The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1899-06-23

ity in revealing her past. my father
was dead and my mother helpless.
was the only one to keep our little
house out on the common. ard then
did plain sewing at the wiECow all day
long for, months, just as l am doing
now. Some day in Gods own time
will be nun kept measure with the
rolling wheel. There was no hurry
and on Sundays after mass l used te
90 to the convent. 1t seemed like
great castle rising high above the side
walk, and within the nuns, like noble
ladies, came so kindly down to me-"
Sister Euphemia turned toward the
window once more. How tired she
was then, and she had never grown
rested; but what matter? 1t was il
Gods service, and what recreation
had been in her blank existence. She
heard a droning of voices in the room
beyond, and memory came back Of
rare embroideries that ravished he1
eyes and moved to such passionate de
sire as was never before known in he1
arid life. Oh! to evolve beneath her owl
fingers such miracles of the needle. She
seemed to feel anew the great influ
ence working in her. flushing her veins
and injecting a great vigor into hel
being, but suddenly control walled
back the forbidden flow as canal gates
close against the rush of hurrying wa
ter, and she went on in her usual cool
quiet voice:
''There I saw such exquisite finger.
work." she said, slowly and with q
timid kind of hesitation; sit seemed
a wonderful gift and privilege to paint
such pictures with the needle, to be
able to buy materials and work out
ones own beautiful designs. The great
value of those magnificent vestments
representing months and months of pa
tient labor, held me awe-stricken. All
at once l realized l could do this-that
my artistic and theoretical equipment
were simply seconded by my skill in
fine stitching. was happy thinking to
what great purpose I should live. The
nuns would not find me wholly use
less" Sister Euphemia seemed hurried
on in spite of herself. "My machine
ran on through many long seasons, "
she continued, "and all the while I
dreamed of bright silks and jewels and
cloth of gold for the church, fair out
line took form in imagination, to be
laid aside in my mental storehouse for
future use. The simple JOY of handling
those rainbow tints for God seemed to
me the browning glory of a religeuse
life, and little pride suggested that
some day might take my place among
the nuns as the first embroiderer."
"Did you ever crafty your bent?"
asked Hester, quick understanding
and suspense disturbing her heart and
mind.
"Well, after we received the white
veil the novices were assigned certain
duties; and had no time for fancy work.
Then a great pile of habits needed
mending and making over. They were
given to me. I did them all rapidly,
thinking little fancy sewing might
be apportioned me, but the cloaks
seemed to multiply" she said, with an
amused lighting of the face. "Some
way 1 got on faster than anyone else.
Reverend Mother was pleased, but a
little fright seized me lest this should
go on indefinitely. Then hope urged,
it is only test for the novice: think
of the years to come when you will be
mistress of all those dazzling skeins;'
but 1 have been here ten years now and
no colored thread has ever strung my
needle" She finished with smile that
seemed angelic in its utter disclaimer
of any complaint. Would Hester still
think them a limp and soulless COM
munity? Was her illustration small
and weak to the gay-lived birding of
the world?
But Hester was speechless with her
different emotions. Under such con-
voice to utter coloressness? and when
her listener was thrilling with resent
ment. Yes. they were terribly human.
and what vast proportions little de-
sire might assume within contract
ed circle.
"Why didn't they allow you a con-
genial employment, at least OCCASION
ally?" asked the girl, Indignantly.
She could not stand such constTaint for
herself. Her impetuous nature would
tear down and toss right and left all
the distractions in her way.
'They did not know" was the SIM
pie answer; 1--WE are here to do our part.
and this is mine. The other was onlv
my PLAN"
The folding doors swung back be-
tween the sewing and adjacent rooms.
and one of the order appeared in the
opening.
Come see our finished embroideries.
sister," invited the cold-faced nun.
"You. too, Miss Hester" noting the Wis
itor.
Hester glanced quickly at Sister Eu-
phemia. So she had known all the time
her enchanted palace lay just beyond
the folding doors. Already Sister Eu-
phemia's eyes were glowing over the
solar spectrum of tropical ints and
combinations that magnetized her ar
tlstic sense; recollection of the. Wis
itor was blotted out in the rarer feast
before her. All tie WEAKNESS had left
her fine sweet face. Beautiful" trem-
bled blissfully on her lips She did not
think: If / might do tl1is!" Such