, she never hnH nervous
prostration or heuduehes or back
aches, und people tell hur she looks
ns young as she looked (he day bhe
was married. Her name Is seldom
seen in (he society columns of the
newspaper, but the neighbors deelare
. who rends and studies almost as much
ih she did when she was In college.
She never embroidered a centerpiece
or made n llattenburg tnble cover In
her life; but then bhe doesn't wear
glasses, and her eyes have the sparkle
f a happy schoolgirl's.
She is a comfortable sort of a per
son to lle with, and her husband Hits
down and smokes whenever ho pleases
In his own house and spills his to
bacco and cigar ashes with a free
dom that makes him the envy of his
friends. She Isn't doing anything at
nil remarkable, and her neighbors
"think her rather "shiftless" on the
whole. Hut she is getting a vast
amount of good out of life as she goes
along, and she is destined (o live to
a green old age nnd be u shining ex-
, ample oT common sense to her chil
dren, grandchild! en und great-grand-.children.
Would there were more
wonderful women of this type.
JOKE ON THE JUDGE.
The PilMiiiicr ill llii- liar Wanted Ilia
llcnrliiur llul IIU Honor
Couldn't J ill n I II,
."Justice Sellers was arraigning pris
oners In the police court, usually a
dry nnd monotonous proceeding. He
hud rend various coin plaints, and
when he eaiiio to one charging a cer
tain prisoner with the larceny of u
hum, Detectives Kane und Cotter, who
luid the wise in charge, motioned to a
ineck-looking fellow to stand up, saya
the Detroit, Free Press.
"How do you plead -guilty or not
guilty?" queried tho court, as lie fin
ished reading the complaint.
The prisoner remained silent, nnd
his honor, thinking he wns one of
(hose "foxy" fellows that prefer to
htand mule .when asked to plead, en
tered a record of "not guilty."
"When do you want your hearing'.'"
was the next question of the justice.
The prisoner looked quizzically at
(he court, and, stepping out of' the
dock and into the sacred atmosphere
of the bench, he said, loud enough to
lie heard on Gratiot avenue: "Hay?
"What, did you say?"
"I iisked you when you would like
lo have your hearing?" repeated the
court, with some show of impatience.
Then Justice Whelan, who wan pres
ent, ndvuneed toward the attorneys'
table and In his usitnlly grave nnd im
pressive way Mild:
"Your honor, if it isn't out of order,
. 1 would move that you give the poor
imin his hearing right awny. ire
mmmiih to need it."
A light dawned on Seller. The
prisoner was stone deuf.
jp?es38-
am9!&&g
;ei,j.
T WAS very silly
of me to faint,"
Mrs. Merric wild,
tremuloiiBly,"and
quite an silly for
you' alt to send
lor a doctor! 1
never did such a
1
lu
thing in
iny life before! It just
seemed like everything went, all on a
sudden! I hain't been rale strong,
some way, for a long time."
"No," Dr. Temple answered, quietly.
"But It don't do to give up! What
with the fruit season and hnrvcHtln',
thranhiu' and the like, there's a sight
to do. J don't see why I have thin
give down now just at Christmas!
It's too bad!"
"And may be worse,'' the physician
replied, his keen glance, resting on
the sewing machine piled high with
unfinished work. "Mrs. Merric, if your
friend over there fell to squeaking,
grinding and snapping thread, should
you go on working nt full speed?"
"Why, that wouldn't be very-smart
in me, sir, lo wear It out! I should
stop and oil!"
"Thou siiyst the thing I mean!
Your old worn-out bHy bids 3011 be
ware. I'm not going to give you any
medicine. You need rest. absolute
rest. 1 advise you lo accept the good
cheer of the season; leave home, and
take n vicatlon,"
Four solemn young faces turned
blankly to the stern one of the man
of pcience. Mother leuve home! Jack
and Joe. Jim and Jerry (diminutives
of Jacqueline, Josephine, Jemima and
Jcriisha, the ".Merry Juvs") grasped
tho situation at once, nnd realized its
hopelessness. It is nil very well for a
rich man to prescribe rest and
change, but another matter to follow
his advice when the purse is Hubby
and family enres crying with n voice
which will not be comforted. A pit
eous little smile drew down the cor
ners of Mrs. Merrle's mouth.
"Oh, Hx me out n little quinine,
doetlir, or calomel! You know I
can't leave home! Chrlstinns Is here,
nnd the poor children hnvt been slav
ing away at their books and must
hnvc their good time. I'm all right."
Dr. Temple snapped the straps of
his case, and arose. "When you col
lnpse again," he said, coldly, "you had
better call another doctor one who
will glvo cnlomel."
Jerry, youngest of the Jays, had
been standing remorsefully by her
mother's chair. "I know what Dr.
Temple thinks," she said, valiantly.
"He thinks if ,ou cannot rest with
grown-up daughtersyour case la
hopeless, and he gives It up. You
can follow the advice; she shall have
her vacation, sir!"
"Spoken like a man!" the doctor
answered heartily. (Jerry wore her
hair cut close, and walked and talked
with n slight swagger.) "Take care
of her; mothers are not a drug In
the market. 1 will go now good
day, friends! 1 hope to see roses on
those cheeks before spring comes."
"What a very absurd man!" (he
mother exclaimed, dropping weakly
back against the pillow. "Why did
you send for him, girls?"
"lU'cnuse," Jerry answered, rising
to (lie height oT self-uccusution, "be
cause we needed some one to tell us
how selfish we are! In school, every
one of us not n soul to give you a
hand's turn. And in vacation oh,"
with n remorseful groan "Inst vaen
tlon 1 made crazy quilts!"
"And very pretty they were, too,
I'm sure. What's the matter with
you all? I ain't comphiinin'!"
"Of course not. But we're guilty
all the same. She shall have her va
cation what do you say, irls?"
"Christmas or no Christmas!" was
the verdict,
"Last summer," Jim remarked,
gravely, 'i went oh" to Cousin Yic's,
and kept my hands white. It's ma's
'turn now."
"Hut ma ain't agoin' to your Cousin
Vic's," Mrs. Merric announced, reso
lutely. "Ma's agoin' to stay right
here. I see me a-askin' your poor pu
for money!"
The word "money" brought a frown
to four faces. "Well, we'll got sup
per and talk It over," Joe said, sober
ly. "You He still and rest."
"Ma" was nothing loath. It was
very plenwiut lying there In the twi
light, watching the shadows clasp
hands and dance along (he rafters.
Kven (he odor of camphor, suggestive
of illness, did not trouble her. The
room grew very quiet. She was a
little gjrl again, out in her father's
boat hunting pond lilies, when Jiin
patted her hand.
"Here's your toast and tea, moth
er," she said, shaking her a little.
"Take it now while it's hot. We've
talked it all over with pu, nnd have
decided about your vncution. You ure
to have one. We will take you off
tomorrow," Luxurious idleness pre
vented argument.
"Well," she biitd, fumbling with the
o&
Vf .m.
Ji O"-1
wr
cup. "JTow
white the lilies are! Well
yes."
Mrs. Mcr,
in the hand.
Me found herself helpless
of husband and children,
not let her prepare the
They would
morning meal, and it was a novel
sensation to lie nnd listen to the
cheerful sounds from the kitchen.
Joe sang as she hustled about, nnd
came in presently, an open valise in
her hnnd.
"I'm packing your things, mother,"
she announced. "It's just awful to
discover how few things you have to
pack! Why didn't you remind us you
need clothes sometimes? Hut Jim nnd
I are enstjn your mold; we've hunted
you out some of our things. I'm go
ing to give you my red merino wrap
per to lounge In."
"Land snkesl I think you-all's
gone stark stnrin' hind!" Mrs. Merric
protested petulantly. "You can't
send mo oft against my will, I reckon!
And where is there to go to nnd
money to pny for a trip; anyhow?"
Joe lioddcd brightly. "Never you
mind, Mrs. Merric; this is our little
aiTuir. We've nrranged for the nicest
boarding-place, where you can enjoy
the ilrst quiet Chrlstinns of your mnr
rled life. As to the money well,
your hoard is paid. Pa snys you may
stay as long as you want to."
"I reckon you-all will have your
own way," the mother grumbled.
"The money must come out of poor
Jack's hard earnings, or your pa make
a sucriflce. You might tell mo where
I'm going, anyhow! And I wonder if
your royal highness nnd his majesty,
Dr. Temple, nnd his grace, John Mer
ric, will let me take my knittln'
along? 'Cause If you-all don't I shn'n't
know whnt to do with my hands in
your fine company."
Joe smiled as she tucked Jesse's
half-finished sock Into the grip. "Oh,
yes! you can take it. There won't
be company, though; we want you
to rest."
"And whatever is to become of the
work und the sewing nnd my bless
ed bnby "
"Jess is no bnby a grcnt six-year-old
boy! It's a pity, mn, if we can't
take care of things! This is your
medicine, nnd you shall tnke it, If we
have to hold your nose! There, now;
I want to get you ready. Pa is bring
ing up the cart."
Mrs. Menie submitted herself in
G? -A
..
m
BKFOUE IIEU
resigned silence. There was a taint l
of affectation in her Resistance, for un
der till wns a lurking sense of pleas
ure. Well, why not accept the rest
nnd change? There come times in our
lives when it is profitable to hide
from our dearest.
Joe's soft touches on her head
smoothed out the worry-wrinkles
from a prematurely aged brow. By
the time Mr. Merrie came in she could
answer the twinkle in his eye. He
wns a good-humored giant, who, in
sublime unconsciousness and with
the best intentions in the world, had
trodden on her heart for 20 years.
"Come on, old lndy!" he said, shrug
ging into his overeont. "We'll be rid
of you nnd yer fuintin' spells in a
ji(T! Wrap her up wnrm, girls; it
ain't none too pleasant abroad. Not
that mother's one o' yer deliky carry-ine-easy
kind! Here's her thiug-uin-bob.
Now git through the kissin'."
There were no tears, save those Mrs.
Merrie softly let fall in weak self
pity. Wns it really so easy to let her
go? She looked back wistfully ns she
was driven olY nt n rattling puce, und
siiw the old home dissolve into tli"
general gray. Nature had turned
Quaker this day, and gray was the
only color she wore. The fog hung
low, dropping tears. Not a pleasant
day, yet a sense of exhilaration came
to her. It was a novel sensalion to
be driving (bus, without so much as
a chicken or a basket of eggs as an
excuse. There was almost the spice
of wickedness to make her ride
memorable.
"There's old Markle's mill," John
observed, checking the horse. "Old
Markle 'he don't keep her up Ulcu he
used to. She's n-gittin' crazy lookin',
the old mill is. If that was my
place"
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lie rambled on cheerfully. Mrs.
Merric scnrccly heard. The dim land
scape was like a picture seen in child
hood soft-shrouded, unreal, yet deli
cately beautiful. She drew a short,
sharp breath. "Why do wo live so
hard?" she faltered. "Lookout! God
has crowded Ills world with pleasant
things!"
"Well, I dunnol" ho answered.
"Git 'long, Poke-easy! D'ye reckon
we're In such a rush to git we can't
stop, nnd run on past?"
The ride was a long one. "We're
goin' to meet Ohrlstmns," John re
mnrked, with a wink. "If she don't
hump herself we'll be at headqunr
ters nfore she gits stnrtcd!" But by
and by visions of dinner and a fire
side appealed to him coaxingly, and
he decided Christmas might find its
way unattended. He put the horse
into a trot, nnd nftcr awhile hc rond
grew fnmilinr. Mrs. Merrie held her
pence till they were fairly in the lane
lending home.
"Have you forgotten anything?"
she asked, dryly, suspecting a prac
tical joke, nnd ready to resent It.
John helped her down cnrefully and
set her grip on the horse-block. "Not
a bit of it!" he answered, heartily.
"I stnrted with the best little womnn
in the world, nnd have fetched back
ever' bit of her! Here's yer bonrdln'
house, missus, board pnid In ndvnnce!"
The noise of their arrival brought
four rosy young faces to the door.
Jack (the oldest Jny) rnn lnughlng
to the gnte, nnd kissed her mother
on the cheek. "Our new boarder!"
she said, taking the valise. "Come
right in! 1 hope you will like us, nnd
enjoy your vncntion. These are my
sisters, Josephine, Jemima and Jc
rushn. I'm Jack! Come in here nnd
luy olT your wraps. Tills is ma's room
when she's home. Over there is
your sitting-room. Are you much
tired or cold?"
Mrs. Merrie wns n Jay herself, as
capable of enjoying a bit of delicate
humor ns the rest of them. So this
wns the solving of the problem, the
vncntion which wns to cost nothing!
She turned nwny her face nftcr the
first laugh, that they might not wit
ness the passing of the swift storm
which shocked through the gentle
habit of patience.
"No, I am neither cold nor tired,"
she said, after that pause. "I nm
COZY FIRE.
sure 1 shall like my boarding house
if you think if you truly believe
my board is paid"
Here Jerry pushed determinedly to
the front. "I am to attend you,
ma'am," she said. "Your board bill
includes service. If the young Indies
nnd the bijj- male-Jay will please to
clear out I'll tnke oft your dump
clothes and make you comfortable."
The red wrapper came into play,
likewise Joe's dainty boribboned knit
slippers. The new boarder sank lux
uriously into the big rooker (common
ly occupied by one of the girls) nnd
stretched her feet to the warmth.
Opposite her hung a mirror, nnd from
time to time she glnneed wondering
ly nt the face reflected there. It
was not, after all, the face of-vji old
womnn, although it hnd exchanged
the crude pink of youth for the in
definable delicacy of mnturity. The
eyes met hers, full of light, nnd about
the mouth were those wistful lines
which tell of dreams not yet relin
quished. From one new thought to another.
She reulized nil at once thht the room
hnd been prcpnred for her' reception.
There were the "company shams" on
the bed, Jim's geraniums in the win
dow, little loving touches everywhere.
Sitting there so quietly she grew con
scious of Jesse's black eye applied to
the crnck of the door, and further sur
vey revealed his little butterfly kite
hung up for her delight. The lump
In her throat had climbed so high she
hadn't voice left to thank Joe for the
cup of cotl'ee which was to "drive out
the cold."
Dinner was substantially a failure,
artistically a success. The big male
Jay made n wry mouth over the snl
low braid nnd soggy potntoes, but his
mate hnd no criticism to offer. To
her It wns a glorified feast, for she
ate and drank the fruits of her labor
her children's love, poured back
into the emptied measure of her life
Bnck before her cozy fire (which
Jerry religiously kept burning) she
nccepted t)ie blessedness of rest.
Dreams overtook her. ":
"Climbed over the window sill," es
caping into the fair, lost lnnd of child
hood. Through the whole afternoon
she slept, and the little house hushed
Itself as though life or death were nt
issue. Even Jesse never once hnl
loocd, or stamped his boots, or whis
tled, for which unprecedented good
bchnvior Jnck gave him a penny, and
drew a long chalk mnrk on the smoke
house door.
Knrly next morning tnntulizlng
Httle odors began to snenk Into the
npnrtmcnts of the new bonrder. Now
she wns sure it wns turkey, now it
seemed to be mince pie nnd hot cake.
Then she remembered it was Christ
mas eve, and rolled up her knitting
decisively.
"The dear girls!" she thought.
"They'll burn up nnd spoil everj'thlng
they undertake! They'll not be sor
r)i to hnvc ninmmy bnck in the kitch
en 1"
But she hnd reckoned without het
host. The door between her nnd the
kitchen was locked, and when she at
tempted the dining-room entry Jack
stopped her decidedly nt the thresh
old. "I beg your pardon," she snid.
with polite severity. "You rented tin
pnrlor and bedroom only, I think. In
deed we don't nvenn any incivility, but
we just can't have our boarders clut
tering up the kitchen on busy dnjs
nnd will take it ns n favor if you'll go
back to your own quarters nnd ge(
ready for a little outing. You haven't
seen your old crony, Mary Ann Griggs,
since she moved away, have you? Jer
ry wnnts (o drive you down there in
the cart to spend the day."
Mrs. Merrle's eyes lighted with plens
ure. "Well, really," she admitted, "H
j'ou won't let me help you-all I should
like to sec Mary Ann powerful well!
I really shou'.d enjoy to go!"
Jerry brought her back in the earlj
twilight and hustled her off to bed, and
again sleep brought it& healing.
Christmas morning came in with soft
unsandaled feet. All the earth wns
wrapped in (he whiteness of snow. Th
Christ-child was born anew, and the
great Mother, tenderly, in (he hours
of darkness, had spread her softest
coverlet about His feet.
Four bright-eyed fnecs, with Jesse
below nnd the big male-Jay above,
peeped in, and the simultaneous shout
of "Christmas Gift!" brought Mrs.
Merrie up from among her blankets.
"Well, I never!" she ejaculated. "1
reckon this is the first Christmas you
all ever caught ma a-nnppin'! I nin't
got no Christinas for you neither
think of (hat!"
"Never mind," Jesse soothed.
"We've got" but Joe had him by the
shoulders, and shook his mouth shut.
There would have been in.tnnt war
then, but well, Jesse knew whnt he
knew, nnd the balance of power re
mained unmistakably with the girls.
The dining-room door remained ob
stinately lockid all day. Mreakfast
wns enten in the snug little kitchen,
dinner served in state in the pnrlor.
There were no guests nt all snve old
Granny Woods, a half blind pauper
who aiwnys presented herself on rec
ognized holidays, and wns served with
the best.
Dining the progress of the meal the
tempting, secretive odors unveiled,
themselves. King Gobbler had jielded
to the inevitable, nnd, more lovely In
denth than in life, adorned the center
-of a generous fenst. "A.reg'lnr blow
out, ns Jesse expressed it, nnd there
were no fnilures this time. The energy
nnd talent of the whole family of Jays
(minus its head) went to the making
of a success so brilliunt us to murk an
epoch. "Just see whnt you-ull can do!
Mrs. Merrie said over nnd over, her eyei
bright with pride. "Why, I can't hold
a candle to such cookin' ab (his!"
But the day was to crown Itsel:
with greener laurels. Kaeh year sinct
their infancy she had planned surprise
for them; now had come the hour to
reverse the story. When the lamps
were lit they took her into the dining
room, where a handsome tree gleamed
with light and color. The fact that
there were more candles, tinsel papci
and popcorn balls than presents did not
detract from its beauty. Behind it on
the .wall was the legend: "Mother'?
Christmas," wrought in evergreen
Mother sat down in the big new rocker,
cushioned with one of Jerry's conscience-stricken
crazy quilts, und yield
ed to tears.
"Mother," Jack said, tenderly, kneel
ing beside her, "our selfishness was un
intentional; we didn't know wc wen
driving you to death! In our hurvy to
get an education we forgot. You.
know my poor little pay ns country
school-teneher barely dresses us, but V
can see my way plain to hire Jielp foi
you while we ure n't school. You be
lieve we love you, don't you, mother?"
"Yes," she nnswered, huskily. "Yes,
yes! Whoever doubted it? And 1 oh,
whnt does anything matter, so we love
each other?"
So this sweet Christmas passed into
memory, and shone there, a rainbow
promise thnt the Hood should no more
engulf one mother's soul. M. Howard.
Sheppard, in Lndies' World, New York,
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