The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-07-26
TO LIE Isl OF THEsE.s

One beautiful Sunday in June the chill
dren Of a wealthy city church were pass
ing in procession around from the Sun
day school rooms through the lObbies
and so into the church, where crowds
were assembled for the Children's day
observances. A ragged little girl heard
the big organ as she passed along. and
when her sharp black eyes caught sight
of the little ones walking two by two in
their white dresses she crept in to be
nearer. No one spoke to her. She was
amazed and had vague thought that 1t
must be heaven.
Each child carried on her arm crush
basket full OF lovely white flowers. The
older members of the school would bring
bright colored ones. These infant class
tots were all in white, with their baskets
full Of the blossoms whose color match
ed their pure young souls The guiding
teachers had stepped in just before the
last few pairs
Gimme a flower" said the street
child, pointing to those on the arm of
the last little girl. She had noticed the
stranger with a sweet smile.
Impulsively she took the ribbon tied
basket of and held it out to the little
girl, who clutched it, with a cry of de-
light, and buried her dirty face IN it. It
was all done in an instant, and then the
last little girl, realizing what she had
done in her generous haste, followed the
rest without any flowers to strew at the
foot of floral cross that was to stand
when finished in a bed of white bios
SONS. No one noticed the lack except
the child's mother, who had sIung the
white ribbons carefully over her darling's
arm when dressing her that morning.
But to the tiInid little one it seemed as if
the eyes of the whole church were upon
her and as if all who saw her would
think: 'sThere is one who has no flowers
to lay at the foot of the cross. She must
have been careless and forgotten or lost
them" She was glad when the exercises
were over and she could tell her mother
how it happened.
Never mind, my darling. You gave
them to God just as much as if you had
brought them into the church, said the
mother. Perhaps the little girl needed
them more than any one else in this big
city just now. Who knows
In a few weeks the light had gone out
of the house where the sweet child lived,
because she had left it forever. While
her desolate mother sat alone one day
there came message from a poor wOIn-
an, and as the poor were the only visit
ors she would not turn away in those
dark days she went down stairs.
A woman, with a face whose only re-
deeming feature was its big blue eyes,
so marred had it been by evil, was wait
ing.
I'VE see tn Grape on tn door tn other
day. Was it yer only one, missuss' she
asked, coming to the point at once.
my only one" replied the mother,
her eyes filing with the tears that were
always ready to rise.
'-Ah, I'm that sorryr' exclaimed the
woman, throwing up her arms. ''It
must be the same, thin, as give tn flow
ers to my CURL Katy"
She brought from beneath her shawl
soi1ed crush basket filed with faded
flowers, the white ribbons draggled and
dirty.
Here it is. mum. It's the very same
yer little one give my Katy on Childern's
day in the church, fer my Katy follered
her home ter see where she lived. An
tn other day she tould me some one was
dead here, SO come to see, thinlin yer
might like this basket, cause it was til
one she carried. But I want ter ask If
ye'l let me kape tn ribbon as was in
side. We found it when we was water
in tn flowers"
She pro,iuIssd a white band, forgotten
by the mother, but on which to please
her child she had printed in gold letters
and tucked in with the flowers where 4
would not be seen, because it was a
touch that the other children's baskets
did not have. On it were the words
IAN offering to God"
1T done me good" said the woman
vehemently- Il amt goin ter drink Il-sI
hurt my Katy any more, an I've begun
to kape things bit tidier an nebbe git
time to 60 out washin. It's bin a-starin
at me from tn glass where Katy pinned
it, an l couldn't help dom diff'rent An
when she teiled me bout there bein some
trouble here l had ter come I knowed
if twas her yer'd like the basket, cause
twould put yer in mind o the good she
done"
For answer the weeping mother held
out the bit of ribbon, which the woman
took in her sOdden fingers.
''God bless yer, ma'am, " she exclaimed
with difficulty, Though / says it that
shouldn't"
Then she stole softly out, leaving the
mourning mother holding the precious
basket closely in her arms, as If it would
comfort her. And so indeed it did.
ANNIE ISABEL WILLIS.
Call for Cubeb Cough Cure and insist
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