The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-04-10
ga basket of Easter flowers for you,

VA baskeS OF Easter flowers for you,
Miss Marieli" |" she announced, mo.
ment later. standing almost breath
less in that young lady's room. "Ele.
giant violets, smelling like the country
and the blessed spring. Captain LIE.
land, miss"
och, the lovely, purple thingsi"
cried Mariel. "They remind me of
my mother and my country home.
How thoughtful of Captain LELAND ia
remember that I'm country girl,
exiled here among brick walls I"
"And he bade me to tell you, miss,
that st. Paul's is not the only church
in the city, but that there's one around
the corner here where they don't need
new dresses for Easter. You might
try that tomorrow.
"What an odd messagei Why did
he send it, Maggie?"
''I'm sure don't know, miss |" de-
clared Maggie.
But she chuckled audibly rs she
| went down stairs.
"Deceivin's a game two can play at,
| Miss Elem" she muttered mysteri-
ously.
On Sunday morning Mariel watched
her aunt and cousin sail forth to
| church in their beautiful new cos
| tunes and "perfect loves of bonnets,"
and found it difficult to repress a sigh
of envy. However, she did repress it.
'Fine feathers are only for those
who can afford them," she said consol-
\ ingly. "The Lees are rich and can
dress as they please, but we Earls are
poor and must govern ourselves ac-
cordingly. have always been con-
tented with my humble lot, and will
be go still. There is nothing gained
by envy and discomfort. Twill do the
best can and be satisfied"
Then she remembered Captain Le-
lands quaint assurance that there
were churches in the city where new
Easter dresses were not deemed ne.
cessity.
81 have been acting rs if fashiona-
BILE st. Paul's were the only church in
the city," she said. reproachfully. 81
will cling to my old faith in simplic-
ity and contentment, and celebrate
Easter by attending the plain church
around the corner"
And she put on her made over gray
silk and pinned cluster of violets on
the lace at her throat.
n@"Even aunt would admit that violet
and gray look well together" she
said, smiling, as she set out for the
plain church around the corner.
Whether her aunt would make the
admission or not, the violet and gray
were very becoming; and as she sat in
the plain church, listening to the
Easter anthem, she reminded q cer-
tain observer of the Easter angels he
had once seen in q rare old painting.
The observer felt thrill of gladness
when he saw the purple flowers at her
throat, and then thrill of tenderness
as he noted the violet eyes and hair of
FURNISHED gold curling above the
white brow. He marveled, too, at
the earnest eyes and thoughtful brow.
"She is much interested in the
Easter sermon," he thought. How at
tentively she watches the minister"
But Mariel's thoughts were not all
on the sermon they turned sometimes
to her mother, who was now probably
sitting in the country church, clad in
her well-worn black merino.
Poor mother, so patient and self
denyingi How good Mariel was that
she had not been selfish and spent for
finery the money that would give he.
q much-needed rest and outing!
She would be the housekeeper the
coming summer, and her mother
should have vacation. 1t was more
these thoughts than the Easter sermon
that gave the fair young face and vio-
let eyes the angelic expression SO ad-
mired by the observer.
AS Mariel moved slowly down the
crowded aisle after the sermon, some
one stepped to her side.
"You have lost something, Miss
Earl" said Captain Leland, holding
up the cluster of violets.
Mariel put her hand to her throat,
and finding her violets gone, blushed
bewitchingly.
81 am glad you thought my violets
worth wearing" continued Captain
Leland. "Your cousin told me that
You did not care for flowers and music.
aud that even the Easter anthems and
decorations could not tempt you to
St. Paul's this morning."
Mariel blushed again.
"My cousins mistake was quite ex-
cusable," she said, quietly. "She has
not known me long enough to be ao-
quainted with my likes or dislikes.
Indeed, I had good and sufficient
reason for not going to St. Paul's this
morning."
"May l inquire what your reasoI
was?" asked the Captain, gently.
And then Mariel told him bow new
Easter suits were necessity at st.
Pauls, and how, if she emptied her
purse for firery. her mother could
not have the nuch-needed summer
outing.
Somebody had to do without some
thing" she concluded, "and of course
when the choice lay between my new