The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-06-14

She passed slowly down the graveled
walk and out at the gate. Once she
caught her foot in the abundant skirt
and tripped a little, but the sidewalk
was clean and no damage was done.
The beautiful parasol was held direct
ly over her head, and she walked
straight to the nearest church (she knew
that the family had gone to one more
distant).
What queer little figure it was that
passed up the broad aisle to the wide
eyed establishment of the congregation
But O, the troublesome parasol She
could not close it with one hand. and she
dared not let go of the long skirt with
the other, for fear she should tip and
fall. Poor little Calista | The glory of
wearing fine clothes was not unmixed
with bitterness that day. The lovely
dove-colored parasol seemed to shut cut
all the sunshine of her young life, as she
marched up the aisle with it straight
over her head. Every eye was fixed up
on her. Some smiled. One little boy
giRsled right out, and even the minister
looked amused. But when ut last the
dreadful parasol was down, and he saw
the little scarlet face, and the blue eyes
trimming with tears, amusement changed
to pity. and he at once gave out the
hymn, which set every one to finding the
page. Then the organ sounded. and the
whole church rose to sing, and Calista's
painful embarrassment began to grow
less. Before the hymn was finished. she
began to feel quite at home and almost
happy, for she loved music dearly.
Then came the long prayer, then an
other hymn. and at last the sermon. It
was when the minister was beginning
his thirdly" that a sudden anxiety
seized her.
What if her parents and the girls
should come home and find her gone
Could she face the congregation again,
and go out as she had come in? Yes,
it must be done. For long time she
wriggled and twisted on the seat, trying
to get her courage up to the necessary
pitch.
At last. with desperate ct will" be-
tween her teeth, she clutched the oh.
noxious parasol and sprung out of her
seat, down the aisle, and through the
door, and in moment was out upon the
street again. Then how she ran When
she reached the gate. the door and win
dows stood invitingly closed, so she
knew the others had not returned. She
ran in and shut the door behind her
then up the stairs in trice, and in an
other moment was safe in the friendly,
somber light of the great front chamber
Nora had been sound asleep and
never missed the little girl. Very quiet
was Calista all the rest of that eventful
day.
After dinner she went out rnder a
large maple and thought it all over.
Should she tell mamma and sister Jen-
ME? She thought she should feel
great deal better if they only knew.
But how should she tell them? Some
times her mind was fully made up that
she would confess all, but then a
naughty little voice would say, "Don't
you do it. They need never know, and
you didn't do any real harm anyway"
For hours the poor little soul was tenn
pest tossed between right and wrong.
until she could bear it no longer, and,
seeing Jennie walking alone among the
shrubbery, she ran to her, and, be-
fore her courage had time to
give way, stammered out the story of
her mornings pranks. Was Jennie an
gry2 Yes. at first, when she thought of
her beautiful wedding garments, which
she had guarded so sacredly, out on
public parade. Then she thought of
the odd figure her mite of sister must
have presented with trailing skirts and
parasol, and she laughed until she
cried. Then she tried to look sober,
but made mistake and laughed again
and again, until she was obliged to run
into the house for fear the passers-by
would hear her. OF course her father,
mother and sisters came to ask what it
was all about; and such laugh as they
had But to Calista it was no matter.
She had suffered too much at church
that day.-Anna III. Diron, in New
York Tribune.