The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1881-10-21

nH*|t@ A@t- = Et'@'" <t'1t't ~ 'tt-ul
beauties for Stella. thinking. with d
Sigh. 81 the other little friend. who
could never know their loneliness. |
hoped TO find her waiting for me. as bo'
fore: but she was nowhere 10 be seen.
Neither was Bessic's g~ood-naturcd face
visible; 80 ! hurried along 70 Clarence
Place. ran quickly up the stairs; hut,
before 1 had time 10 give the post
mans rap" Mrs. Diblcy appeared
upon the threshold
"Ah! 1 knew you" she said, pleas
antly.
inquired for Stella. producing my
leaves. She opened tho door and !
walked in. Time was precious with me
but. for all that. l lost more than half q
second ia silent, stupid staring. There
sat Stella. proppei up upon the lounge,
as usual; but II was such u happy little
face that she turned toward me that ]
should hardly have recognized II else
where. while close beside her. holding
one Of the thin hands. sst Angie. How
the little witch had managed TO make
herself so perfectly OF home was y mys'
terry to me; and not less strange il wa,
10 see the handsome dressed lady who
stood looking with q face half pleased.
half-sad upon the two.
Obj screamed Stella, as she saw
me. Its my postman.'
s.Then it's nv postman, too" cried
Angie. "This is our postman. man.
ma He's come back. just as said he
would"
MY little girl has missed YOU" said
the lady. kindly. Then she apologized
for the trouble which she feared had
been given me; but 1 think ! was able
to convince her that II had been pure
selfishness with me. after all.
But Stella and Angie. q they SAT
there. hand in hand-the one with hel
bright. eager. sightless face, the other
with the lines Of suffering upon hel
cheeks-made q picture which ] shall
not soon forget. II was plain that An.
gle had seen Stella. She knew every
curve Of the delicate little face. and
just where to end the sweetest place ID
kiss, as she told me, laughingly-
at seems so strange" said Mrs,
Dibley. to me. in an undertone. 'tha'
God should withhold SO much from those
two poor innocents. 1 can't . any
reason in it,
The children's ears were sharper thar
she thought. We saw at once that the,
had heard. Even Angles face was
clouded for a moment.
What do you s'pose He did il for
Angler" asked Stella, in q tone Of per
pie >itv.
Tin sure / don't know; but mamms
says He does. I'm glad somebody
knows. Aren't you. Stellar"
whats the difference il He won
tellP" was the somewhat pettish an
swer.
..Oh. but He viii when He get
ready. w must wait. Let me SCI
your pretty leaves. please. Stella"
And | left them admiring the beauty
which Mrs. Trowbridge was trying e
explain TO them.
Now il came to pass that Angie
gentle, loving companionship brought
SO much brightness into Stella's hitherto
colorless life that both little girls seemed
quite flooded with il. Their faces
shone every day as If they had received
a benediction. So it went on for .
month or more. Then. as | opened Tho
door Of the Dibley tenement one day. ]
wa surprised TO find Stella in tears.
Don't fret over II, dear" hel
mother was saying. "She knows yot
can't do it. She doesn't look for any
thing
Bit Stella wept on. though she grad
...ll.~ fr..I xv.t.. a.. Tall ma -. ~.r. ~
OF her distress.
Angie gives me 50 much" she
sobbed. Candy and books, and
cake for my birthday, and--cverything.
Now hers Is coming, and | cant give
her q thing"
So the oppression Of obligation had
come TO little Stella; the longing 70
share in the more blessed" which Il
certainly the more agreeable. part. She
had not vet learned (what many an
older person has never grown large
enough to lind Quit that s'he who takes
for loves sweet sake" may sometimes
prove himself even more generous than
he who gives. No. Stella was too
young to take this comfort TO herself,
and her childish longing was very nat
ural. My own heart was sore for her,
as I went my way that day, and 4 put
myself to thinking II some way might
not be vet devised for her 70 make an
acceptable birthday gift. She could
sew only q little bit. Moreover. hcI
sewing wasn't NICE" as she herself
informed me. While | was puzzIine
my brains with q vain effort 70 think o.
some pretty little useless thing, which
Angie might value as . keepsake.
the letter Of darling Aunt Lizzie came
suddenly into my mind and suggested
an idea. The list OF books which Angie
could read was necessarily short. Why
couldn't Stella add one to the collection
By pricking OF 4 nice little story for heI
upon good, stiff paperP
The more l thought of my plan the
more II grew In favor with me. 4 even
stopped in At Lee \ Moore's, on my