Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-03-29

moist eyes and quivering chin "Ohi It was
too bad, too thoughtlessi" she cried The
sun climbs higher and higher, yet manages
to cling with one slender finger TO Iiiy's
locks The sparrows that had rowdily scuffi ID
and scolded between intervals OF domestic
gossip, f1uttered from the window ledge up
to the spout above, their chirping fitting
accompaniment to the benedictory hymn
of this congregation-Milton's sublimeIy
simple words:
"a Let US with gladstone mind,
Praise the Lord, for He is kind;
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful. ever sure"
Now, Lily dear. am going down to con-
suit cook about dinner" says Bessie, IS she
placed her sister the bed. Lily smiles at
the well-wern fiction which clothes the
kindly privilege accorded by Mrs Milligan
of the floor below. 10 %use the cooking
stove. honey. whenever the fires goin', for
it costs no more for the two of us than the
one of us, We see"
Left alone Lily lies and looks toward the
light, wondering where the sun has gone;
wondering whether mamma knows which
window to look in at or can see her (if she
knows) from so very far away. She is still
wondering and more wildly when: tapl
tap, May I come in?" and there stands
Mrs Marsden. The sight of that sweet,
startled child face puts Mrs Marsden as
her best, which is saying every thing, for
it makes her irresistible
HIam Mrs Morsden, dear Your doctors
assistant The doctor gave me no medi-
cine, so I brought some flowers Yes,
vlolets; sent and robbed the church this
morning. You needn't look serious, the
flowers were my own You love flowers. 1
can see it by your eyes-and it was for your
eyes brought them No. am not going to
take the chair, but sit right here on the
bed, So.
Who could withstand Mrs Marsden in such
a mood? Not little Lily. who capitulated at
once and let her hand lie willingly in the
warm, soft clasp of its capjor.
Now. tell me, aren't you very much sur
prlsed?"
Li!y's wondering had taken such celestial
sweeps that angel would hardly have
been surprise; so she answered:
Yes. mas am, that is, not so very much
did think mamma would tell God and am
so glad 1t is better to be little girl than
a sparrow, isn't itl Sister says God cares
for the sparrows: only sometimes when she
is so long away it seems as if God might
forget Il 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 oh the fan
tastic ghost of that murdered bonnet! Why
would it pursue herl She pats the little
cheek, and smooths the bright hair
Where is your sister, child? Why is she
not with you?"
The child fancied an implied rebuke in
the question, and FASTENED to the defence,
"Slster never leaves me except when
she's at work, and even then, if she is near
enough, she always runs home to see me at
nch-tima 1t was much nicer when she
used TO paint and do Kensington and that,
because 1 could watch her, but people
would not buy her things, though they
We're nice; and sometimes we had such
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 crumbs 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
Sister 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 good woman.
Like many another good woman, her vision
was usually focused for long-range benev-
olence. You can't see Breeds court when
on are looking at Benares But there was
no hesitation when Mrs Marsden did see.
Impulsively she moved to where Bessie