The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-11-18

The Liule p r L'dirs.
This is going to be n perfectly dread
full vacation" walled Louise. sitting dis
consulate on the west porch. Here
mamma sick, and We can't 20 to Morris
and there isn't anything here 70
play-y-y!"
" This is the maiden all forlorn.'
That sat on the porch one summer
morn,
And wept and wished she had never
sang a gay voice behind her. and there
stood Aunt Bess. peeping out at her
with a merry, mischievous face.
The little maids eyes brightene sud
denly; the kiss that Aunt Bess dropped
on her cheek proved as effective as a
spoonful of sugar in saucer OF tart
strawberries All the morning-glory bios
SONS looked UP and nodded as Aunt Bess
them, and a big bnmble-bee almost mis-
took her bright face for flower.
And how are the dolls?" she asked.
The little maid pouted a little.
Some of 'em are sick, and some EN-
are dead. I'm tired Of dolls. I've got
seventeen dresses made for Alice Eliza
beth. and l don't know what to do.
queer smile came creeping about
Aunt Bsss' lips.
II know some little girls who haven't
got any dolls, and who don't know how
to make dresses.
Louise laughed a little.
Il can make parasols and hats.
I'm tell you what well do" said Aunt
Bess confidently Il saw some darling
little paper dolls at Marshall Feds yes
terday. III get the dolls and the tissue
paper, i, you'll dress them; and some
dren's Hospital"
ooh. yesn said Louis, beginning TO
prance. and there are all Of Alice
Elizabeth's dresses, too. She doesn't
really need seventeen"
60 this was how tho little Manor ladies'
began.
Every morning. on her way down town,
Aunt BeSS peeped i'm for q five minutes
consultation, to inspect the pink and blue
frocks and the darling little parasols.
Right here David Boy had his finger IN
the pie; for how could there be parasols
without sticks? and what was a boy good
for anyhow, IL ne couldn't white?
Two weeks later. there was a grand
dress parade on the shady porch. There
were twenty-four paper ladies in line,
dressed in the gayest Of rainbow colors,
and each one carried tiny paper para
sol. Besides this each one had iaii
away two other gay frocks, with hats
and parasolS to match
II rained that Saturday afternoon that
they planned to go to the hospital; not
hard rain but a driZZly. spiteful little
rain, that didn't enjoy itself a bit, and
tried hard 70 keep everybody else from
having a good time. But while Louise
was watching at the window with an an
bloomed out I'm the west. along came
Aunt Bess with big umbrella, and
away they whIsk.ed to catch the car. :.
It had been such a doleful day To the
children in the little white beds it SEEM
ed a weary, weary time since morning
Little sick heads throbbed little nerves
twitched, and broken bones ached the
{ ried for an hour about nobody knew
what. The little dusky-faced Italian
moantd little now and then. and tried
to put up her hand to her bandaged head.
" ordering dimly why they wouldn't let
J or have her ACCORDION. \ horse had
knocked her down in the streS. and the
Old accordion would never wall again.
The little fellow who had lost his leg could
Just hobble awkwardly % the window,
but there was nothing 10 see outside eX-
ceDt ugly thick walls and chimneys. that
gray sky, and the dismal rain.
But all at once there came a break In
the gray clouds a long. bright shaft OF
sunshine came In through the west ERA
window, like bar Of gold. 1t streamed
over the little white beds and the clean
scrubbed floor, till even, the black eyed
baby looked up and laughed. in spite OF
her poor bandaged feet and reached out
her hands towards it,
Then little maid in a pink frock went
whisking up and down the rows Of beds
with her big. beautiful brown eyes dane
ing ard sparkling; and before anybody
knew what was happening, there were
bits or rainbow a-ftutter all through the
room, for on every one Of the little white
beds stood smiling paper lady
Then how the sunshine fairly streamed
in at the big west windows How the
wan faces frightened and the little
voices shouted and glrgled and laughed
Somehow the tears crept into Aunt Bess'
eyes as she looked on. She had 10 wink
very hard 10 keep them back. But the
little maids brown eyes shOne like stars
and she bad ever felt quite 50 glad in
all her life.
/ think they have never quite decided
those little hospital chldren-whetehr
the Daper ladies brought the sunshine
or whether the sunshine brought the lit
tie paper Enthusiastically Deane, In The
Sunday School Times