The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-12-14


herd when they were stampeding, ans
roping the wild steers, and all that"
Mat laughed.
How much you know about it
And how ambitious you are, for a cir
who has not the strength to trtin he
own voice, or the will TO use it for th,
pleasure o. her family p
Paula had the grace to blush at that
at is such little bit of voice." shs
said, ''aBd its so stupid to sing badly
Any one can do that. | would prac
tice fast enough if had special gif
that made it worth cultivating."
People who viii not do something
with small gifts, might not do much
with great ones" )" said Mat. 81 do not
know that l have a great gift of herd
ing cattle, but it is finer to do the work
at hand than to wish for that a thou
sand miles away"
Meaning that as hint to me. Some
one is always preaching at me, but you
know am resting this year between
high school and college,"
"You mean that you are rusting,
Paula You make that an excuse fol
shirking everything that you do not
really wish to do. 1t seems such q
shame to neglect your advantages
when there are so many girls that
would give all but their heads to have
them. And you know that you will
not be so fit for the work next year, il
you fall back now.n
1t took some courage for Mat to speak
out from the depths of her convictions,
but Paula needed rousing to a knOwl-
edge of her faults. Mat herself was
striving hard to pick up some Of the
accomplishments that were not open
to her in her busy life at home, and
between finger-exercises and dance
steps and eloeutionary drilling, her
time was well filled. 1t is probable
that the example of her untiring in
dustry, and the results accomplished
by it, carried more force than her
words, for Paula went back to her vocal
lessons with renewed energy, and be-
stirred herself in other ways.
Her family took quiet note of the
change.
MAT is doing our thoughtless girl a
world of good" they said to one anoth-
er but Mat was having some troubles
of her own that were not suspected,
even by Paula 1t was hard to hold
to her simple ways in this gay house
hold, and the temptation "while in
Rome to do like the Romans" very
often assailed her.
"Matinee tickets for you girls, was
one of the temptations, but she put that
down firmly enough.
II am sorry that l cannont go. /
have to write my letter home this az
ternoon. Make some other girl happy
by taking her in my place, Paula"
1.-The idea p cried Paula. "You can
write your letter any day Of the week,
and you may never have another
chance to hear Rosenthsl."
81 could write the letter, yes but
my father will not get it in his weekly
mail unless it goes this afternoon, and
he will drive twenty miles t. the post
Office, expecting it. l would not dis
appoint him for twenty Rosenthals, u
said Mat. And Cousin Ben, who had
given the tickets, approved.
"She is true stuff he said to him
self; and he set to wondering how he
might give her some bit of pleasure
that would show his appreciation of
the good influence that she was exert
ing over Paula. He brought her up
standing before a jewelers. window the
next time they were out walking to-
gether.
(which of these gimcracks shall /
give you on your birthday, Mat?" he
asked. "You are not too strong mind
ed to like such things, are your
Mat was afraid that she might like
them only too well if she were able to
indulge her tastes, for she had all of a
girls liking for pretty things, but she
had observed that one bit of finery or
ornament out of the usual line nearly
always creates a desire for something
else TO follow it, 50 she answered:
mo gimcracks for me, please. 1
want too many other things, and will
thank you for something useful instead,
Cousin Ben"
"A pair OF spurs or Mexican sad
die, l suppose ?n laughed Ben.
"Or a book or a writing set, as have
both Of those" amended Mat but Ben
observed that she looked admiringly at
a jeweled pin, and drew an uncon-
scious sigh as she turned away from
the tempting display. It was a trial TO
live up to her convictions just then.
BY curious coincidence, Mas birth
day fell upon the same date as Paula's,
though she was = year the younger,
and Paula's birthday was always eeie-
brated with some special festivity. This
year, in honor Of the double rejoicing,
il took the form Of a butterfly ball.
Mat had never seen anything so won
derful as the gay costumes Of the hu-
man butterflies, aud it seemed like a
dream that she should be dancing
among them, dressed out In tulle. with
gauzy wings, as light Of foot and OF
heart as any one there.
"And wasn't it pleasant" Paula
said, when the evening was over.
And dolt you think IL is foolish OF
you TO deny yourself any Of our good
times while you have the chance at
them? no be butterfly while you are
with us"
ut was pleasant for a change, but
my way is best
Mat was & ad 10 find that she could
say this honestly, for there had been a
little uDconfessed fear that such pleas
ures might make her disconiented with
her own lot. Her good sense saved her
from anything Of that sort, and yet
there was a ranking Of disappoint-
ment tugglng at her heart
''No gifts" had been printed on the
cards, but there was a tableful Of gifts
from the family, and from near friends,
who had disregarded the injunction,