The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-11-16

golden-rod and asters coming
straight toward her. At last she saw
that pair of little hands we're clasped
in front of this strange bouquet, and
two little feet appeared beneath it.
Above showed head whose shining
curls were scarcely less bright than
the golden-rod.
1t was indeed Ray, who painted up
to the steps, and threw the bright
colored heap on the piazza.
"Haven't l done wells" he said,
stepping back proudly to survey his
treasures, and putting up his hand
lust in time to catch the hat that was
falling off the back of his head.
81 picked 'em all myself; and now
I'm going to take 'em to her, can't
II"
"Take them to whom?" his mother
said, bewildered by this sudden an
nouncement.
"Why, to the poor sick lady. Don't
you think she'd like 'em? 1t was the
only thing l could think of" apollo
getically; "but it's rather nice. Don't
you think so?"
1t took Ray several minutes to
make his mother understand that
there was an invalid Cray called her
"sick lady') a few houses away for
whom he had picked the flowers. As
he had said, this was the only way he
could think of for carrying out his
idea of what should be done on a
birthday. AS soon as Mrs. Howard
learned his plan, she gave him per-
mission to do as he wished. Though
she was not acquainted with the
"sick lady," she felt sure Ray, with
his sweet offering, would not be un-
welcome to her. AS it CHANGED, Ray
found the invalid sitting on her
piazza. She was by no means as i'll
as Ray had believed her to be, though
she was not able to take much violent
exercise. Mrs. Howard was right in
supposing Rays offering would not
be misunderstood Though it took
the "sick lady" some time to gather,
from Rays quaint remarks, just what
he had in mind, she found out at last.
When she learned it was his own idea,
she appreciated the sweet unselfish-
ness of the action, and became SO
much interested in the little lame boy
that she kept him talking to her till
nearly lunch time.
Nor was that all While Ray was
repeating to his mother, in an eager,
GREATNESS way, all the lovely things
his "sick lady" had said to him,
fine barouche drove up to the door of
the cottage, and the ''sick lady" her
self called Mrs. Howard to the car
rage.
They talked for several minutes. A
little later Ray could hardly believe
his senses; for he found himself
dressed in his best suit of clothes,
and sitting beside the 'sick lady" in
her beautiful barouche, while two
black horses, driven by black coach
man, drew them rapidly along over
the smooth, hard road.
What a glorious drive that wasl
How Ray enjoyed the little supper
he and his "sick lady" ate together
under some trees at short distance
from the water, just where they could
hear the splash of the waves. And
then there was the long ride home
again, during which Ray counted the
firehies that glimmered now and then
among the trees by the roadside.
And, after it was all over, and he
had told his mother about "the love-
hest birthday he ever had," he fell
asleep to dream of firefies who ate
luncheon with him and black horses
who seemed to be talking to him
about wonderful fairy he called his
'sick lady"
That evening, as Mrs. Howard
looked out over the sea, where the
moonlight was just beginning to
tinge the waves with silver, she no
longer sighed, but smiled.-Annie
Rogers, IN the Christian Register.