The record-union., 1893-04-22
Il THE PARDON"

/ Written for the REcoRp-USIoN by Vida Ray.1
And we may depend on you to help.
mayn't we, Lida?'' May Armour's
plquant face was turned coaxingly to-
ward her friends thoughtful one.
please, now"
Yes, L guess so, if 1 know what is
wanted of me. You poured out your
plans and your wants so fast that 1 didn't
catch all of it. But 1 don't mean any
oifense," half laughing into Nays spark
ling eyes.
And L don't take any," that young
Lady declered. 81 always plunge into
the middle of any story that interests
me, and run on so fast that nobody can
make head or tail of it. That's what my
brothers say. But l don't believe you
We're paying the strictest attention any
way. Confess now your thoughts were
away OFF. Well, never mind. I'll begin
again and at the beginning this time, and
we II get at it," settling herself comtorta-
Oily among the cushions by her friends
chalr, then resuming:
on see we wanted to observe Easter
Il NIUE more than usual this year, and
you know that we decided to hold an en-
lerlalnment Easter Monday, and they've
put me on the committee. Wen have
songs and readings and Rotations and
tab!eaux, and it will all relate to Easter,
ana IL there's any hidden genius for
! speaking or singing in town we intend to
drag IL out for the occasion. And oh''
WIN ciasplng of the little hands, the
4ight IaShlng into the brilliant face, "I'Ve
thought up just the beautifullest tableau!
1 haVen't any name for it yet, and | don't
know that it has any Specification for
Easter, unless 1t represents the spirit of
forgiveness that is, or ought to be, flying
around promiscuous May paid but little
attention to grammar about this time,
but 1t would look lovely. NV idea is a
man naIt-kneeling, half-crouching on the
ground, and an angel standing by him
and bending to hold out her hands TO him
as II TO lift him up, or help him lift him.
sell. ne must be in rags and all thaU-a
miserable old sinner, you know, and that
IS what l want you ior.''
For the miserable old sinner,n said
Llda, smiling. "Complimentary!'
| May blushed.
40, OF course not; and you knew it. 1
want you to be the angel. YOU'RE the
prettlest girl in town. and"-
Thanks awfully, dear"
| ou' re Welcome-and your face is lust
what I've always imagined an angels to
be; and you'll take it. won't you? Please
promise SO can get that off my mind"
cry well, promise, if only for the
sake of The compliments you gave me.D
with tweak at Mays curly hair.
'Humph! Well, Pm glad to get you
on any conditions; but we'n have to have
a name for it, and [ can't find any. rve
thought and thought till believe there's
a wrinkle between my eyes, but Pm no
| better OFT now than | was at first Can't
you help? thought of Angel of Life,
and of Light but neither Seems to tit
quite" rubbing her forehead with one
slender finger, her face wearing a conf
cally-worried expression.
Ida could not help smiling at her
| friends puzzled countenance
We'll, pll try. The Pardoned SIN
ner' would hardly do, would it?"
Hardly, because the angel is to be the
principal inquire. Pardoned,' that would
be a little better.''
The Pardon" suddenly exclaimed
Ida. "How would that do?r
| Just the thing. ] knew you'd strike
it. And, say, wouldn't you take a sonc?
you have such voice that it's pity YOU
| don't use it more"
mo, [ don't want to take more than
one part. I'd like to obIige Won, but I
don't like to be too conspicuous. You
! know"
Eyes, I know. Poor I.ida,, strollinp
the slender hand gently. They wanted
me to ask you. Well, I'll have to be
going"
III, Ll4uSI yOu. w ldI Is your ullrrNY''
why, you see, Pill have to make ar
rangements with about forty-'leven peo-
pie 10 take part, and it's getting so close
onto Easter there's not any time to
waste"
81 wish you could stay
so do |; but L can't, you see. So good
by, dear"
Goodbye" and, with a loving kiss. the
friends parted, Ida standing in the door
way to watch May disappear down the
street.
Two girls more unlike than Nav Ar
| mour and Elise, or Ida, Lester, it Would
be hard TO find, and it was probably this
unllkeness which so strongly cemented
their friendship. Both We're lovely in
their different ways, yet there was not
| the least rivalry between them. Nav
| was small, with dark, brilliant complex
ion and volatile temperament. Her
| "chum," as she called Ida, was tall and
slender, pure blonde and OF quiet tenn
permanent. The one set off the other, and
both were perfectly satisfied.
After watching May down the street
Llda went to her room, and walking
to her mirror she examined the face
which May had said to be her idea of an
angels.
1t was a fair face that gazed at her from
the depths of the glass. fair, proud. sad
face. The clear complexion had hardly
the least TINT OF color, the red lips had a
| droop at the corners, the deep, blue ewes
fringed by the long, black lashes. had a
look OF 1ndetinable sorrow in them. the
well-cut features were thinner than they
ought to have been, but the shapely head.
with its masses OF golden hair, was proud
ly poised.
She noticed this, and she remembered.
the year before, when that same mirror
! had reflected a happy, bright face, with
| the flush on the cheeks that love brings
| That was before she had quarreled with
| but she resolutely tried to DANISH these
thoughts. She would not acknowledge,
even to herself, that that had been the
cause OF the face growing thin and pale,
Of the droop to her lips, the loss of the
spring to her step.
During the few weeks before Easter
the two friends were busy. As May had
said there was plenty to be done, but it
was done at last. The programme had
been all arranged, the rehearsals gone
through, and, on the Saturday after Good
Friday. everything was in readiness. 1t
had been debated whether to hold the en-
tertainment in the church or not, and it
was decided in the negative.
The little town of s. boosted of one
public hall, which was used as a ball
room, theater or town hall as occasion re-
quired, and this was decided on as being
better than the church, having larger
seating capacity and better stage arrange
ments.
'We'l do some decorating on Mon
day." said May. 'Thatll be time enough.
and they won't be all withered then"
So it was decided.
Easter came late that year. so spring
was well advanced, and Easter SuudaS
dawned clear and beautiful. Something
OF the peace of the season ca,na ovar