The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-05-30
. Among those were John

lief is action. Among those were John
and Meta.
The most generous givers are among
those who have least to give. A look,
a low-toned word or two settled the
matter.
eve can do without the sods, John"
whispered Meta, and he nodded assent
with a deep, affectionate glance into her
sweet earnest eyes. A Mackinnon pen
that aid to righteousness-was produced,
q cheque hastily filed out, and a mo-
ment later the scrap of paper took its
place in the plate beside bank notes and
silver. Few people in the church had
given quite SO much, yet there were
many who could better have afforded to
give more. None beside had given at
the cost of q distinct personal sacrifice;
so true it is that will and wish can make
possible what seems impossible where
will and wish are lacking.
The young husband and wife walked
home rather soberly, their minds full Of
what they had heard.
1T seems almost wrong to be so hap
Ply and w~ell-onm," thought Meta, as she
glanced about the tiny paradise which
represented so many things to her.
Her eyes strayed through the window
to the bare spot where now no grass
would be. She suppressed a sigh. II
am not sorry " she said bravely to herself,
We have so much and those poor
creatures have nothing. Johns away
so mnch of the day that he won't notice
it very much, and I'll keep the white
curtain down when / sit on this side of
the room, and then l shall be about as
well off as if the yard was green. Grass
would have been very nice, but this is
nicer" With a resolute smile she ran
to dress the lettuce in the way which
John preferred, to take her blanc
mango from the ice and arrange
q bowl of h%oneysuckle sprays for
the middle of the table. The house
seemed particularly attractive that day,
dinner unusually good. Nothing en-
hances u own small blessings like
coming into contact with the wants and
needs of others, and out of u album
dance sparing something with which to
make up their lack Of all.
Still it was not possible quite to forget
OF overlook the ugly baroness of the
yard, and Meta must be forgiven one
title sigh when Wednesday brought one
plentiful rain and Saturday another.
"How good this would have been for
our sods," she thought, "they would
have been sure to grow"
John vas called to Cincinnatib by bust
ness early in the following week, and
Meta spent the days of his absence with
her friend Mrs. Ashurst, who lived a
little way in the country an the oppo-
site side of the city. She had meant to
get home some hours in advance of John
to have all things in order to greet him,
but missing the earlier train brought
her into town late, so that their meet
ing after all was in the horse cars, and
they alighted together at the corner
above their honse.
Reaching the gate they paused in
amazement, with a sudden mutual ex-
clamation. Behold, the yard was green!
The long since planted and dispaired Of
seed had terminated. A thick fuzz Of
fine, slender points, each Of which
was an infantine blade Of grass, COW
cred the ground like a t~ranspar-
ent mantle. Already the bare
ness was clothed upon. No one could
call the "lawn" naked any longer.
Scarcely able to believe her eyes, Meta
looked and looked. then turning
to her husband she cried: "It's a mir
aele, John! Such a thing was never
known in this city before, / suppose.
How did it happens"
"1t did not happen" replied John
with a mysterious twinkle in his eyes.
But how can you account for it"
"Angels'-in a low, solemn whisper.
They are so pleased with you for CIV
ing Ip your wish so cheerfully and
never repenting it, and, in short, for
being such adarling generally, that to
reward your virtue they just took the
matter in hand themselves, and it is
they who have made the grass grow"
Meta blushed, and laughed and pro-
tested, and reminded John that he had
given up the grass as we'll as she; but
he adhered to his conclusion. People
wondered exceedingly at the self-sown
lawn, aud it certainly iourished in o
wonderful manner-perhaps because of
the frequent Cuttings by moonlight"
bestowed upon it by it's owners, or the
night douches with the hose. 1T is 8
duty to cooperate with heaven" John
answered. but all the same he held to
his opinion, and when people said it was
unaccountable, that grass never did SO
in st. Louis before, he always assumed
an air OF distant Importance, as if in the
confidence of some supernal power and
entirely cognizant of the methods by
which miracles are wrought. This di-
yerted Meta exceedingly.
She would by no means give in to
her husbands theory, though she de-
lighted in her lawn" and was very
proud of its success; but he was firm in
his opinion to the end, and there was
more earnest than jest in his fancy that
heaven in some special way was intent
on re%warding his wife's goodness.
And, for all Metals laughter, he was
perhaps not SO far amiss. The Lord,
who loveth the cheerful giver.
times rewards such, and he who knows
all our secret wishes and has sympathy
for them may not disdain to send his
blessing even upon so small a thing as
q bit Of grass.
The Blue Grass Country Not Blue.
From the Sportsman.
The term Blue Grass Region of Ken
lucky is quite extensive in its applica-