The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-10-17

tuous part of the city-espec;ally go
ing home at nightfall, when the dusk
was so big and close and alive. Then
suddenly, with an ever-new sur
prise of spontaneity, the electric
lights burst into bloom, great silver
lilies in the clinging calyx of the
dark. 1t had peculiar effect upon
jimmy, that sorndless surge of light;
as if, somehow, something stirred
and bourgeoned within her bosom,
soft and big and beautiful; as ii her
soul had burst into bloom.
She shopped nightly as she went
home in that fervid imagination. She
peeped in at drug stores and drew
rapturous breaths of the atmospheres
that Aoated fragrantly out to her, as
if waiting on purpose. Always the
same phantasies underfoot and over
head; always the same hour the
chimes took keynote from the stars,
and sung their song over the city. If
Jimmy had had hard day there was
sound like tears in the bells; but if the
little back were not too tired with its
premature, overheard woman's burden
the whole sky turned sweet jangle,
and Jimmy walked like princess in
it, and through it the stars seemed
to smile at her, "Here comes little
Jinny!"
Oddly the Court backed against
church rear. A great window, high
in the mortar and brick, dropped
lovely stains, green and crimson and
blue, down on the pavement. They
formed flower bed which the babies
petted, and laid soft, smudged faces
on the stray color petals. All the
Court attended that church, outside
stolidly respectable tho it was around
on it's front. Even responsibility has
ragbag and ash barrel; and the Court,
with Sunday pipe and chair tilted
luxuriously against that rear wall,
and with starched calico and serene
folded arms on the tiers of porches,
went to church, listened and criti-
cised, and kept furtive eye on dinner
and babies.
Jinny's attic was close under the
ragged roof-a great cele stial acre
of stars all her own. She loved to
lie there alone, with mood soft as
thistle silk wrapping her warm; only
just beatiic sense of being part of
the starry dark, floating in the wide
silver silence flooding the skies.
Jimmy had the loveliest faith in the
world in prayer.
"Jest like sayin' the alphabet" she
told herself. always begin at A,
rich folks and poor folks and Presi-
dents; nobody never begins at and-so
forth. All say A; and every little
club in the procession always comes
right behind the same other one
ahead. SOS prayin'. Gods bound
to listen; he said SO. When body
prays, that's A; and when he answers,
that's B. Can't have no answer less
you pray SOS to make something for
him to answer to-"
A dollar and a quarter week
won't buy groceries and medicine for
mother-mother was nearly always
ailing-and shelter and shoes-Jinny
needed new shoes; leaky as water
spouts hers were, and patched. Every
squeak of the stairs as Jimmy climbed
them said S-h-o S! Jimmy ached
all over to the squeaks. She leaned
out of the window; the wind from the
hollow moon touched her face soft as
fingers in a dream. All the world
seemed lowered over with shining
wings. The nights great, warm,
sweet bosom seemed to throb against
her cheek. 1t was Paradise, and the
walls down so low she could look
clear over and almost smell the lilies
blowing on the heavenly hills.
"I'd be so much obliged" she told
God. "I'm goin' to shut my eyes.
Please, God, if you'd jest let me seea
teenty shootin' star when first open
'em I'd know you was sayin' Yes,
jimmy Not" she hastily added
"not if it amt PERFECTLY convenient"
The big eyes behind the prayerful
lids were very solemn. Talking out
loud to God away up against the sky
was a solemn thing. In the sheer,
starry atmosphere Jinnys face
looked very fair. She Enclosed her
eyes at Amen; long shimmering
arrow of white fire trailed across her
vision, softly dying in the purple
skies. Down went Jinny's head on
her pallet, her heart swift and glad
and frightened. Not once did she
open her eyes; but that dripping fire