Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1889-07-16
MIscELLANEous.
Miss Martha's Lily.

There, now, guess that lily is coming up!
and Miss Martha, bending her angular form
gazed on broad, green shoot that was gush-
ing its way upward from the mellow earth.
''If there is one thing 1 do love it's those
lilies. I'll just loosen the soil around it a lit
tie" and with the point of trowel she stirred
about the blades.
Yes, her lily was coming up, seemingly to
exult in the showers and bask in the sunlight
till the beckoning fingers of juno made the
garden glorious with blossom.
1T has grown like Jacks bean-stalk, )" said
Miss Martha. communing with herself and
now the great spiral shoot beneath the weight
of three perfect buds. the central one just
ready to burst into bloom. But it did not
bloom. Miss Martha discovered one morning
that something. either from without or within
had blighted it, and only the two were left.
81 win take care of them" She said, but il
is very dsheartening. However. two are bet
ter than none 1 don't like it, but shall have
to lump it. It is all lump and no like in my
life, anyhow"
The second bud dropped. turned brown aud
fell. Miss Martha, with u scowl upon her
face. picked it up tenderly and reluctantly let
it drift from her fingers.
"Ithas always been the way with anything ]
ever loved, she said. "There was jim, God
knows how Ilovehim. Mothers baby, 1 tended
him and watched him just as If he were my
own, TINT never had any, but he served me
like the lilies, dropped out of my life when ]
most needed him. wonder II watched and
tended him too closer 1t may be that my dig
ging about the lilies is what mado them fall
1 give up, that one will be gono by Tomorrow
know. But did so much want them &c
bloom. They used to grow in the garden al
home. 1t seems to me that the very smell oi
them makes me feet young again, as If any
thing could"
little child that had peeped in longinely
at the flowers turned away alarmed at the
sound of Miss Martha's voice.
Poor Miss Martha, she had no one but her
self to talk to. The thought that the last lily
was to be blighted on the morrow added u new
line to her hard, set face.
There is no hope for me-" she said as sht
turned and walked away people talk OF God,
and his being kind and good, but he won't lei
even u lily grow for me to love. 1 do not go tC
church anymore because they just talk about
His love, goodness and mercy. If he were
only just know don't deserve the hard time
have; they can afford it; they have Hit
blessing, but 1, 1 have
With hoarse laugh Miss Martha glanced
around in the fast fading light, at the lonely
stilf room she was about to enter.
81 shall wnnt no supper tonight" she said
with dry sobi ''what is supper all by one
self ?"
The thought of the blighted lily had mad,
her more desolate still. 1t was long beforr
she fell asleep that night, and when she did
departed friends seemed to walk through gar
dens of lilies, only to vanish at her approach
and the fair blossoms turned to ashes in he
hands.
She was awakened by the sunlight streaming
in flood of gold across her face. All, BIIsl
Martha, Gods suRIigh was us much for you a
though no other human being existed.
/ With a sigh sh9 arose, dressed as If prepar
ing for funeral, and went down the stairs
through the hall, and out ON the little piazzi
in front of the house The lily she had pu
ont of her life, just she had put so man,
hopes and joys. The sunlight on her face hi,
a full view of the garden, with its tangle,
lhoneysuckle and roses, its stately liIacs an,
nodding columbine. With her hand over he
eyes. she went down the path, pausing sud
denly, and bringing the other hand to her sid
as if seized with sharp twinge of pleurisy.-
There, swayiug lightly in the breeze, coquei
ing with a brilliant humming bird that autter
ed about its spotless petals, was perfect lily
the lily she had given up as blighted an
tramPled on the gravel walk.
Who had said Miss Martha was ugly: VIII
had said she seemed like an ogre in a der
who was it had said she had no heart, and /
was her lack of it that drove her only relativ
from home. Let him look at her as she gaze
on the lily.
\ pink tint. growing deeper and deeper
crept into her faded cheeks; a light of pleas
ure frightened her dulling eyes; tremble o
tenderness, broadening into a smile. drove tn
harsh lines from her lips. Miss Martha wa
transformed All, it was not needed that sh
. leave the earth and 90 up into the Mount {
TRANSPORTATION. God had revealed himse
to her in the flower. that had given theme t
t his only Son when he dwelt with the sons
men.
The breath of the lily swept over her like
beuediction, recalling the days of her chill,
hood, when she wondered in the dear hou
garden amid the nodding liIy-beIIs; when, b,
side the knee of her gray-haired father, 81
, turned the leaves of the great Bible and que
toned about the cluster Of blossoms eucirclin
! the face Of the Virgin. and heard the wonde
full story Of the Annunciatfon.
For years she had not prayed, or made ar
: profession of faith, but following her hand
as she had done when a child, she repeat,
with trembling lips
a I believe In God the Father Almighty, M
: ker of heaven and earth, and in his only so
: our Lord jesus Christ. Consider the lilies
i the field how they grow. They toll n
neither do they spin, and yet 1 say unto u