Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-05-15

Prompted by the thought, she asked
gently: land are you happy, Eleanor,
dearw
Eleanor hesitated for an instant, and
chen she smiled again and said: Eyes
usually l am. Just at present am
signing for the luxuries of life
Mrs. Dale was relieved. She knew
that Eleanor was too sensible to sigh
very long for anything. What do
you mean by the luxuries of life,
dear?" she asked.
"Now really, Mrs. Dale!" Eleanor
protested brightly, then, with more
color in her face, she added: Just
now they are the eight concerts that
the Beethoven society is going to
give"
Mrs. Dale smiled in sympathy.
''They are certainly the greatest OF
luxuries to music lovers" she agreed.
And to music teachers who must
spend their money for-other things,
Eleanor added, with laugh. please
don't think I'm really unhappy because
l can't afford to go, Mrs. Dale. I'm
not; I'm just croaking little. It's
such a help to any one to hear good
| music-especially to music teacher
and such joy! But I'm not unhappy
about it; I'm glad | can do other
| things. / don't feel bit like croaklng
any more since I've seen you'll"
"You dear child" exclaimed Mrs.
Dale, warmly. She knew that most
of the other things Eleanor did were
done for other persons, and done will
ingly and bravely. you dear child!''
she repeated.
Eleanor pressed her hand closely. Il
must fly to my next pupil, Mrs. Dale.
May L come to see you tomorrow
perhaps late in the afternoon?" she
whispered.
The quick tears came into Amy's
mothers eyes. "Yes, dol" she said
'Good-by, my dear!''
Eleanor sped up the street to her
next pupil, and Mrs. Dale turned to
enter the florists shop and buy the
white roses.
Eleanor is dear, good child" she
| thought, $50 brave and unselfish! 1t
is pity she can't go to those con
certs. They would give her such
help, and such happiness. too!
wish l could give her ticket to them
| Amy would be SO pleased; she
| loves Eleanor. IF tomorrow were
not Amy's birthday, and | were not
going to get flowers for her, | should
| be able to do that for Eleanor. She
would let me, because [ am Amy's
mother I wonder"
She stood quite still. A pleasant
new possibility came into her mind
She turned away from the florists
shop. In less than an hour she was
going home, past the yellow fields
| and sunset-lighted trees. She had
no flowers with her, but the look in
her eyes was less sad and less lone
| ly for Amy.
In the last few moments of day
| light she wrotea little note to Eleanor
| The girl wept tears, half-happy, half
sad, as she read:
| NV Dear Child: Tomorrow, as yor
| know, is Amys birthday. If Amy were
l.
| brate it. Amy is not here, but you are
| dear: and you are a girl like Amy, and hel
| friend Will you not take the gift for her
| and go and listen to the glorious music tina
| YOU so love and can so well make helpful
to yourself and others? Come to see me
soon, and believe me, your warm friend,
| AMY SPENCER DALE.
Slipped into the note, Eleanor founc
ticket to the Beethoven society's con
certs. Amy's mother had sent it very
happily, but after it had gone she sa
alone in the gathering twilight, wish
ing that she had just one flower tc
take on the. next day to Amy's grave
sAmy would have liked me to do that,
| she thought, ''but still-on her frs
! birthday"
| She did not finish the sentence, fol
! Just at that moment little Marjorie
| Williams, who lived next door, came
running in.
30, Mrs. Dale she cried, give beer
to the woods with father, and I've
| brought you some f1owers!" She raj
up to Mrs. Dale, and dropped into hel
| arms a great mass of glowing golden
rod and blue autumn daisies. Their
| she kissed her and danced away home
Mrs. Dale gathered the goldenrot
| and daisies in her arms, and pressed
! her cheek softly against them. The
next morning she took them and lai(
| them on Amy's grave. Strangely, he1
heart felt lighter than it had felt since
| Amy died.
She did not know why, but wher
! Eleanor came, later in the day, an(
| kissed her again and again, anC
| thanked hel with wet eyes for the gift
she began to know. Never after die
she cover Amy's grave with costly
| undertaking flowers.
Instead, at Christmas and at Easter
and on Amy's birthday, she did some
| lovely kindness for some other CIR
| for Amy's sake. Sometimes it was
small, sometimes it was large; but al
ways it was something that made the
| girl happier and better, and conse
| quently more valuable to the world