The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-10-30

who had paid an early visit to Miss Ban
ning's store and expended the sum of
forty cents in new beauties. 81 mean to
watch her and see. l know she wasn't
in the store when I was"
But watching availed Maud nothing.
Milly was careful to give no one a chance
TO see the contents OF her box. At noon
she went under the butternut tree as
usual, and opened the box alone. her hands
fairly trembling with eagerness, and a
happy smile on her little brown face.
Day after day passed, and none of the
girls found out what it contained. They
became very curious about it at last, and
took to watching Milly almost constant
ly; but it was the merest accident that at
length they discovered her secret.
81 wonder what became of those old
dolls I threw away that day it raiued,"
said Maud one day at recess. 'You must
have swept them up, Tom," turning to
the boy whose duty it had been that
month to keep the school house clean.
81 didn't either" answered Tom blunt
ly. 81 didn't see no5hin' of EN-"
81 don't believe yor," returned Maud
"You must have swept EN- up. OF course,
l didn't want them, and don't care what
became of them, 80 you need not tell
story about them"
81 tell you l never saw EN-" answered
Tom, fiercely. "You can believe me or
not, just as you like"
Milly stood by, her box under her
arm looking pale and frightened. AS
Maud began to speak again, more angri-
ly than before, she ran forward and held
out the box with trembling hands. She
tried to speak but q great sob checked
her.
"What's the matter?" asked Maud star
ing at her in surprise.
"It's = it's your dolls" faltered Milly.
"I- picked them up" Then the box
fell from her hand; and, bursting into
tears, she rushed away before Maud had
time to say word i'll response.
The cover had fallen from the box; and
the four paper dolls torn and discolored,
were exposed to view.
As Maud looked at them, she began to
feel very sorry for Milly.
at was real good of her to run out in
the rain after them that day." she said to
her friend Annie; "and she can have 'em,
They're no use to me. Aud L guess Eli
put one of my new ones in the box for
her. She'll be 50 pleased"
"And I'll put In one of mine" said
Annie.
"And SO will l." said another voice.
"And l." "And l." cried others still.
So it happened that seven or eight
beautiful new paper dolls, several of them
with half dozen dresses apiece, found
their way into Milly's box; and the box
was lying on her desk when, with very
red eyes and very pale face, she came
into the school house when the bell rang,
twenty minutes later.
She saw the box at once, and glanced
at Maud Then she shyly raised the
cover and looked in. She stared at the
new dolls moment, as if stricken dumb
with surprise. Then her lips began to
tremble, and her head went down on her
desk, while her slight frame shook with
emotion.
Maud hurried to her, and, putting her
arm around her, whispered to her for
moment, and when Milly looked up
again there was happy smile on her
face.
If we want to feel pleasantly toward
any one, we have only to do them kind
ness of some sort; and Milly had no lack
OF friends after this day. She play ed
alone no more under the butternnt tree,
and the friendship which had sprung up
between Maud and herself lasted until
the years parted them never to meet
agan.-Florenc B. Hallo,ceH IN the
VI