The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-04-25

little time and less taste; and when,
now and then, at the old lady's re-
quest, she does bring a few flowers
into the house she thrust them
into glass with the leaves all on the
stems, in the most unsightly manner.
Do you think that you would be
willing to take this into your hands
and attend to it faithfully, Polly"
Polly said that she would. And
so each morning she would trip down
to the little cottage; and, after a
bright "Good morning. and a few
kind words to the old woman,-who
soon came to watch for her coming
as the one great event of her long,
weary day,-she would arrange the
fresh flowers which she always
brought with her, washing the glass,
and stripping the stems OF the leaves
so that they looked like brown and
green threads through the clean
water. Often she would stay and read
a little or talk, as the old lady pre-
ferred; and through all the day which
followed Polly carried with her the
happy consciousness of having
brought pleasure into sad life.
When Aunt Nell had begged for a
fountain to be placed on one of the
lawns beneath a certain group of
trees, she had asked that it might
not be regular basin. So it had
been laid out in the form of tiny
lake; and it was on the banks that
the ferns and plants were to be
placed for which Polly and her uncle
were going to the woods. 1t was a
very pretty wood with great marshy
lake in the centre, numbers of little
pools through it, and one particular
ly beautiful spot which Polly called
"the aisle, "a cleared space which
ran straight for some distance be-
meath the trees, forming long,
lovely vista, and ending in one Of
those limpid little pools which were
the delight of Polly's heart.
She followed her uncle now, as he
went along the margin of the marsh
or stopped beside the various pools,
selecting plants and ferns, which he
placed in the wheel barrow that he
had brought along for the purpose;
and, when finally he thought that
they had enough, Polly could hardly
wait till they were transplanted to
their new quarters, so eager was she
to see the effect. "The water-plants
are so pretty, I'm coming to the
woods tomorrow to get some of the
blossoms for old Mrs. Smith. / think
she has almost every flower there is
in our garden, and they will look
lovely in a fiat dish" But, when the
next morning came, Polly was sorely
tempted, for once, to neglect Mrs.
Smith.
They spent the rest of the after
noon in planting the banks of the
fountain; and, when it was finally
finished, just before dark, it was in
deed lovely little spot, and quite
worthy the EXPLANATIONS of delight
with which Aunt Nell greeted the
sight when she was finally allowed to
come and see it. Rocks and stones
were placed in the most natural man.
ner; and among them grew the ferns,
moss, and water-plants, and over all
the fountain cast its little shower
with the most musical tinkling.
swell, Polly, think that we have
earned our supper" said her uncle,
as they seated themselves at the table
half an hour later; "and l see that
Aunt Nell has rewarded us for our
labor by giving us the very best that
her larder afforded. Pass your plate,
little woman, and 1 will give you
your favorite drum stick Why,
where is my ring9" And, sure
enough, on glancing at his hand,
they saw that the ring was gone.
Perhaps you took it off, and put
it down somewhere" suggested Aunt
Nell, as he laid down his knife and
fork, and leaned back in his chair,
with his eyes fixed sadly on his bare
hand. "You know you often do when
you are working at something that
you fear may harm it.
~ did intend taking it off, and l
suppose l must have done so; but yet
l can remember nothing whatever
about it. Perhaps it may be in one
of my pockets" And he left the
table to search the suit that he had
worn during the day, returning pres
emily, however, to say that the ring
was not there, and looking SO sad
over his loss that Polly's tender heart
was deeply touched.
1t was not to be wondered at that
Polly's first thought in the morning
was of the lost ring. ooh. how l