The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-05-24
X.
Continued.

SOuuutCo.
They went to q secondhand ward
robe shop, where the woman VINO kept
it-satisfying herself first that the SOW
erei.n which Little MakeBelieve
showed her was a good one-gaVe Der
the benefit of her experience in the
selection of frocks and hats.
The choosing of colors and materials
occupied them for a considerable time;
Little Make-Believe was soon suited
"a brown stuff frock and q plain
straw hat, which the woman declared
almost with tears in her eyes, were
dirt cheap for four shillings and six
pence. were purchased for her.
Far more difficult was the selection
of a frock and hat for Saranne, who at
length was made happy by becoming
the possessor of a blue frock OF soft
cashmere and q hat trimmed with rib
bons and little punches of forset-ne-
nots.
These could not be obtained for less
than eleven shillings, and the balance
of the sovereign was expended in stock
ings and some pieces Of colored b
for the further adornment of the
beauty of the family.
The purchase of boots AID sundry
other small requirements was left for
the rext day. Loaded with their pur-
chases. Little Make-Believe and Sa-
ranne returned home as happy, nay,
perhaps happier than any two human
beings within a dozen miles of them.
There was much to do at home that
night; the frocks, being secondhand,
did not exactly fit; alterations were re-
quired in them, which, of course, it
fell to the lot of Little Make-BelieTe
to make.
She was quite clever with her needle
and the way she set to work, shipping
and cutting and altering would have
been a lesson for many a dressmaker.
Long before she was done Saranne
was abed and asleep, dreaming fairy
dreams, with smiles on her lips and JOY
in her heart.
Not less happy was Little MakeBe-
lieve, who sat till nearly 2 in the morn
ing engaged in her labor of love.
AS she cut and stitched there was a
smile also on her lips and in her heart
q song.
The common room was glorifed, the
CLEAN Of the one thin candle a very
blaze Of light.
The faded and tern paper on the
walls, the black ceiling, the hard bed,
the scanty furnitur-theSe were the
unreal surroundings Of this patient,
sweet, unselfsh young soul.
What was the reality? Why, what
a question to ask? Did it not shine
around her in flowers and stars and
sunlight and shinin: water?
Forests in which the lovliest trees
were growing to the skies, the bees
singing their songs of fruitful favor,
birds chirping ON the branches and n.y.
ing to and fro from their nests, sheep
browsing. COWS being MIXED, fragrant
winds blowing, a myriad graceful
shapes floating in the air, lakes in
which the fish were cleaning, visions
of Aladdin's cave sparkling with jew
els which we're theirs for the gather
ing. a marble castle with white steps
leading to Powered terraces over which
ladies and gentlemen were wandering,
sounds of invisible music-earth. air
and heaven yielding their sweetest
fancies to fill with ineffable gratitude
and happiness the heart of our Little
Make-Believe whilst she piled her
needle in that common room in Glare
Market.
And from all these imaginings, as
though he was the subtle essence
which gave them birth and invested
them with their wondrous beauty, the
figure of Walter Deepdale with his
handsome face and gentle voice was
never absent.
Dream on, Little. Make-Believe.
Even to you, bending over the second
hand frock you are altering for Sa-
ranne-eyen to you in that small dim
ly-lighted room has come a foretaste Of
heaven.