ADELIA AND POOR MATTIE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXII, Issue XVIII, 6 May 1899, Page 635

ADELIA AND POOR MATTIE.

(By B. Evelyn Stout, Placerville.) ‘Oh, dear,’ sighed a little girl named Adelia Clover, ‘what shall I do to-day?’ ‘Remember to-morrow is your birthdav, dear,’ said her mother. ‘Ye-es, but that hasn’t anything to do with to-day,’ answered Adelia, ‘besides, I can’t have a party like I did last year, ean I?’ ‘Adelia,’ said her mother, ‘you can have your choice. You have the money that Aunt Rachael gave you; you can do as you please with it. You may have a nice little party or do anything else you wish with it.’ Adelia began to pout. ‘I don’t want a party unless I can have a nice large one,’ she whined. That evening after supper Adelia thought of what her mother had said and of the money her aunt Rachael had given her. ‘Only $5. Yes, have a nice little party, indeed, with that amount of money!’ she said, scornfully.

Then she seemed to see a pale, drawn face. A little girl propped up in pillows, and she also seemed to hear the rub-a-dub of Mattie Kelly’s mother’s wash-tub. Then she thought how glad Mattie w'ould be to have any kind of a party. ‘I wonder if she ever gets lonesome?’ Adelia asked herself. But her conscience told her, ‘Of course she does.’

Adelia tried to comfort herself by saying: ‘Well, if she gets lonesome that's not my lookout. It’s her mother's.’ But still she thought of little Mattie. She also thought of her own toys and picture books and of how glad Mattie would be to own even

one of them. ‘Well, I suppose I may go and see Mattie Kelly and show her one of my picture books?’ Adelia asked her mother.

Mrs Clover looked surprised, but answered: ‘Certainly, dear.'

So Adelia put on her hat and gloves, took her favourite picture book, and a bouquet of flowers with her and was soon at the door of Mattie’s tiny home. A tired looking woman holding a baby answered her knock. Adelia stated her errand.

Mrs Kelly said: ‘So it’s Mattie you want to see? Well, it’s powerful glad she’ll be to see you. Come in!’ When Mattie saw Adelia her pale face lighted up with a smile and she stretched out her thin hand. ‘l’ve come to see you, Mattie,’ said Adelia, ‘and here are some flowers.’ ‘Oh, thank you,’ cried Mattie, and her mother fixed them for her on the tiny stand by Mattie’s bed. ‘Sure, something like that would do her good, the doctor be after sayin’. She needs fresh milk, but I am too poor to buy it.' Adelia felt a great lump rising in her throat, but kept back her tears. ‘Mrs Kelly,’ she said, ‘we ean let you have a pint of fresh milk each day, I think.’ ‘Can you?’ asked Mrs Kelly. ‘I should be so glad.’ After Adelia had taken her leave and was home she told her mother of her promise to Mrs Kelly. ‘All right, dear,’ her mother answered, ‘and you may help Mattie and her mother more if you will use your own money.’ At first Adelia hesitated. Then she said: ‘Mamma, I will,’ and she did. She bought for Mrs Kelly a warm shawl, a pair of shoes for the baby, and some stockings and a picture book and some sweetmeats for Mattie. She took the articles to Mrs Kelly early the next morning and they were appreciated. Adelia had no birthday party, but, anyway, there were four persons very happy on her birthday—Mrs ■ Kelly, Mattie, the baby and herself.