Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-08
A 7 L A S T.


pect golden leaves to put out suddenly from
the almost whithered stalks?"
Hush" said Paula. Il want to see what
comes into the parlor of this poor, hungry
little spider"
out wings that might have helped the wig
Cling a Bit fell from somewhere above just
into the stronghold of Paula's protege.
The girl was all excitement. "See," she
cried. how patience is rewarded! 1 shall
take 1t for a sign and believe that the rain
must soon fall, the grass grow green again.
the cow yield better measure and the flow
ers that paid so well while since, yes, the
flowers bloom again. How empty the luck
box is, to be sure she whispered And
wee Nannies fever running so low. And
the flowers all promised for the next weeks
night when the fine ball comes of at the red
house. Little spider. little spider. help me
pray for the COED fortune that will bring
things right" And her mood changing
swiftly she cried to herself, but not so that
wee Mamie should hear; no one heard nor
saw, but the spider hidden away in the
spider bush and swelling, swelling. even to
his legs from the luscious repast which the
wiggling thing furnished.
Angry Margheretta had left Paula to her
strange idle way" Better take to her
needle, she can sew when she wills, and
times are growing worse and worse. 1 can't
think what is to come of those two, and the
little one failing SO fast. Whatever made
them come away to this strange land to die.
Father, mother and now wee Mamie; for
where Is the wine and the broth to be got
that will strengthen her to fight the fever,
and Paula so needless" Then relenting.
but such brave heart, too, and SO. SO
beautiful" .. --..-
Old nurse Margheretta watched her as
she came into the house at wee Nannie's
call. She seemed to- have gathered new
heart and she would insist that Mamie was
better. A nice bath which she would give,
herself, to the sick child, 'and then you'll
feel stronger little sister. And the rain is
coming and the soft cool breeze, and
Aargheretta and 1 will put your bed out
under the trees and you shall watch the
bees. And, Mamie, l have found a little
spider that is telling me a tale. 1t tells me
that you will get well, little sister. But VIC
must be patient You will not get well in
day. We must wait"
Paula was so hopeful-so full of her new
fancy. The loss of sleep with wee Mamie
the night teforc seemed to have left no
trace of WEAKNESS. She felt that her play
nate, her dear little sister, must get well.
She had so long withstood this fever.
And SO all day she watched the cloudless
sky, believing that the rain speck would
come, and toward evening wee Mamie grew
restless. but only for little while Paula
watching her, saw a sudden twitching Of
the lips and stiffening of the limbs.
Margheretta," she cried and when the
nurse mother came Paula raised her hands
impioringly, dread questioning in her
eyes. For Paula had seen father and
D'other die; and the clammy coldness which
now began to creep, creep, slowly up wee
Nannie's feet chilled also the hope in
Paulas heart.
The little sister did not go at once They
kept her with them until the early morn
Ing, and when the rain drops began to pat
ter softly on the rooftop and to I'LL the fam
ished. outstretched mouths of Paula's
flowers. wee Mamie smiled and slipped
away out of their care forever.
CHAPTER H.
The rain fell steadily for three days.
Maybe 1t soaked down through the ground
and into where the worn little body and
prettily made frock were put away. 1t
came not too late to save Paulas flowers,
but somehow she forgot even to look after
them. The money they brought had been
for wee Mamie, and now
The sun came out and the blossoms
seemed laden with Jewels. Paula did not
see; the tears were SO thick before her
eyes. But Margheretta had been into the
empty larder. When the footman from the
red house came down to say he wantel ell
the flowers now open, and would the
young lady bring all she could gather for
the ball." two days hence Margheretta
gave a ready assent. I'VE must live," she
told Paula; and looking at the oil nurse
through her tears, Paula echoed YEARLY,
Yes. we must live" 'Oh, little sister,
little sister, why could not your she cried;
and. going out into the night which was
coming on. she crouched under the spider
bush. When her tears were spent she SAT-
there still, looking up at the stars and pom
dering the loving words that father mother
and wee Mamie were even now speaking
about her, and she seemed to feel how
they pitied her loneliness down there.
A tiny thing crawled down her hair and
around her throat. Absently she put up
her hand to. crush 1t. The spider seemed to
spring aside, alightng upon the back of
her wrist, and as her eyes in the starlight
fell upon her small companion a tender
recollection of how she had spoken of IL to
the little sister caused her tears to flow
afresh.
The spider passed over a bridge of his
he could safely blink down upon his griev-
irg frierd, who seemed not to know that
the thing best to do was still Ito wait"
Before the sun had power to wilt them,
Paula gathered her wealth of blooms and
carried them on that morning of the ball,
up to the grand red house on the hill. She
toiled slowly up, not noticing a tall, stern
looking old man in the path confronting
her, It'll the deep TOTES of his voice sound
ed close to her ear.
Your burden is fair to look upon and
most fragrant, but in a few short hours
they wither. Are they to deck the rooms
for tonight's empty mirth? Come again to-
morrow, young girl and look at your gar
lands" And he laughed harshly as he NOV
ed aside to let her pass
Frightened and hurt, Paula frightened her
hold upon her basket, and sped up the
path; but only for a few steps. Something
seemed to turn her and lead her back to
the bitter old man. She lightly touched him
on the arm. II will come, sir, tomorrow
morning. Will you meet me here? Some
thing hurts you sorely that you turn upon
my flowers. Oh. sir, they cannot help it
any more than could my poor little spider"
She looked so tenderly brave, not shrinking
from the bent brows Of the naughty, dis
appointed old man. only wistfully regarding
him. And II was so new, this pity for him,
that shone In the soft gray eyes. So long
he had stood alone in his pride, steeling his
heart as life's disappointment. disgrace,
death and doubt in the honor Of mankind
followed fast upon his footsteps. Wealth he
had, but the fawning fiattery of the syco-
plant sickened him Of II. The butterfly life
Of those about him. living In the moment,
were the theme Of his constant satire. But
here was this child of nature, poor and in
deep distress. and she pitied him. A men,
DRY Of his own childhood and youth. almost
forgot, stirred within him. The girl, almost
a child. looked tired. "Shall I help you
carry those?' he asked. and together these
two, the hardened man Of sorrow and the
troubled young girl, bore up the path the
fruits of that rain which came too late to