The record-union., 1897-04-16
AN EASTER LILY.

1t came from Egypt and was as mys-
terious as that far-off land. Uncle Jack
brought it when he came home in Sep
tember He said that it was an Arum
or Gala lily and would bloom by
Christmas.
When the many odd foreign gifts
were unpacked, Uncle Jack began dis
tributing, and the lily fell to Dorothy.
She was very happy to be the owner OF
a plant that was arranged by nature to
bloom at a certain time, and she tend
ed it with great care and patience.
October went by, then November; De-
cember came, still no sign of a bud.
Dorothy grew impatient On Christmas
eve she was watering the lily. Tears
of vexation sprang to her eyes. Leaves
stood out on it in luxudious abundance.
They shook and quivered as the drops
of water fell on them; they might have
been saying, Were glad. we're glad"
'Oh, you stupid plants,'' cried Doro-
thy, You don't know enough 10 bloom
for Christmas day"
Then the leaves We're quiet Maybe
the plant was thinking. Christmas
went by, the plant still sent out more
leaves. March came; Lent began, and
tended the fly, and one day a shoot
came up that was rounder than a leafs
stem, and was lighter in color.
obi" cried Dorothy, you dear
little plant! You wanted to bloom for
Easter Look, mammal Here IS q lily
bud at last"
There was great rejoicing over the
long pearly stem that slowly pushed
the bud higher and higher till it topped
the leaves and gracefully curled itself
into flower.
Holy week saw it open fully and on
Good Friday it showed the golden
stamen, that threatened to shower it's
yellow glory over the beautiful white
cup.
Dorothy's mother was glad to have
her little daughter so interested and
charmed. Dark days and hard times
| had come to Dorothy's father. Many
a sacrifice was laid on each member of
the little household, which each tried
to bear so that no added burden should
fall on the discouraged overtaxed man.
| Dorothy listened bravely when her
little friends We're talking of Easter
/ gifts and Easter finery. She tried to
| keep in her heart the thought, Il have
an Easter lily. L do not care for gifts
or new clothes. 1 have been a good
! little girl during Lent, and my lily
bloomed. That is enough for me-"
On Good Friday morning after serv-
| ice the rector overlook them on their
way home. He said he feared the
! Easter flowers were not to be as plenti-
full as usual. Hard times had come
upon many members of the little con-
gregation, and he was asking people to
| give what blossoms they could spare
from their house-plants.
| Il always tell them, anything that
| is a flower viii be welcome. Let every
one do as he is disposed in his heart;
not grudgingly nor of necessity; for
! God loveth cheerful giver."
| The mother looked down at Dorothy
wondering whether she would proffer
| her lily. No, she did not seem to un-
| derstand that the rector meant her
So when they were safely home the
mother said:
Shall you send in your lily, Doro-
thy?"
why, no. Certainly not! It is only
| one flower. And it is all that have
1 must keep it!'
| well, dear! If you feel in that way,
| the gift would bring no blessing. The
rector said something about cheerful
giving, if you remember"
| Dorothy looked sulky. She thought
| it very strange that she must give up
| everything, even her dear lily, when
other girls had new dresses and hats.
| Why, there was Flora Simpson-here
| Dorothy broke down and cried. She
flew up to her room and sobbed out
her trouble, till an angel came with a
| lovely thought to comfort her When
she came down stairs, her face was
shining and she was a CHEEKY little
Dorothy once more
| Next morning she snipt off her
lovely lily and two great green leaves.
| folded them neatly in a white paper,
on which she wrote, This is only one
lily, but is all haye. 1t comes cheer
! fully from Dorothy
Her mother looked on while Dorothy
| labored over her tiny note There was
a smile on her lip and a tear in her eye.
as the dear child started for the church.
Sometimes mothers smiles and tears
are like prayers.
The ladies who were dressing the
church were very quiet when Dorothy's
[
always knew just what to do on all
occasions. picked up the lily and it's
! leaves, twisted a bit of ribbon about
their stems and fastened it in the braz-
en- beak of the eagle in front of the
lectern
Dorothy waited no longer. She fed
home with a happy beating heart. She
had given up all. Yet she was glad,
glad! glad!
And the fair girl at the church
worked away with a. will. unmindful of
thorns, or tough stems, making Gods
home more lovely with each effort, and
brushing away drops from her cheeks
that We're not all dew"
All people are not rewarded at once
for good deeds: This time a little
shower of good things was to fall on
Dorothy's brown curly head
! Toward afternoon on Easter Even.
Mrs. SimI son, Flora's mother, wrote
Dorothy's mother little note and sent
with it great pasteboard box The
note said that Flora s grandmother had
| Just died and her little girl would have
to wear black dresses for many months.
1T said that as Dorothy and Flora were
the same size, would she accept the
little Easter outfit and wear it for their
sakes?
Dorothy's mamma cried a little and
so did Dorothy. It seemed hard that
pleasure and sorrow must go hand in
hand. Still, on Easter Day, Dorothy
looked brave and pretty in the plaid
silk dress and feathered hat. She tried
to think of other things, but was very
I ri Of oil nfA