The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-05-26
young people are especially attached to

| one 1uSU SpIcuUlu. lutCIIupICu Nlioo
Kate, enthusiastically. "See here" and
she held up brilliant worsted tidy that
she was crocheting, isn't this pretty?
Don't tell anybody, but I'm making it
for Christmas present for her.
"And I've made her set OF toilet mats
to MATCH" chimed in Susie. They'll
just suit the carpet on the front chamber
of the parsonage"
81 wish we had known about the
shawl before" explained Mrs. Bell, re-
gretfully, ''for then the girls might
have put the money that they spent in
worsted for these into that, instead. AS
it is, must try and give something
every little helps, I suppose, and"
"Now, mother" interrupted Susie,
Imagining, you're not going to cheat us
out of those seal skin muffs that you
promised us this Christmas. You know
you said, only Yesterday, that if you
gave us those, you couldn't get another
present for anybody"
''Mrs. Bell looked perplexed and
troubled.
"Ye-e es, know" she admitted, rath-
er reluctantly. but it.does seem mean
when the minister's wife needs shawl
so much, to"
"Oh, law, mother!' broke in Miss
Kate, with an air of good-natured au-
thority, don't worry yourself at oil
about it. Charity begins at home, and
there's plenty of folks in our society
that haven't q chick nor q child in the
world-,let them pay for the shawl, it's
no more than fair, say"
Mrs. Bell sighed, and looked depre-
cstingly at her handsome, resolute
daughter.
II don't know but you re right, Kate"
she assented, meekly, "but it would be
pleasure to give something towards
dear Mrs. Services shawl, if could
"Of course, if yon could" was the
brisk reioinder, and as we rose to go,
heard little colloquy between the two
girls in the window seat, that was evil
IDENTIFY not intended for other ears
mamma would give away her last
penny if we did not look out for her."
then in a louder key, "There is Grace
Spelman. with that shabby, last winters
hat on don't see, with the good salary
she gets as teacher, why she don't man
age to dress better. 1 wouldn't wear
such old-fashioned buds as she does on
the street, if I had to stay at home for
ever"
cts clear, sheer meanness," assented
her sister. in disguised tone. "Ive
felt actually ashamed Of her sometimes
in church. she is so dowdy looking"
Mrs. Bell followed us to the door, and
at parting slipped half dollar into my
hand.
ut isn't much" she whispered, apollo
getically. "But with family of grown
daughters to dress and provide for, one
is at their wits ends to meet all the de-
mands made upon their purse"
As VIC reached the street, Mrs. Good
enough quickened her steps.
"There's Grace Spelman in front of
u.s." she said, "Iwouldn't miss her for
anything"
Grace turned at the sound of her
voice, and with welcoming smile on her
pale, careworn face, waited our coming.
And So" said she, after returning our
salutation, "you are trying to get Mrs.
Service shawl for a Christmas present
Aunt Patience told me about it this
afternoon. How near have you come to
the necessary amount?"
| There was q directness and precision
in her words and tone, a something that
might have struck a stranger as too sharp
and abrupt, had not the genial light in
the clear, gray eyes, and the friendly
smile that frightened the plain face eff
fectually contradicted such an idea.
Mrs. Goodenough understood her too
we'll to make any unnecessary COM
ments.
1--WE lack just five dollars and twenty
five cents of enough to get the shawl,
she replied. =,
"You may have my new hat, then"
rejoined Miss Spelman, with cherry
laugh, as she handed me five-dollar
bill. my old one is comfortable if it is
little out of date, which is more than
can be said of Mrs. Services sacque.
Good-byew
And not waiting for either thanks or
circumstances, she hurried away, leav-
ing me to contrast in my own mind the
beautiful unselfshness of her toilful,
care-burdened life with the self-indulg-
ent spirit shown by those fair daughters
of wealth and ease, who begrudged the
| smallest iota taken from their own luxu-
ries and adornments for the comfort OF
another.
The shawl proved a most acceptable
present, and at the Christmas festival !
overheard Mrs. Tiptop remarking, in q
sweetly deprecating tone:
Don't thank us, dear Mrs. Service
pray don't! It was pleasure rather
than duty to us all to join together IN
\ r