Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-03-25
head, but she did not understand
about the suffering.

"What is 1t Grace?' she asked.
ooh, it's Phil" she cried. "He
doesn't care for me any more. He's
taking Jennie Thompson now, and L
can't bear it. Mother said other
women had to bear such things, but
she'd always been happy, and 1 could
come to you. You could help me-"
she said, looking up appealingly.
"You could teach me to forget"
eyes" said Faith, slowly.
Then it came back to her, all her
own little story, and dim, broken
memory of the first heartache and her
own longing to forget.
"Poor little GIRL" whispered Faith,
stroking the beautiful mass of golden
hair. "How was it learned to for
get? Let me think Yes, remember
now. Wait minute, dear. will
show YOU"
Faith slipped out of the room and
soon returned, bringing three rolls Of
very broad crocheted lace.
"Can you crochet, Grace?"
"Not very much" said Grace,
wonderingly.
"Well, will teach you. This is the
| way l learned to forget. The needle
slips in and ont, and the sunlight and
freight shine on it, aud the lace grows
and is so pretty, and it brings comfort.
When / began, / couldn't see the
needle oh, how long ago that isl
for the tears. That was when l knew
he would never come again, and had
my wedding dress all ready -its
grown yellow in chest in the garnet.
But after awhile the lace took up my
trouble drop by drop till it was gone,
and 1 couldn't tell you today where it
is. SO I'll teach you, dear. There
are the three rolls did in the three
years, one for each. They are yellow
now, you see.
Faith opened one and spread it out.
1t was an intricate pattern, very broad.
"It's hard to do" she said, "but that
is all the better for the forgetting. If
I'd been q man, 1 should have gone
away to Africa. I've often thought it
would do good deal toward making
a body forget to see the sun falling
down like ball and the dark come as
if somebody had blown out The light.
But l couldn't very well, so l learned
to crochet. l never gave the lace
away, You see, because | had worked
my trouble into it, and l was afraid.
| thought long time about it when
Alice was married, but l was afraid it
would some way make her sad when
she wore it. So it's all here. This is
the first year's--you see I've num-
bered it one-and this is the seconds,
and this is the thirds. There's the
three"
Faith handled the rolls over and
over, lost for minute in the associa-
tons which they revived. Her neice
seemed to have forg item her own
grief for the time and was observing
her aunt curiously as she bent over the
lace.
CHATS a fern PATTERN" said Faith.
"It's very pretty"
Faith sat silent for time, smooth
ing ont the creases OF the lace and
drawing it out to its length. 1t seemed
to have the effect of an enchanter's
want, for it summoned old faces and
scenes at will, and Faith grew blind
to the little room and the needs of her
guest. At last Grace moved impa-
tiently.
"Yes, yes" said Faith, like one
awaking, "to forget. This is the way.
Here is the old pattern. will teach
you"
She hustled about, finding thread
and needle, seated herself at Grace's
side, drew the thread through her
fingers and began her work.
There" she said after a minute,
"Do you see how it's done? 1t isn't
hard. Try it,"
Grace took the needle helplessly.
"'Do you think / could forget SO,
atnt?" she asked hesitatingly.
81 did, said Faith
Grace had returned to her task and
made one or two awkward motions
with the needle when there came
ring at the door.
cts Phil" exclaimed Grace,
springing up.
Grace said the recreant lover,
standing awkwardly by the door,
after Aunt Faith had admitted him
and had retreated toward her chair,
There were shame and pleading in his
voice.
Grace caught her hat and went to
him without another word.
"We'll try the crocheting some
other time, Aunt Faith" said Grace.
Then seeing her aunt's half dazed
expression, as if she hardly under
stood this new development of affairs,
she ran back and kissed her Grace's
face bore no trace of sadness as she
turned to Phil, and they went out