The Press., 1894-12-13

I with candies. Twenty-eight it was last year. This year makes 29, and the big punch bowl full of Michaelmas daisies papa used to go way into the coun- ry when we were in the flat in town, put here the meadow is full of them. Jacob and me found them-and candles in the silver candlesticks and dinner cards. Could you paint dinner cards, Julia? The boy that plays the organ could do them, think,' but Julia was thinking of something else, her fore head wrinkled up, her pale blue eyes gazing into indefinite distance.
 Rupert wondered suddenly why Julia didn't go on and finish being pretty.' Her hair was soft and wavy and brown, and though she twisted it up tightly twice a day it generally rippled loosely above broad white forehead. Her eyes were very light, but shaded by long dark lashes, and her cheeks were the color of wild roses. Beyond this her beauty ceased. Her mouth was very | wide; her waist was very big; she her | self was very long, and her fingers were bent quite crooked with rheumatism. Rupert tried to straighten them out as she went on talking.
 ''It's cake you're wantin, and ap- 1 pie sauce and daisies-them' easy got- and candles. There's plenty left from | Christmas, but a goose'd be big item on the bill, an it as small as it has to be, an bit of steak here, an handful | of mutton for a stew there, an llli- | putian roast of a Sunday. There's Ja- cob DOW.
 Rupert stood up suddenly and gather ed Jacob into his arms. He was grow ing very heavy. h.
 We're going to find the boy that | plays the organ,' he said with dignity. He found him on the piazza of the ! little house down the road, deep in scrap books and newspaper clippings, with two of the girls, while the other girl was making lemonade and putting in a word now and then. They were all en- l Enthusiastically discussing theatricals for | the benefit of a local charity, but looked up and smiled as "Jacob and me" came up the path.
 II want to talk to the boy that plays the organ, he said. They all laughed, which was very embarrassing and made Rupert's little face very red in it's tan gle of golden hair. He put down Jacob and hauled ill on the string until Jacob lost his equilibrium entirely, and then he let it out again. They persuaded him to have some of the lemonade, which he liked immensely, but ''the boy" took him unceremoniously up on his knee and asked how old he was, which is blow to would be dignity. Rupert said Five, wriggled away and sat on the steps and told his story. General inter- est was aroused.
 "Let's all help, and you make the prettiest dinner cards you can."
 T will" said the boy.
 "I'm very much obliged" said Ru- pert, gathering up Jacob, land you all come. You look so pretty it will be like a party. Julia won't mind" They all accepted.
 Friday afternoon Rupert gathered daisies in the meadow, and Jacob help ed-at least he looked out for stray frogs and was ''good company. They took them home and rested and had their supper of bread and milk on the back porch-Mrs. Ware was away until evening on Fridays-and then disappear ed down the road to the village. By and by Rupert went back to the meadow and gathered the rest of the daisies alone
 The sky behind St. Michael's spire was rose color and gold. and most slender silver moon shone over the tops of the trees. When he had carried the daisies across the meadow, the sunset had faded to a silver gray, the moon had gone, one big star was reflected in the brook below the hill, and it was growing very cold. Rupert sat down by the stone wall, and two tears rolled down his cheeks. The windows of the little church glowed with soft light.
 The sexton was preparing for Friday evensong. Suddenly the world seemed very big and wide, and the child lay face down ill the grass and cried and cried. There the boy found him, and picking him up carried him and the daisies home and told Julia to put him to bed, while he himself put the daisies to sleep in tub in the cellarway. Then he had to race across the meadow to be in time to play.
 The next morning he brought over the dinner cards-even Rupert was satis- fled with them - and staid long while in the kitchen sticking the 29 pink candles on the birthday cake and talking quietly and sensibly all the time. The market man came in like flash and threw a goose on the table. It was marked "Paid." Julia was bewil- dered. ''The boy' disclaimed all knowledge of it and went home He came over again in time to set the table. He knew just how to settle the daisies in the big punch bowl and put things just right, with daisies and a dinner card at each plate, and all the time the goose smelled very good. Ru- pert was afraid it would "give them away just too soon," but it was per feet surprise-the pretty table, the three pretty girls, "the boy," the dai- sies, the goose, the apple sauce, the birth day cake, the candles and Rupert beam ing away from the other end of the ta- ble.
 "Who planned it all?" said Mrs Ware when they were in the little par Tor later on, with gay little fire on the hearth and Michaelmas daisies showing bravely from every point of vantage. "The boy' was playing softly on the piano, the girls were in pretty group on the hearth rug, wondering why they had never appreciated Mrs. Ware before, and she and Rupert were in the big wicker chair in the broad firelight.
 "Jacob and me planned it all, /" Ru- pert answered. The boy did most of it, and the girls were kind, and they look so pretty, and the winter was con- ing. and Julia doesn't like us in the kitchen. and soon the frogs will be gone the goose was Jacob! I couldn't eat any myself" 7"
 There was an odd little sile pce after this until 'the boy" began to play Chopin's impromptu ill A flat.