The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-05-05
A VISITING RAINBOW.

A VISITING RAINBOW.
Nap-time was over in the getting
well" room of the accident ward of the
children's hospital. After nap-time
came .story-time, and Nurse Gilbert.
who had charge of the room, could
tell the most charming stories-stories
that made the little children forget
they were lying in bed and could not
run about, jump and play. 1t was the
best hour of all.
The children took turns choosing
what the story should be about To-
day ii was little Marie Alberti's turn
to choose. 1t was a dull gray after
noon. Outside the snow was falling.
and the wind was scooping il up and
tossing It against the windows, and
heaping it in drifts in the street. Marie
had come from Italy, where the days
are long and sunny, and she did not
like the cold and the snow. She
thought often of the green fields filed
with flowers, where she used to play,
and longed 10 go back to them.
What shall the story be about:" said
Nurse Gilbert.
Marie looked at the storm outside;
was busy sewing bright-colored rib
bons together to make a bag.
"Oh, oh.' she said. Tell us n story
OF a rainbow, a bright, beautiful rain
bow; such as spreads itself after n rain
over my hills of Fiesole."
So Nurse Gilbert told Of the strange
adventures of little boy and girl who
went out to search for the pot of gold
which fairy stories say may be found
at the end of a rainbow.
While Nurse Gilbert was telling the
story Marie forgot about the snow and
the cold, but when it was finished she
sighed and said "Oh, how l wish
could see again a beautiful rainbow
The next day, when nap-time was
dows, as If to see how the children
were getting on since his last visit.
But what did Marie Alberti see on
the wall over her bed? She looked and
looked. Surely it was a piece of rain
bow.
All the children wanted to knaw
where the rainbow came from, and
Nurse Gilbert went to one Of the win
dows, and took from the ledge a piece
of glass.
1t was cut In diamonds and squares.
and when she moved it TO and fro in
the sunshine the children saw pieces
of rainbowS dancing about the room.
"This ball Of cut glass is what makes
the rainbows," she said. 1T used to
make rainboWs for me when was a
little girl. Now it may make rainbows
for you"
Each day the glass set in the window,
and when the sun shown the rainbOws
came on the wall aad travelled slowly
round the rorn, and the glass stood in
such way that the rainbow began
at Marie's bed and travelled down the
room 20 little Betsy Frazer.
One Cay, when Marie had been watch
ing the rainbow for a long time, she
said to Nurse Gilbert:
do you think, Nurse Gilbert, that
the children in the other room would
like 20 see the rainbow"
WHY. to be sure" said Nurse Gil
bert. shall send the rainbow maker
TO pay them a visit?"
"Ye9, yes cried all the children.
"Let 1t 90 visiting the others, and see
IL they like it,
They liked it so well that what do
you th.lk Nurse Gilbert did? Why,
the very next time she went shopping
she bcJght q glass rainbow maker for
each Of the rooms where the children
were i.l. and now every day when the
sun shines beautiful rainbows come
visiting the children who lay in the
little white beds. - Elizabeth Flint
Wade, in Youths Companion.