Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-04-22
AN EASTER MESSAGE.

$50 you see, Soft Voice, Easter ought
10 be the happiest day in the year for
us-the resurrection gave such hope to
the world. 1t was the triumph of love.
If the great Teacher had not loved us
so unselfishly and patiently, perhaps
He would not have come back from the
grave.
81 can see how there is an every day
lesson in this for us. Just as long as
we are loving and forgiving to people
we are able to rise above the things
they may do to trouble us; but when
bitterness and hate control our minds,
we are surely dead to the things that
make us better than the brutes Love
forces resurrection from that which is
lowest in our natures and Easter
teaches us its power. 1t seems very I'M
grateful to be unkind at Easter time. y
Winifred Gray's heart had grown very
full while she talked. She seemed to
have risen quite out Of herself as she
stood gazing thoughtfully across the
prairie with an eloquent glow on her
pretty young face.
Soft Voices brown eyes watched her
admiringly for moment, then the In
dian girl, glancing at the sun lowering
to the Bad Lands on the Western ho-
rizon, arranged her light blanket about
her shoulders and swung herself easily
up on the bare back of the pinto pony
she was holding by rope halter.
Thank you" she said in the gentle
tones that had won her her name; you
help me much"
Winifred looked at her with a pleas
ed smile. I'm glad If do" she said +.
when you tell me about things ]
see clear" added the Indian girl.
81 have book of beautiful things
which Edna and / have been copying
from books we've read, and I'll lend it
to you, Soft Voice." said Winifred
I'm sure there are many things in it
that would help you. We're all COM
ing out to the camp on inspection day,
and I'll bring it then
Soft Voice thanked her, starting the
pony with little kick in the ribs, and
cantered away from Fort Strong across
the plain to the Indian outpost, five
miles distant, where her father was a
sergeant in a troop of Cheyenne cav
airy.
Winifred sat down on a raised wood
en- platform under one of the light can
non that stood in a row just outside
of Fort Strong. She had met Soft
Voice as she was coming ont of school,
and had walked thus far with her.
She felt a great interest in her In
dian friend. Soft Voice had returned
the previous fall from Carlisle. where
she had been a student at the Indian
school for several years. She had been
forced back into the savage dress and
primitive ways of her own people, but
many of the deeper lessons she had
learned at school chung to her. She
endeavored faithfully to live up to the
best she knew, and she wanted to learn
more.
A great many Indians must be try
ing to struggle out of their darkness
just as Soft Voice is, thought Wini-
fred, and it seemed to her that when
she was old enough to choose what her
life should be, she would gladly devote
1t to helping them. She recalled the
hungry expression of Soft Voices eyes
as she listened to her explanation Of
Bible lessons, and mist of missionary
ardor rose in her own.
At short distance from where she
sat two guard house prisoners, with a
sentry attending them, were making a
bonfire Of some rubbish that had COL
lected about the post.
1t was beautiful afternoon in April.
Little punches of little wild flowers
were peeping up here and there among
the short new grass. BY Easter Sum
day the prairie would be in still fuller
bloom. How nature glorified the pre-
cious day!
A rustic of garments disturbed Wini-
fred's reflections, and Edna Kent's
brown dress and white pinafore APP
peared from around the cannon. She
flung her books down on the platform
with a little jerk and pumped herself
beside them.
Edna was slight girl with a pale,
sharp-featured face shaded by long au-
burn curls. She looked out of sorts.
"I called you, Winny, as you were
leaving school. / wanted you to wait
for me-" she said ENORMOUSLY.
II know, but saw Soft Voice COM
ing from the post traders, and l want
ed to speak to her." Winifred explain
ed.
"Oh, indeed"
"And by the way" said Winifred.
without noticing the disagreeable tone
of the ejaculation, where is the quo
tation book? want 1t, please"
What for?"
II thought l would like to lend II to
Soft Voice."
"well, like that It's mine as much
as IT'S yours!"
"Of course 1t is" said Winifred, rath-
eff impatiently, but don't see why I
Shouldn't lend II to Soft Voice for n
few days"
Edna's brown eyes snapped. She was
in a vexatious mood. You've no right
to lend my property without asking
my permission" she declared.
"Oh, how silly" exclaimed winifred.
"She isn't going to hurt the book"