The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-12-28
Broken.

Aren't they just lovely?" AS she
said this Estelle Brownson held the
quaint, dark cream pitcher aloft; to
show how transparent it was.
20, they are too pretty for any thing
declared Frances Holmes, her dear friend
and companion; and she wound her arms
caressingly around dark blue plate as
as she spoke. q don't believe another
girl in our set can bring such charming
array of old things as you can. How
came your grandmother to let you take
them?"
lin sure 1 don't know 1 didn't ex-
pect it; she thinks so much of them.
Grandpa bought them, you know, when
they first commenced housekeeping, sixty
years ago. Just think, Frances, OF hav-
ing been housekeeper for sixty years
l didn't expect to be allowed to touch
these dishes, but was telling mamma
about the plans for the old folks supper
how we were going to have all the nice
old-fashioned things we could get for the
table; and | was complaining that our
things were so distressingly neO, when
grandma said, suppose you would like
the blue china tea-set to dress out your
table with? / gave little scream, and
said | guess | would, better than any
thing else in the world and when she
said | might take it l gave her such a
hugging as to almost take her breath
away. wouldn't have one OF the pieces
broken for any thing; I'm really afraid it
would break graadma's heart I've been
nervous all the morning while | was
wiping them and getting them ready. 1
shut Tiny up in the nursery for fear she
would break something"
But somebody had let Tiny out of the
nursery ; she came skipping over the
ground ju at this moment, her heart
full of some scheme of Importance. go,
Stella, she said as she came within hear
ing. mamma says may go to the sup
per, and that she will dress me up in
white pantalets and a long-sleeved, high
nscked white apron, just as little girls
used to dress ever so many years ago
Won't l look too funny?' and the hap
Ply little girl whirled OH one foot and
came up with thud against her sister
just as she was turning to set the cream
pitcher down. Down it went, not on the
J table, but on the hard floor, and of course
it broke in-I do not know how many
pieces. Poor little Tiny How suddenly
the happy light went from her eyes, and
her face grew pale But Estelle did moi
see it : all she saw was the cream pitcher
/, in hopeless ruins. "You naughty, care
less, wicked grill" she exclaimed, he,
voice hoarse with anger; "you hit my arm
on purpose; | know you did. You are q
perfect little nuisance-al always in the
: way. The idea of your butting up against
| me in that manner You ought to be
= whipped severely, and Ill tell mother
L so see if don't Come into the house
! this minute !" and she seized the arm o
| her frightened little sister, and dragged
, her up the steps and through the hall il
2 frantic haste.
t 1t was hours after that, in the cool O
s the afternoon, that Estelle knocked soft
ly at the door of grandmother room
then slipped in and sat down in sor
rowful little heap at her feet. 90
grandma" she said, "have they told you
I'm so aayfuIly sorry could cry for (
| week if that would only mend it,"
r $50 am I, child" said grandma, knit
ting away quietly on her red andwht,
stocking. II would cry, too, if that woult
s do any good, but tears will not memo
: them. There were so many of then
broken too; that seems to make it worse
| Then Estelle lifted her sorrowful face
90, grandma, she said, there was only
one broken; that was bad enough Die
r you think there were more? p
r Grandma gravely shook her white ole
head. You are mistaken" she said
, there were more than one, child. | was
in the sittingroom at the time, and hearc
! the crash. Let me see. Bear we one
another's burden ; that was broken, am
, sure. Poor little Tiny had to bear hel
own heavy burden Then, Be ye kline
. one to another, tender-hearted, forgivine
one another; I'm afraid that was dread
: fully broken. o, there were a gooc
, many of them I felt them rafting about
my ears all the morning"
Not another word said Estelle. Fol
ten whole minutes she buried her heac
, in grandmother's apron; then grandmoth
: er said, softly, Take them to Him, child
and try again. THE PanSy.
=