Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-06-29


Quieted, she said: II always meant to
talk to you about your name. Pen, dear.
but was waiting until you We're little
older. I regret did not do II sooner. but
I had no idea what my little daughter
was bearing
"You know your father and I lived in
England years before you were born.
Your brother. whom you never saw, lies
In n green church yard there. We were
poor. and life was pretty hard for Ms. so
| we decided to try our fortune In the
United States. Everything prospcrcd
with us after we came here. Your faith
| or found constant work. and We were,
very happy. ] suppose that Is the reason
why he became 80 devoted to his adopted
country. lie used to say he was the
best kind Of an American citizen; others
were born so but he was ono from choice.
Then the Civil War broke out and could
see he was uneasy thinking he ought to
enlist. but he would not do 50 until he had
saved enough money to keep mo comfort
ably, and 50 matters went ON until the
second year of the war. remember II
was the 10Th of March previous to your
birthday. The last think he whispered
to me was; III baby comes call 1t indie
pcndcncc. That name will answer for
boy or girl, and II fits so well on Day
IL partly believe he meant 1t for u joke
TO make me smile instead of cry, but
there was no time to explain, for the next
minute he had kissed me and was gone.
! need not tell YOU how lonely and nnx-
ious | was. Tho time went ON to those
dreadful days In the first week of July,
1853. Yes. your father was at Gettys-
burg. How nnNiously l watched the pa
pcrs and on the lhird-that's nine years
ago to-day-the evening paper brought
the terrible news to me, as to many an
other woman. There was the list of the
dead, and there was his regiment; there
was his company and there was his name
James Day. No other man named Day
In that company: there could be no mis-
take He had been killed In the first Of
the fighting. ! can see those fearful let
tiers now when shut my eyes,
Here Mrs. Day broke down, and little
Pen could not say word, only strokcd
her mothers hand silently. After min
ute Mrs. Day controlled herself. Next
morning, the morning of July 4, YOU
| came. my darling, my comforter, and this
| Is the reason you are Independence Day
l could not give you any other name. You
are your fathers own child-his hair, his
! cyo>. even his intense nature, are yours.
/ Now that she knows, am sure my little
/ daughter will be rs brave as he was, and
proud of her name because of him. Re-
member always, dear, not boy OF them
would laugh II they knew the real story
So 1t happened that when Miss indie
pcndcncc Day went to school ON the
morning of July ), there was certain
new dignity in the childs bearing: when
roll call came her voice had lost its pctu-
lance and had gained an unknown sweet
ness, withal n ring that reminded one OF
a clear toned bell. Something in her air
said, You may tease me rs much as You
like, shan't mind, for I've got secret. y
and we all know that when boys ma
teasing does not tease they stop. ms
is not all, however, nor even the best part
of the story. One day before her tor
mentors had grown tired OF stirring her
up as they called it she Glanced TO wear
a string of coral beads. Jack Lyman,
the woud-be wit of the school, snatched
at it rudely. calling out, Heres Indies
coral strand" Seeing her look OF per-
plcxity he added mockingly IF yer don't
know what that means, better Jine n
girls missionary s'ciety.'
Stung by the contempt In his voice.
resolute little Independence made mp her
mind she would know what 1t meant. Of
course she asked her mother, and, though
Mrs. Day was not over wise on mission
airy topics, she had heard Bishop Hebers
grand old hymn and explained its mean
ing as best she could. The story took
hold of the child with strong fascina-
ton. She never would put on those beads
again, but she often took them out OF
their box and looked at them with some
thing like affection. repeating softly to
herself, "Indics coral strand She al
ways said INDIES, not midas, as il i,
were a personal possession.
God sometimes uses small means to ac'
cpmpiish great purposes. BY such little
things the girls interest In missions was
awakened 1t grew as she grew to WON