The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-09-07
earse a wreath IN the church, This Is what

should think that HUE DIV VI he - n,
there always when the good fathers are pleas a.
inc. also. and something to show that there
was such a bow as Martin once I'D Awburg
village. who did all be could for Cod"
.Wei lad. It might be. in time, replied the
,,oson "But YOU are too weak now: YOU
MD not stand the work. Wait while. till
Won are stronger. and then will ask
Martin fixed two grave eyes on his father.
i "Father, DEAR he said, Il don't think |
shall ever be stronger. L don't think l shall
ever see the fne pictures in the church. But
o do so long TO do some little. little work
for God before / die. | have heard such
peautlttl things OF heaven and of the Lord
Jesus, that | cannot rest nor sleep for long
fulness"
"fush, tush, boy" stammered the mason !;
put his eyes were red, and the mother wiped
hers with her apron.
On the next day the mason spoke to the
master-builder Of the wish of his little son,
and at sunset, when the work was over, the
master came to see Martin. He was dressed
in better clothes than the rest, and looked to
the boy almost as grand and great gentle
man as Sir Simon himself He was very kind,
and praised Martins fern leaves highly. He
promised to grant him leave, ifpossible, to do
some work in the church, but he must first
speak to Sir Simon de Harcourt on the sub
ject. At parting he put his finger under the
lads chin, and turning the pale face TO him.
looked at it with pity.
"You must make haste TO get strong. he
said, "and then you can come and ioin nv
band, and be free mason, going about Fl I'm
place TO place to build churches and fine halls"
Martins eyes giistened at the thought, but
he shook his head and answered,
hnr Ii -. I..l4
Two days later the master came again, to
tell the boy that his wish might be granted if
he could design q wreath fit TO adoln the
church. The lady Mildred came also, on her
palirey, with her blue steeple towering above
her head and the lawn veil floating round her
sweet young face. She aliehted at the cottage
door, and came with a gentle grace towards
the hard settle where the boy lay, first cOur-
teously greeting the mother. Martin bushed
with pride and pleasure to see the lady of the
place come walking up 10 him in that kind,
queenly way. She laid her hand on his curls
and sat down beside him on the settle.
so you wish to make an Offering to the
Lord she said, smiling, as sweetly, thought
Martin, as angels must smile. He murmured
something, he hardly knew what. a.
May He bless and accept your work." she
continued, reverently. "I5 is good thought
which He has given you" .-
but his father cannot see how he can
reach the top OF the pillar. which is ten feet
nigh, nor how he may stand there to carve the
wreath, when mounted, my lady," said the
mother. as.s : oI
Martin looked up eagerly. -aar
70 mother can stand" he began.
L and the master builder will contrive that
you shl.l have yoar wish" said Dame Mil
dred; and her manner cave security to the
boy, it said so clearly, "What will Is DONE"
Now she had willed and the matter was ac-
compiished. In few days more Martin
heard through his father that it had been az
ranged for him to sit at his work il, a chair,
which should be slung from the clerestory
windows with ropes, and with other ropes
fixed firmly to the pillar All that remained
was for him to design wreath worthy to adorn
the church. This took now all his time and
thoughts, and morning and evening", as he
melt beside the straw pallet which was
ms bed, with a wooden bolster for a
plilow,1 he prayed: 80, Lord, 1 pray
Thee grant me power to do this little work. to
be forever a sign that Thou hast been SO good
and loving to me-" God answered the child's
prayer and gave him strength, in part
through the means OF the sweet Dame Mil
DIRE |, who often thought of the lame boy. and
sent him dalnties from her own table and
even flock mattress and bolster; luxuries
which made his mother say that they were as
rich as If they lived in palace, for no king
could lie softer or eat better fare. ne
People in The village, hearing of Martins
great desire, used to gather and bring to him
the largest flowers and brightest leaves they
could ind, to help him in forming his wreath,
but none quite satisfied him.. One day. as he
sat propped up by his sheepskin, with heap
OF leaves spread out upon the table before
him, and with an eager yet hopeless look in
his eyes, for all these vain efforts were firing
him, and causing him to fear that he could
not please the master, little child, so tiny
it could scarcely toddle, came rolling in at the
cottage door with It's lap full of common NAL
low, the great red flowers and mossy leaves
making up clumsy bunch as the baby held
them. She had gathered them for Martin off
the church bank and brought them in the
kind wish OF her generous little heart to give
MN pleasure. She he'd the flowers up to him
withtsome baby prattle, and when he had ia
ken them from her she toddled out again to
her mothers cottage. The clusters looked
ugly and hopeless enough at first to Martin.
but as he placed them idly this way and that.
an idea struck him suddenly and his face
frightened. When his mother returned with
her bucket ofwater, from gossip at the well.
sue found her boy crouching on the floor be-
fore the hearthstone, on which with cnder
W..
heavy leaves tapping one over the other. and
Hover peeping out here and there.
What brave wreathw cried the mother
20 mother! it the master-builder would
think s." ~ exclaimed Martin, flushing.
The master-builder did think so.
why, my boy, you have designed as brave
wreath as | have seen this YEAR, he said.
SO Martins cup of JOY was full and in three
Gays more the chair was swung up TO the pill
lar, and the little lame boy, with his wan
cneeks and happy eyes, was carried in tender
y by his father and seated in his airy throne
The workmen called it his throne, and he
thought that no king was ever pro,tler nor
happier than he. Before he drew a line up-
on the stone he sent up again his simple
prayeri" Lord, strengthen my weak hands.
and accept my work, pray Thee The
priest came in and blessed him in Gods
name, and then he felt strong indeed.
So, day by day, the sick boy was carried to
his place, and his thin hands, daily growing
thinner, welded the chise we'll The flowers
opened, the leaves twined one on another
lovingly 10 graceful clusters as the time went
on. He placed the despised weed, which had
done Its poor best to adorn the graves. where
1t could be beauty to the eyes forever
too am weed" he thought, sometimes.
: 1t Is great honor for me to be able to add
one grace to Gods house." 81 .l,L '
In spite of Lady AIidred's dainties and of
his warm, soft bed, he grew paler and thin
ner, and it was seen by all that God would
soon take him. As the garland grew the
maker faded. The work went on slowly to-
wards the last, for his hands were feeble and
he would let no one but himself add a stroke
to the wreath. Besides there wer, man.
days on which he could not leave the cottage
At last the other masonry was done the
chancel was rooted and finished, the glass was
in the window; the walls indeed were as vet
unpainted, but that was work OF time. A
day was liked for the reopening of the newly
decorated church. The day came. 1t was
autumn now, and chilly, but people thronged
from far and near to see the fair new cbancel
which Sir Simon de Harcourt had built. The
choristers sang their sweet hymn: The early
sun cleaned in through the dainty fretworj,
Of the windows; the Lady Mildred and her
husband knelt hand in hand beside the chan
81 where one day their bodies would lie side
Oy SIDE, when their souls had gone to rest
md a boy, with face which seemed but
shadow of face, carried in the arms of a
strong man, raised two great bright eyes to 6,
a column in the nave, and thought
Sir Simon and the dame will have their
1gures on their tombs when they die. and |
snail nave the little weed Tor my monument.
10 near the sweet hymns, and offer up nv
soul upon its leaves to the Savior day by dav.,
Within fourteen days the Wreath OF Mall
ow was the only visible sign left of little Mar
in on this earth. ,sal -
There it twines yet. his monument forever
he leaves are graceful still and perfect. and
ne flowers peep out modestly from the fnIi-
lge. One of the band of free masons carved
m Two other columns wreaths of LEAKAGE, -