The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-03-31

wondering and more wildly when: tap!
tapl May I come in?" and there stands
Mrs Marsden. The sight OF that sweet
startled, ohild face puts Mrs Marsden at
her best which Ia saying every thing, Tor
1t makes her Irresistible.
IL am Mrs Marsden, dear. Your doctors
assistant The doctor gave me no medt-
cine, so I brought some flowers Yes,
violets; sent and robbed the church this
morning. You needn't look serious, the
flowers were my own You love flowers,
can see 1t by your eyes-and 1t was for your
eyes brought them. No, am not going to
take tho chair, but sit right here on the
bed, So"
Who could Withstand Mrs Marsden in such
moodY Not little Lily, who capitulated at
once and let her hand lie willingly In the
warm, soft clasp of its captor
Now, tell me, aren't you very much sur
prised?'
Lily's wondering had taken such celestial
sweeps that an angel would hardly have
been n surprise; 60 she answered.
"Yer ma'arn, that is, not so very much. /
did think mamma would tell God and I am
no glad. 1t Is better to be little girl than
sparrow, isn't itl Sister says God cares
for the spnrrows; only sometimes when she
is so long away, it seems as IL God might
forget little girl that couldn't go out Of
doors, where He could see her real plain"
Certainly the pain of yesterday has gone
to Mrs Marsden's heart. And OIL the fam
tastic ghost of that murdered bonnet! Why
would it pursue hera She pats the little
cheek, and smooths the bright hair
where is your sister, child? Why Is she
not with youg"
The child fancied an implied rebuke in
the question, and hastened to the defence,
"Sister never leaves me except when
she's at work, and even then, II she Is near
enough, she always runs home to see me at
lunch time 1t was much nicer when she
used to paint and do Kensington and that,
because could watch her, but people
would not buy her things, though they
were so nice; and some times we had such q
little to eat that sister could not put any
crumbs out on the ledge for the sparrows
She always puts some now before she goes,
and sometimes a beautiful pigeon comes
and eats the crumbR ! wish l could have
it for my own"
Kiss the child, Mrs Marsden, and try to
smother an uncomfortable suspicion that
DR.. Lucy deliberately stopped short Of tell
ing her story last night
sSister will be SO glad you brought the
flowers" says the child, because she
meant to bring me some last night, only
she couldn't because" = and just here
Bessie enters, flushed from her work at the
stove, and stands looking in bewilderment
at the scene The situation would have
been much more embarrassing for Mrs.
Marsden had she not been a good woman.
Like many another good woman, her vision
was uDually focused for long-range benev-
olence. You can't see Breeds court when
1o-l r;,x<r nj p,sf tItnrn -nc
no hesitation when Mrs Marsden did see.
Impulsively, she moved to where Bessie
Stood and taking her hand, said: You
must forgive me, dear. l have been q very
foolish woman, but I am not wicked
hope that it may yet prove good for us
both, and for the dropping Lily there, that
my toOlishness sent you away with an
empty purse on the eve of Easter. / will
send Mary to make amends for my remiss-
ness in the morning and you will come and
call on me in the afternoon, in token that
you forgive me-"
Bessy's trembling lips could not frame g
reply any more than they could refuse the
kiss of peace that was laid upon them.
Mrs Marsden went her way, and as she
went she said:
al thank Thee, Lord, for this Easter day
and for Thy ministry" and for answer
came the sweet salutation to her spirit
Peace be unto thee"
The ghost of the bonnet was laid from
that moment And but for all this fuss
about bonnet, Bessie Bartram might
never have moved out from Breeds court
and Lily lacked the skill and kindness tha
made her a sJrong and healthy girl? VIII,
knows; for "God fultills Himself in many
ways" But so it happened, and Mrs. Mars
den never puts on her Easter bennett with
out. Then she did go back to her ole
| frivolity? Pooh! One must have bonnets
and then, there's n world of difference be
tween bonnets for Easter and Easter fol
| bonnets Z. G. CHEvERToN.