The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-08-31


* ing to make calls. I've
got a parasol, but l must
have fan, you know"
"I'm afraid you might break the
fan, my DEAR" said grandma, land l
value it very highly"
sob, no, / won't break it, grandma"
pleaded Elsie, "I'll be SO careful! And
I can't play without FAM"
"Well, you may take it, then, but
be sure you don't break it, and bring
it back as soon as you are through
using it," said grandma, who felt
sorry for Elsie because she had no
little brothers and sisters, and was
obliged to play alone most of the
time. They lived long distance
from neighbors, and those who were
nearest had no children of Els:e's
age.
Elsie ran out with the fan, and put
on the hat and shawl she had bor-
rowed from Aunt Mary. The parasol
was her own-a recent gift from
grandma.
Elsie felt much pleased with her
self as she walked up and down the
garden paths, tanning herself gently
Just as she had seen Aunt Mary do.
She pretended that she had friends
at the dog kennel, the chickenh house
and the rabbit hutch, and held long
conversations with imaginary ladies.
The arbor was the last place at which
she called, and when she entered it
she heard such twittering overhead
that she forgot everything else in her
curiosity to see the nest she was sure
some sparrows had built in the vines.
She laid the parasol and the fan on
the bench, and then sprang on it her.
self, and began to part and shake the
vines, which had crept through the
wide lattice and grown thickly over
the inside. The twittering stopped
at once, and at the second shake two
sparrows darted out almost into
Elsie's face.
Startled, she stepped back quickly,
tripped upon the parasol, and came
down with crash upon the bench,
the fan under her.
ooh! OH" she cried, 81 believe I've
broken grandma's FAM"
And she had. Two of the sticks
had snapped, and the satin part of
the fan hung over Imply when
opened. When the fan was closed
the broken sticks did not show. FL
sic cried softly and felt very unhappy.
How could she tell grandma what had
happeneds And she bad promised
to be 80 very careful. After thinking
dt over long time, she decided that
she couldn't tell. Perhaps grandma
wouldn't use the fan for long time,
and when she did, and discovered
that it was broken, she might, per-
haps, have forgotten that ,he had
ever loaned it. She might think it
had been broken in shutting the
drawer.
Elsie, feeling very guilty, went
quietly into the house and listened
at the door of the sitting-room. She
heard her mother and grandmother
talking together, and so was sure she
could go into grandma's room and
put the fan away without being seen.
She laid it away in its long, narrow
box, and then hurried out. She did
not venture to go into the sitting
room, for she didn't want to see any
one just then. She went up stairs to
her own little room on the second
floor, and played with her paper dolls
until supper time.
Once her mother looked in on her
way to her own room.
You're very quiet this afternoon, it
seems to me, Elsie" she said.
I'm playing with my paper dolls"
answered Elsie, not turning her head.
She didn't want her mother to see
her face, for she felt very guilty, and
she knew it showed in her face.
did you put my fan away, Elsiei"