The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-02-02

come in to nleI
"No no; will stay with YOU" he
continued.
But she was growing calmer. mo;
you must so to bed. l only awolle
with a start You must be tired. III
am childish: that is ALL" But she
shive,.ed again.
He sat down beside her. After some
time she said, Twill you not rub my
feet?"
lie knelt down at the foot of the
1t was swollen and .unsightly now. but
as he touched it he bent down and
covered it with kisses.
at makes it better when you kiss it.
Thank you. What makes you all love
me 500" Then dreamily she muttered
to herself: Not utterly bad, not quite
bad What makes them all love me
so?"
kneeling there, rubbing softly. with
his cheek pressed against the little
foot, Gregory dropped to sleep at last.
How long he knelt there he could not
tell, but when he started up AWAKE
she was not looking at him. The eyes
were fixed on the far corner gazing
wide and intent. with an unearthly
light.
lie looked round fearfully. What
did she see there-God's angels come
TO call her. something fearful? He
saw only the purple curtain with the
shadows that fell fron-it. Softly he
whispered. asking what she saw there.
And she said. in voice strangely
unlike her own: II see the vision of a
poor weak soul striving after good. 1t
! was not cut short. and in the end 1t
learned, through tears and much pain.
that holiness is an infinite compassion
for others; that greatness is to take the
common things of life and walk truly
among them; that"-she moved her
white hand and laid it on her fore
head-"h happiness is a great love and
| much serving. 1t was not cut short,
and it loved what it had learned-it
ioved-and"-
| Was that all she saw in the corner?
| Gregory told the landlady the next
morning that she had been wandering
all night Yet when he came in to
give her her breakfast she was sitting
up against the pillows, looking as he
had not seen her look before.
"Put it close to me-" she said. land
when I have had breakfast am going
to dress
She finished all he had brought her
eagerly,
II am sitting up quite by myself"
she said. Give me his meat" And
! she fed the dog herself. cutting his
food small for him. She moved to the
side of the bed.
"Now bring the chair near and dress
me. 1t is being in this room so long
and looking at that miserable little bit
of sunshine that comes in through the
shutter that is making me so ill. AL
ways that lions paw" she said. with Il
look of disgust at it. Come and dress
me-" Gregory knelt on the floor be
fore her and tried to draw on one
stocking, but the little swollen foot re
fused to be covered.
ut is very funny that should have
grown so fat since l have been so i'll.
she said, peering down curiously. per
haps it is want of exercise" She look
ed troubled and said again, "Perhap!
it is want of exercise" She wanted
Gregory to say SO. too. but he onl.
found larger pair and then tried t,
force the shoes-oh. so tenderly!-ol
to her little feet.
"There!" she said looking down a
them when they were Oh with the de
light of Il small child over it's frs
shoes. Il could walk now. How mic
it looks"
NO" she said, seeing the soft cow
he had prepared for her; 81 will no
put that on. Get one of my whit
dresses, the one with the pink bows
l do not even want to think hav
been ill. 1t is thinking and thinking
of things that makes them real" sh
said. "When you draw your min
together and resolve that a thing sha
not be, it gives way before you; it
not Everything is possible if one
resolved" she said. She drew in he
little lips together, and Gregory obeye
her. She was so small and slight no,
, it was like dressing a small doll. FL
would have Lifted her down from th
! bed when lie had finished, but sh
pushed him from her, laughing yer
/. softly. 1t was the first time she ha
laughed in those long dreary months.
mo, no: can get down myself" sh
said, slipping cautiously to the foo
you seer She cast a defiant glano
( of triumph when she stood Their
! Hold the curtain up high. want I
! look at myself"
He raised it and stood holding
9 She looked into the glass on the OF
! posite wall-such Il queenly little fl!
i ure in its pink and white; such
transparent little face, refined by su
! fering into an almost angellike beal
! ty. The face looked at her. she loo
4 ed back. laughing softly. Doss, qui
e ering with excitement, ran round he
i barking. She took one step towal
:. the door. balancing herself with on
: stretched hands.
y Il am nearly there" she said.
Il