The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-08-20
THE WHITE2LILY.

"Please, said: wistful voice, 'tgive
me flower. Tom is fond Of flowers. -:
Ella Bronson was on her way to =
friends with. I boquet Of, choice flowers.
She stopped -at this appeal and looking
down, saw little girl about twelve years
old.
'And who is Tom r asked Ella, touch.
my little brother. He fell and hurt
his back, and now he can't move himself.
The doctor says he'll never get we'll, and
he does wish for flowers so:''is~
Ella hesitated fol-. a moment, but only
for moment. To takea single flower
from her boquet would spoil it, so per
fectly had it been arranged; and it was
for friend, moreover, Who was about to
be married. But the pleading face Of the
child and tho thought Of the sick brother
were more than she could bear. She re.
membered. too, tho words of Scripture,
"1nasmuch as ye have done it unto one OF
the least Of these, ye have done it unto
me- She selected the finest flower in
the bouquet large, white lilly-and
gave it to the child. ntz:
"There,' said she, '.put it in water and
it will keep ever SOL long. And here"
she added, as the girl with grateful looks
turned to run away, ..issomething to buy
a few cakes for your brother, Where do
you live?'' ,i:,''.-i
The child told her, adding. ooh, won't
Tom be glad!' and then disappeared.
1t was not long before the little thirg
reached her home. 1t was close, hot
room, at the top of the house, looking in.
to dirty Enclosure behind.
Ills that you Lizzy?' asked a weak
voice; I'm so glad
The speaker was lying on straw bed
on the floor and he looked up, smiling, in
to his sisters face.
Sec here, Tom," said the sister, pro.
ducing the cakes; "rhese are the very
kind you like. But that's not a,l,' she
added, triumphantly producing the lilly
':just look at this !''
Toms eyes fairly glistened with de-
light. In his eagerness he half rose in the
bed, exclaiming, ''Oh what beauty
Where did you get it!''' But the exer-
ton was too much for him, and almost as
soon as he grasped the bud he fell back
on his bed.
''How pure it looks" he added, weakly,
after pause: ''it makes me think of the
angels. You good, good Lizzy!"
"See, I'll put it in bottle, said L;zzy,
with some water, and it shall stand on
the floor close by you. It will last ever
so long, now: But why don't you eat
your cakes!
Tom shut his eyes. II can't, Lizzie, -
he said. Il amt hungry. You must eat
some yourself. l will lie and look at the
fower.''
Lizzy was frightened. Tom must be
very bad, she knew if he could not eat
cakes.
"Eat little bit, DEAR she begged.
sit will make you feel BETTER
81 don't think shall ever be better,''
answered Tom.
The tears rolled down the sister face
''Don't talk SO, Tom" she sobbed, "you
shant 60. I cant live without you. Who
will be here to take care of me?''
"1've been thinking" said Tom, era We
~, 81 think great deal lying here, that
when I'm gone, father will be different.
You know and here he dropped his
voice and looked carefully around, as if
to see lest any one might be looking, 'you
know that father drinks, and that's why
he comes home so late and says he can't
afford to send you to school and why
he is so cross; and why, sometimes, he
hates YOU"
"Don't speak Of it DEAR" sobbed the
sister," II wouldn't mind il it wasn't
for yoa.,'
my heart to lie here and see it. But
sometimes think when, L die father will
be different. He says believes me-, and it
may make him good, you see. What is il
the bible says? Through much tribula.
ton? Yes. It is throug Oh much tribu
latioh we win the crown. What was the
verse We learnt at school? keep for.
getting. The one about being tired.''
ooh! KNOW said Lizzie. Come un.
to me all that are weary and heavy laden
and will give you rest.
"'Come unto me- he does not deceive,
Llzzy. He loves you and me too, and he
will take care of US. He is going to give
me rest up in heaven" 49,
But the sister was not to be comforted.
Tom was all the world to her. To lose
him was to lose everything.
The day wore on. Night came. Tom
lay looking at the lilly, and no one knows
how very many sweet thoughts it sug.
gested to him, now and then his sister left
her work and came to see if he wanted
anything. He always thanked her with
I 4 smile.
"Father is late tonight" he said at
last, when darkness came; and he sighed.
HE will soon be here" said LizzY, ut.
tering words of hope, in which she hardly
believed herself: ''Try to sleep little,
DEAR"
So Tom at last fell off into doze. Two
o'clock came and yet no father. Worn
out with fatigue and anxiety, Lizzy crept
into bed by her brothers side and sank
to sleep also.
1t was midnight when the father came
in. The noise woke Tom up. He hall
rose on his elbow and looked around. At
that moment the moon emerged from a
cloud and its light, falling through the
window, lit up the sick boys face with a
glory as \ seraph's. FL
The father started back, sobcred at
once. 1t seemed to him AZ if halo di.
rect from heaven encircled his boys head.
"Father,' said Tom, ''come here,
please"
The man went softly to his sons bed.
si'le, sank on his knees, and took the lads
wan hand tenderly in his own. lie was
awed.
"Be kind to Lizzie" said Tom, wistful.
~ looking into his fathers face. s'She
won't have anybody but you when am
dead father: Let her 60 to school again,