The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-12-08

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violin sometime, and some other
things maybe"
Milly scarcely noticed the remark
about "other things" and didn't know
all the patient planning it covered.
She hesitated to use the precious
violin money, but Uncle Pete over
ruled her objections.
"Maybe l can fix up the old one so
it will do quite spell yet. Any way
we're going, you and 1. We can lock
up the house for a couple of days
well enough and Jonas can look after
the stock"
1.-TWO whole daysl" repeated Milly
ecstatically.
THE money will last us that long,
I'm sure, if we don't have to buy any
thing to eat; and we can take all we
want from home"
All the afternoon the girl was busy
with her baking and other prepare.
tions, and Uncle Pete was constantly
appearing at door or window with
some new suggestion. A curious
change had come over him with the
planning of this expedition. His
head was more erect, his manner con-
fident. 1t seemed like a return of
the old days when he had taken care
of Hannah and there was no one to
question his ability.
Certainly Milly did not question it
now, and the two made pleasant
picture as they sat by the table in
the large kitchen that evening, the
girl busily putting in order the
clothes they were to wear, while the
old man slowly counted over money,
arranging it in little shining piles,
each for different purpose.
"Now this is for car fare, and this'll
take US through the gates, and this
is to see the Eskimos."
They had decided to take very
early train that they might have the
entire day in the city, and Milly sur
veyed her companion and herself with
somewhat anxious eyes as they stood
on the platform of the village station
in the early dawn.
81 guess we look pretty well" she
said with unconscious emphasis on
the qualifying word. "Any way,
there will be SO many things to look
at that nobody will notice u.s."
Her prophecy was not fully verified,
for there was something about the
plainly dressed, earnest faced little
maiden and the old man to whom she
chung so closely, that drew many
glance of interest. But they were
soon too intent upon the wonders
about them to think of being OBJ
served. They stood in Machinery
Hall and were awed by the power of
the great engines, boilers, shafts and
wheels in their mysterious workings.
"Most seems as if we had broke
into the workshop of the universe,
and found the machinery that keeps
all creation going" said Uncle Pete,
as his eye wandered over the mighty
array.
The glory of foliage and bloom
that greeted them in the Horticul
tural building was no less marvellous
in its way, and to Milly, far more en-
trancing. The color came and went
in her cheeks, the little hands in the
cotton gloves we're clasped raptur-
ously. TWAS like wandering through
the Garden of Eden, she thought.
The hours went by like dream.
They almost forgot to eat the lunch
they had brought. They had no
guide book, no plan save to linger
over each delight until the remem-
brance or sight of some new one drew
them away. 1t had grown late in the
day, and they had paused for little
to rest where they could look up at
the white columns of the Peristyle,
and between them catch glimpses of
the lake when suddenly out from
Music Hall poured food of melody.
Uncle Pete started and looked at
Milly. In all his life, with its little,
circumscribed round, he had never
heard, never dreamed of music like
this. His whole soul opened to it as
if it were something for which he had
been athirst all his days. AS the
rich notes rose and fell, swelled and
died, his features worked convul-
sively and the tears rolled UNDECIDED
down his cheeks. Milly, through all
her own keen enjoyment, watched
him half fearfully. Spell-bound he
sat, never moving from his place un-
til the concert was ended, then Milly
drew him away dazed and tremb-
ling.
81 didn't know there was any thing