Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1898-04-15
MISS FAITHS ADVICE.


ship, as usual, with her familiar spirit,
a piece of orocheted cdging. Her touch
upon tho mazcs Of tangled thread was
very gentle, even ondoaring, and her
look of content as she held it up and
noted les effect rs a whole seemed vast
ly out Of proportion to the cause. Miss
Faith was still pCotty, with the pathetic
beauty held us hotSam from the wreck
of years. Her hair was prettier as silver
than it had ever been as brown, and her
eyes, though they had lost their vivid
glow and eagerness, had gained a kiadly
sympathy. Her tenderness had ever ex-
tended to the crocheting in her hand
and impaired something to that usually
very impersonal object that her fancy
had frettcd into thinking q response.
She passed her hand ~afiectionately over
it now, as the figure Of a pineapple,
much conventinnalized, repeating itself
like history again and again, fell in seal
Tops to the noor. ITS most done, " she
thought. IL can go back to the cak leaf
pretty soon.
A change in tho crochet pattern was
tho chief diversion Of Faiths life, that
ran on as monotonously TO the observer
as tho tune Of the famous harper who
played upon only one string. To mn ant
the coming Of a stick or u stone may be
o great event. 1t is not hard TO under
stand how q life that consists in taking
infinite pains with muny little things
may get its sips of excitement, interest
aud novelty from q change in a pattern
of crochet. Tho examination Of the work
appeared TO be satisfactory, and Faith
laid it Oh the table at her side. This ia
bic was devoted to the uses OF her art,
nor was ever profaned by the presence
of any irrelevant substance. There were
rows of spools upon it, drawn up in
lines like soldiers ready to receive an
attack, hooks of various sizes lying like
weapon by their side and various rolls
of lace, the finished product of their
warfare. Faith regarded them with ap-
prevail, but her hand that had lain upon
tho table fell away from the accustomed
task, and she sat idle, watching the red
coal. the shadows the lamplight threw
upon the carpet and listening to tho
clatter that Mary, her maid Of all work,
was making al q part Of tho dishwash-
ing.
Its a kind Of jugGlery she goes
through with those dishes. thought
Faith regTetfnlly, "a sleight OF hand
performance, to see how many tricks
she can do before one of them will
break" But her face did not cloud, fcI
she had learned resignation. She had
surroadsrsd TO Mary the dishes and all
the rest q tho household divinities that
she had served so deity and carefully
for years that sho might be more at lei
sure to whilo aw ay her timo in her own
innocent fashion.
She wondered, as she sat staring
DULY at the blaze, how the crccheting
had come to mean SO much to her and
could not think for the instant, then
half remembered, saddened a little, lost
the thread Of memory again, recovered
1t and fell to musing, her elbow resting
on the table, her cheek in her palm.
She could hardly believe now that O
certain few years Of her life had eveI
really happened. They must have be-
longed to some other and wandered
willfully into her own, TOR there was
no home for them in hers or likeness
unto anything they brought Was it sol
They had gone so utterly, so complete
ly, and she was happy now in her own
harmless way, far inland, out Of all
reach of storm and reef. She was still
looking vaguely, half wistfully, at the
fire when her doorbell rang and som
one had entered the room and was hur
rying to her side.
Aunt Faith, " said a girlish, tremu.
lous voice, 1--WE como to ask you t.
help me. Mother said you had suffered
like this once and you had learned t
forget. and thought perhaps you could
show me the way"
Faith looked down upon the sligh
figure erouched there, %sobbing, and lait
her hand gently upon the brown head
but she did not understand about tn
suffering.
what Is IL, Grace?'' she asked.
"Oh, it's PHILIP she cried. "H
doesn't care for me any more. He's TAX
ing Jennie Thompson now, and l can
bear it. Mother said other women ha
10 bear such things. but she'd alway
been happy, and ! could come to you
You could help me, she said, lookin
up appealingly. you could teach IN
TO forget.
yes" said Faith slowly.
Then it came back to her, all her ow
little story. and q dim, broken memor
of the first heArtache and her own Ions
ing TO forget.
Poor little girl" whispered Faitf
stroking the beautiful mass Of tangle
hair. GLOW was it l learned to forget
Let mo think. Yes, 1 remember now
Wait a minute. dear. Twill show you.
Faith slipped out of the room and 500
returned, bringing three rolls OF yer
broad crocheted lace.
"Can you crochet, GraceF'
"Not very much. said Grace, wor
deringly. b.
"Well. / will teach you. This rs th
way / learned to forget. The need
slips in and out, and the sunlight an
Arelight shine on it, and the lace grow
and is 80 pretty. and it brings comforl
When / began, / couldn't see the need
-Oh, how long ago that isEfor "a