Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-31

and shs would have very large grand ear
rings am sure, went on the lady in black
with little softly smiling reflective air. Clio
vsnni would have given them TO her for
present Don't You think she would choose
some OF those big ancient ones sec in the
curiosity shops, with queer stones in them and
q great deal OF turquoise. They say those have
Al been bought from peasants. think she
seem quite cold and plain to her, dear simple
OLD ming. She would want turquoise and gar
metz and smethysts and yellow old pearls set
elaborstsly in silver gilt"
"How real she seems, /" smiled the girl with
and her friend smiled also.
well, abe said, he has . voice-and he
mignt nave Q career-aDd II Is more than posi-
Ole that he has mother-so IL is easy to mag
Inc story Tor him. wish we could do some
tning TO help make IL real Why should he eat
polenta and live like peasant always If he has
grit am going to think about him and see
n-well, if there is anything to be done"
fou always want to make your stories come
true, don't you?' said her companion.
The lady in black looked out far over the
sunlit sapphire sea. She seemed to be think
derness.
Il might make him one Of Leo's frieuds."
she said. ''One of those boys he helps"
lou are always thinking OF Leo think"
the girl said very gently. He seems very near
to you, dear"
Very near" was the answer. 81 could not
let him seem far away. He is more real than
anything else. Sometimes / think he is even
more real than Geof, who Is alive and strong
ana happy and always busy. year ago Leo
was alive and like him. He was so strong AMI
bright and so full of the things he was inter-
ested in. l can't let him 60 just because OF
that morning when his brown eyes closed SO
softly and his arms unclasped themselves and
shipped slowly away from my neck. / must
\ To- ,,,
agine things about him, too-and try to make
them seem quite real"
The girl with the gray eyes put her hand
through her arm and drew it to her side with
a tender pressure.
''Dearr' she said
Two large quiet drops slipped down her
friends cheeks, but no others followed them.
and she went on spesking-with even q little
smile on her lips.
i say to myself that he has gone to q fair.
Tar country" she said. Perhaps il is because
am a very earthly person that have TO make
IL SO real to myself 1 tell myself that other
mothers sons go away to far countries to live.
lou know there arc so many who go to foreign
lands to make their fortunes But their mothers
DO not feel as II they had lost them. And
know they must comfort themselves by doing
things for them and reading books about the
countries they have gone to. If Leo had gone
to Africa, think how | should have read about
Africa. As it is, l read over and over the narts
the SKY that was pure gold, like unto clear
glass. 1t always seemed like q beautiful
fairy story, until Leo went away. And then
was SO hungry for hint seemed as il must
have something real to think of; SO began to
read and imagine. 1 wish there was more TO
read. like TO remember that the gates of it
shall not be shut at all by day, and there is no
night there. He was SO happy when he was
on earth cant help trying TO make il a place
that would not seem too dazzling and strange
and solemn for a boy TO like. He was only such
boy you know. and at first 1 could not help
feeling tlmid and hoping that it would not
overwhelm and bewilder him. try to remem-
Der more about the green pastures and the
river OF crystal than abo 1T the walls of Jasper
ana sapphire and emerald and the streets of
gold But somehow love the gates made Of
great pearls and always standing open"
You do make it real, don't you, dear?" said
the girl.
Il must make 1t real: must do things to
comfort myself and make me feel that am not
letting him go. That is why I have my fancy
about helping those other BOYS whom call his
friends. II he had lived to be a man he might
have had sorrow and pain and disappointment;
ne might have known temptation and have
fallen into human fault That is all over for
him; he can never be touched now Why
should not 60 on with the sweet kind things
he might have done? You know there would
have been many Ct them. He had a tender
generous heart: and in the life of a man with a
heart like that there must be many good things
done for others. even il there should be human
weakness and sorrow too Idon't want the sweet
things TO go undone just because he has died
That would be as If those he might have helped
had been robbed of a friend. When he was a
baby used TO say: Il want the big world to be
better just because he lives Now saw: L
want 1T to be better even that he has hved-and
died."
And that is why you are SO interested in
Giovanni! knew il was like that, dear" with
another soft pressure of the arm.
In Giovanni-in any boy whose life might
be made brighter and broader-in any boy who
needs help or friend. 1t might not always be
money that would help them most-it might be
something else. Whatever is done il is not /
who do Tit is Leo. Leo, who will never be
tempted or made sad by life. but who goes on
living and holding out his kind. boyish friendly
young hand to other boys who must finish
their lives and bear all the burdens of them.
He was spared them all. He lived few bright,
buoyant. joyous years without q shadow or a
stain. Now he seems to me like a magnificent,
fair young prince in his royal city, with his
hands full of royal gifts and his soul full OF
tender yearning for those who are outside the
gates, and who must toll longer in the heat of
the SUM-"
And he will help Giovanni said her friend
81 see that"
He will try" was the answer
ITO be cOntiaued)