The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-06-23
Our Yonmo Peup1e.
VIOLET'S SACRIFICE.

EuCl nOSb Oh prtbty pTc6out5, huu uOH,
at bed time, when Violet came to her
dainty room, she found mammals gift.
It was white plush bapn er with cherry
trimmings, and this text painted on it by
mammals skilltul fingers: "Bear ye one
anothers burdens"
Ever since Violet could remember her
mamma had given her birthday verse
to think of through the year. As she
now settled down into the soft depths of
her arm chair and gazed thoughtfully at
her gift, che wondered why this particu-
lar text had been chosen. Nobody in
her circle of scquaintances seemed to
have any burdens, and Violet had no
troubles of her own. She half wished
that mamma had not placed the banner
in such conspicuous position over her
little table, for the words seemed to stare
at her in very uncomfortable manner.
But. il the text had been less conspic-
uous it might have been entirely forgot
ten in the glad days that followed. Such
a delightful thing was to happen to
Violet! She was going to Europe. Uncle
George and Aunt Mary were planning q
trip and they had begged Judge Clinton
to let his little daughter accompany
them. She was almost beside herself
with ioy. The wonderful things that she
had heard and read and dreamed about,
she was to see them all. And they
would visit the Holy Land! 1t seemed
almost too good to cometrue. Only good
things were always coming true In
Violet's life.
Then came the busy days of getting
ready,-the shopping with mamma, the
planning with the dressmaker and the
good by calls. In the midst OF all these
pleasant preparations, Violet had to look
sometimes at her motto, and wonder II
there were any burdens that she could
tighten. Perhaps she was little more
thoughtful, little more careful not to
trouble others for what she could do as
we'll herself. Mamma thought 80 some
times. 1t was Thursday and they were
to 20 on Monday. The big trunk was
already in the hall, waiting for few
more parcels before it should be closed.
Violet had been trying on her pretty
travelling dress, and ran down to the
sewing room to show it to the dress
maker.
ST think, Mrs. Gilman, that these
sleeves are little too long. And don't
you think
Violet stopped short. The woman's
work had fallen upon the floor, and she
sat with her face buried in her hands.
She was pale little widow, whom their
former dressmaker, who was now i'll, had
recommended. She looked up apologet-
ically after minute, and took up her
work again, saying, "Forgive me, Miss
Violet
The young girl had tender heart
She sat down beside the woman, drew
the work gently away, and said, "Now
tell me all about it, plesee."
With the sweet, girlish face looking
into hers, the woman told her story. Her
own little girl had become blind. Several
physicians had been consulted, but each
said he could do nothing. One OF then,
however, thought that noted oculist
in New York could help her. "But he
might as we'll live in the moon," the wo-
man added bitterly, "for all the differ
ence it would make to me about taking
Elsie there. 1t takes all 1 can earn to
buy food and shelter for US; and L tell
you, Miss Violet, when see rich people
ride by in their carriages, with more
money than they know what to do with,
and my darling growing blind because 1
haven't got money to buy her sight, L
wonder sometimes if God is JUS"
It was Violet's first contact with suf
fering. She did not know how to say
comforting things. So she bent down
and kissed the worn, sad face, saying, 81
am so sorry"
Violet was very sober all that day.
Judge Clinton rallied her at dinner time
on her lack of spirits, and took her to
drive in the afternoon behind the new
grays. But even this did not bring back
her usual ightheartedness. She could
not forget the little girl who must al
ways be in the dark. In the evening she
excused herself and went to her room
She did not even want mamma.
"Bear ye one anothers burdens" The
red letters shone out from the white
background like fire. She knew that
her father never refused her anything,
and that, il che now asked him for money
to give Elsie, he would grant the request.
But, with the great expense which her
trip to Europe would incur, she felt that
she ought not to ask him. The sacrifice
must be all her own-and she sat down
and faced ito go to Europe or to give
Elsie her sight.
Violet shut her eyes TO think what it
meant to be blind, never to see her friends
never to see the birds and the flowers
and the whole glad world. How dread
full it would bel But to give up her trip
to Europel She said it over very slowly,
to think what it meant. Her trunk was
nearly packed everybody expected her to
go; and the girls were going to the sta
ton to bid her good-by. She couldn't
give it up. But the red letters never re-