Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-10-18


y Saturday-won't your" |
"Yes, dear, But you must tell me
our name before you CO."
Ruth Fredericka. Papa ia the Rev.
Henry Fredericks. wish you could
ome and hear him preach. I think his
ermons are beautiful, and mamma used
o think so, too.n y
Ruth went away, and the milliner
food in the door looking after her, and
milling at her sweet naivete.
The status Of Mary Grants affairs
we're not changed when she went back
INTO the little shop, but somehow her
heart was lighter, her spirit more hope
rul. She selected some silk and lace and
began making Normandy cap for baby
SALLY. humming tune az she worked.
Her thoughts were busy with the
lonely family and it's sad history; with
the young soldier, the sorrowing wife,
and the patient, brave young house.
keeper playing mother SO sweetly, and
loving her father with such simple rev.
erence.
life is not all q, sham," she said.
sThere are little hearts, noble and I'M
selfish. God is, still With us in human
love, and in this beautiful world that
He has created"
The slanting rays of the sun fell into
her room. q robin sang outside on the
elm. q not of roses bloesomed in her win
dow. and she knew that c1ocuses and
violets were awakening from their
death like sleep In the bosom OF the
earth.
The old ladies's caps were not taken
down that night. Indeed, they had
changed their appearance and seemed
to emile benegolently and In the early
evening veritable old lady came In and
bought one, paying q good price. .ga
She expected company Decoration
Day, she remarked, land wanted to
smart up little" 1t was q neat, taste.
fully head-dress, and other old ladies,
seeing it, came for more. The tide SEEM
ed to be setting with q faint, yet percep
tible motion, toward the neglected
shop.
Mary Grant took courage.
II will have an opening" she said,
one bright, electric May morning.
will make the prettiest things I can
think of If it takes my last cent to buy
material. And 1t will, I I'm sure Of that.
Never mind, there is still the fine wash
ing left"
So she went out and bought silk and
lace and white chip bonnets and pale
blue and rose pink ribbons OF Sarsnet 4
Co.
When she got home with her pur'
chases she had twenty-five cents In hel
purse. Her rent was paid for . quarter
in advance, and she could live on egg
and mush, with an occasional roas
potato. So she was secure against home
| lessness and starvation for short time
at least.
Her delicate fingers flew, and dainty
fabrics grew beneath them. She wa
| full of inspiration for her work, and II
. short time the little shop-Window wa
full of fresh, artistic designs.
She smiled when she thought Of he
past disbursement, and attributed al
her new courage to the advent of Ruth
and the making of Sally's Normandy
cap.
In some way it 'got out" In Allandal
that Mrs. Grant had beautiful new
styles. Minnie Ferguson, the rich manu-
facturer's daughter, heard this rumoE
and rode thither in her carriage.
The sight of that carriage acted like
/ magic. AS many as half-a-dozen younl
ladies who saw 1t. visited the shop tn
very next day. The pretty spring bon
nets went off like hot cakes.
"They are unique" said Miss Minnie
and straightway the word 'unique' wa
In the mouth Of every one Of her trool
of followers. The widow was seriously
in danger of becoming the fashion.
In the meantime Ruth dropped in Il
see her whenever she came to town OF
errands for her household. The child
like woman and the Womanly chilt
grew to love each other very soon will
no common love.
The condolences grew longer between
them, and soon Mrs. Grant felt IS If sh'
had known about the minister's family
all her life. Many were the visits tina
she made to Harry's grave.
Often in the bright May afternoon sh,
took q trifle of work and sat by tn,
green mound, now purpling all owe
with spring violets.
HE shall be my soldier" she said t.
herself. ION Decoration Day will
come here with the loveliest flowers
can find, in the early morning long be-
fore the town is stirring"
She kept her word. Atdawn she step
ped out into the rosy light, with basket
full of roses and pansies, verbenas and
migncnettes. Through the silent streets
she hurried. meeting no one, thinking
only of the love and grief throbbing in
the country's heart for her dead sons.
The cemetery lay serene in the glow
of the new day. Birds were fitting q
bout here and there among the new
graves, and now and then q gush o.
music quivered through the air. A shat
from the rising sun shot athwart Har
ry's grave as the lady approached 1t.
| She smiled as she saw it.
| TITS q good omen," she said-"s
symbol of the light in which his spirit
dwells."
| Once by the grave, she sat down and
began weaving her roses into wreath
for the young soldier. The pansies, al.
ready bound in a dainty bouquet, eh,
placed upon his breast.
Sitting there, entwining the whit,
blossoms, with their dewey leaves. sht
mufmured prayer-the Litany Of De.
coration Day:
| "God have mercy upon all mother
who weep to-day give them the trut
blossoms of consolation, the Lilies o.
peace, the roses of triumphant faith"
Amen" said deep, solemn voice al
her side.
She turned quickly, blushing scarlet
ana saw L8ll, grave man St8QQl0& near
His hands were full of flowers, and il
was plain that he. too, had come to de
corate the grave Of the soldier boy.
The man and woman looked into each
others faces, and then moved by the
same impulse, they clasped hands with
close. cordial pleasure.
"You are the lady who mas been &c
good to my little Ruth, /" said he.
"And you are Harry's father ?" said
she.
It was strange INTRODUCED on !; but In
five minutes conversation there in the
fresh dawn, by Harry peaceful grave,
brought them nearer together than days
of society intercourse would have done.
1t touched the weary, aching heart OF
the father very deeply to see this sweet
stranger bringing flowers to his soldier
boy and the widow was inexpressibiy
cheered in return by the sympathy and
tenderness to which she had so long
been stranger.
Mr.. Fredericks told Mrs. Grant that
he should bring Ruth and Sally to town
later to see the ceremonies. Thereupon
she invited them all to her house to din
ner, and the invitation was accepted.
The baby wore her new cap, and look
~ \ vsl