The Somerset reporter., 1890-02-27
SELECTED.
MOTHER RACHEL'S PICTURE
GALLERY.
BY NJ. {. BARTLETT.

passengers In the car. The Cheerlness ol
Mother RachePs face could not be hiddeI
oy the ugly colored glasses which con
cealed her poor, blind eyes, and she lis
tened with pleased interest to Lucy,
running comment upon the street scene.
about them.
At length the car stopped, and an ole
man entered, accompanied by young
girl of about Lucy's age. He was very
feeble, and II was by slow and painful
stages, and with the greatest care upor
the part of his attendant, that he was q
last comfortably seated. He was deaf
too, and apparently credited his young
companion with the same intrnity. Hi.
voice was shrill and querulous, and ht
spoke with that total disregard of unin
terested listeners which is sometimes
characteristic of the aged.
where's my cane. EIlen?"
Here IL is, grandpa
"Hey?"
"Here it is" putting it into his hand
You dropped it just as you were sitting
down."
You're on my wrong side, Ellen
How do you expect me to hear anything
when you will persist in sitting on my
wrong side"
EAch Iooc putebiy anu CnouBSu uel
seat, while the same thought passed
quickly through the minds Of Mothel
Rachel and of Lucy (which was tn,
right side of this irascible old gentleman
Not wishing to listen, however, they triet
TO keep up an animated conversation be
tween themselves; but the fretful, high
pitched voice would make itself heard
Ibid you shut the library door, Ellen?'
81 think did, grandpa
"Hey?'
IL think did"
"Think you did Don't you know
whether you did or notS"
why, can't be positively sure. an
swered Ellen, in a sweet unruiiled voice
but it doesn't matter, grandpa w,
shall soon be home again"
Hey"
The sound of that Hey" rasped Lucy,
nerves most unpleasantly. A little clout
fell over Ellen's pleasant face, but 1t van
lshed in an Instant.
She raised her voice.
Don't worry about it, grandpa. W.
shall soon be back again"
soon be back OF course we shal
soon be back! | never get far enough
away from home nowadays to forge
that"
why. how fast they are getting along
heIe.' cried Ellen suddenly, calling hi,
attention to 4 block OF dwelling houses
in process of erection. 'It seems onl,
yesterday that they were ut work upon
the cellars"
The old man looked, and was diverted
in spite of himself, as she spoke of the
different points OF progress. But despon
dent thoughts came back to him all to
soon.
Two years ago shouldn't have need
ed anybody to tell me all this, Ellen"
1t was true. Childish and feeble as he
was to-day, he felt it.
I'm just good for nothing. The
world has done with me, and might as
well be out of it. The sooner, the bet
ter"
THE third door is something like
ours" exclaimed Ellen, ignoring his com
plant, and again he forgot himself for a
mon ent.
About as much like ours as black is
like white. Where are your eyes, Ellen y
She made some smiling reply, which
Mother Rachel AID Lucy could not hear.
As they left the car, the latter noticed
that Ellen had taken the old mans hand,
and that she held 1t tenderly
What a lovely face that young girl
has =! remarked Mother Rachel as they
walked along together.
'She has pleasant face replied
Lucy. "And don't see how she can be
SO patient with that cross old grsndfath-
er. But she isn't pretty, Mother Rachel.
She ISM pretty at all
"She is beautiful" answered the old
lady decidedly. "She has a fair, delicate
face, and light-brown hair that just suits
it,.
"Why. Mother Rachel Her hair is
red. Her face is covered with freckles,
and her mouth"
Her mouth" interrupted Mother Ra-
chel, lis just as 1t should be-sweet, but
firm."
But her teeth are dreadful
They are like pearls"
BLACK pearls, perhaps" laughed Lu-
cy.
Her forehead is neither high nor low
and her eyes--ah ! her eyes are her crown
ing beauty"
Her eyes have hardly any color at
ALL" cried Lucy. "What little there is, |
should call blue"
persisted Mother Rachel They are
/
them. Yes, she Is beautiful, this young
girl, who bears 80 patiently with the in
irmities of her poor old grandfather.
have her portrait now, and she shall hang
in my picture gallery"
Your picture gallery repeated Lucy,
perplexed.
"Yes, my picture gallery. | have many
faces there. Where once | place them.
there they hang, looking down upon me
like SO many friends, as they are.
Lucy understood. She WAS silent for a
IN meut. Then she said, half timidly -
But, Mother Rachel, this is not true
portrait which you have hung to-day,
Ellen is really very plain, and you have
made her beautiful
80 child, childn laughed Mother Rs-
chel The portraits in my gallery ART
all beautiful. paint them myself and
Just as wish them to look 50 they are
TO me. There is where have the a,van-
tage of you, don't yon see2'
Lucy made no reply.
Yes" repeated Mother Rachel. My
pictures are my friends, and love them.
| have merry, lat Ching faces,-of those
who give of their own happiness to those
about them; and nave faces placid and
calm, as belts those who have learned
what sorrow means, and had courage Civ.
en- them to bear 1t. Then have strong
sweet faces.-speakiDg faces, that tel
me of patience under q ceaseless round OF
daily irritations. They are beautiful
faces. Such one l have given to ouI
young friend Ellen. 1t is hers, and sh,
shall have It."
Lucy drew Mother Rachers arm tender
ly through hers. II wish could looL
through your picture gallery" she said.
Il wish you could, child. wish yor
could. But 1t Is for me alone. II Is Que
of my compensations. You think that
am shut out from all the loveliuess oil
this beautiful world. Ah! you cannot se.
what the good God has shut In here with
me-" touching her sightless eyes. III,
makes Of my blindness retreat raihe
than prison. He Is 90 good"
She clasped the young girls hand q
she spoke, aud they walked on for
while, without word. Then Lucy sal,
gently:
"But everybody is not good and kind
Mother Rachel. Even your retreat cal
hardly keep you from knowing this. l.,
you never dad an ugly portrait among tn,
pictures 10 your gallsryr-
ugly faces, like ugly tAoughts, vii
5 I