Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-14

/ She could not bear a quarrel least of all at
| Easter time. And the only way out of II
! the main kindly, but also domineering, with
narrow jealousy OF folk better bred All
| the more Jealous II by chance they had
| less money than she had. Then, too, 1t
| had aggravated her especially to know Mrs.
Gray had brought Leslie Up to be a gentle
woman In spite Of her slatternly and Slip
shod mother. Lighton had incautlously
said of Leslie that she was "enchantingly
old-fashioned.'' Mrs. Murdoch did not wish
him TO be enchanted with old-fashioned
ways, but rather to be receptive tc what
was wholly new.
Leslie was very pretty-her mothers high
coloring blended exquisitely with her
grandmother's chiseled outlines. Moreover,
she had a veritable bird in her throat. ard
sang with heart and spirit, az bird must.
She had sung In the chapel choir until
Mrs. Murdoch had given the melodeon,
which had been supplanted In her parlor
with hre-new piano Along with the in
strument Mrs. Murdoch had given the opin-
Ion that 1t was best accompanied by male
voices only.
So for year past Leslie had sat behind
Granny, making the responses unsteady,
and now and again sounding timidly re-
rain Young Dyneforth had protested. but
Mrs. Gray was not to be moved. I'VE
must have peace. We will have it, at any
cost, she had said.
Mrs. Murdoch greatly Modified moved
brlskly about, bending, squirting, search
ing for dust and cobwebs with microscopic
vision.
IF we'd only thought In time for you to
practice, you might have helped sing the
anthem, Leslie she said; then, after a
pause, tentatively: Nobody can deny
your singin is nice, and I've been thinkin'
when Pheny--Angeline comes home maybe
you and her had better sing regular"
MRS Gray said nothing; Leslie looked
quickly away. Then all of them fell to
work helping black jimmy, Mrs. Murdoch's
! housemaid, make the church as clean as it
was bare. This, though the sexton had
! done his allotted share the day before.
When they ceased from their labors the
interior fairly shone. Mrs. Gray looked
| back at it lovingly as she started home.
Mrs. Murdoch, lingering a little said
spitefully to jimmy: mo wonder the Grays
hurry home-that old bag of bones they
drive can't much more'n creep. Lord knows
I'm sorry enough for poor folks; but 1t
does make me mad to see EN- put on such
high airs
Easter weather is tricksy There had
| been hardly a hint of spring until Easter
morning, yet 1t dawned bright and balmy,
and swept quickly into almost midsummer
| heat Buds expanded visibly in the strong
sunshine-a single hardy blossom burst out
In the yellow Jessamine trellis over Les
lies window. She made to pluck It. then
kissed it shyly, and left 1t. One golden
trumpet might sound Easter reveille to her
heart, but would not answer for church
decoration, not even If set star-wise in
trails of its own frost-scorched leaves
At least, not in the face of Mrs. Murdoch
whom she must not hate because 1t was
Easter and Granny insisted that there
should be likewise Easter in all their
hearts.
1t was hard to keep it there after she
was in church. Leslie bowed her head so
as not to see the wax bouquet set boldly
forward upon the makeshift font Every
body knew it-everybody would be bound
to think it was there Of Grannys choice
and free will
Everybody in Leslie's mind Just then
RI he bod
up quickly as he came in, and caught the
subtle ripple betwixt wonder and amuse-
ment which swept across his face Then
she looked down again, SO as to see moth
ing but her worn prayer book 1t had been
Granny's confirmation gift. Now Grannys
eyesight demanded holder type. st.
Georges had supplied it. CHANGING at the
hands which held the new book delicate
although work had knotted them, Leslie
drew hard breath. She dared not look
higher-if she saw Grannys rapt and saint
ly countenance she could not save herself
from sobbing aloud.
Mechanically she followed the service
trying hard to keep her vagrant heart in
subsection. In this the music helped her
the quartet really sang very well, and with
strength enough to mask the teasings of
the melodeon. But she did not raise her
head fairly until it was time for COM
munion. What she saw then made her
sink back. paliid, with quickly beating
heart.
The wax flowers were not even ghosts of
themselves. The wire stalks, to be sure,
were still upright, and partly clothed in
nant petal clinging to their lumpish ter
minals that had once Haunted as flower
hearts. All the font was Uttered with
gaudy waxen fragments, yet at least
handful had fallen to the floor. Leslie shot
a glance from the wreck to the Murdoch
pew. Lighton sat there, his countenance
immoble his eyes studiously fixed above
the minister's head. Mrs. Murdoch looked
n1.,,f ,,o1,x1
she reminded Leslie of the dusty-leafed
oleanders, which were reviving wonder
fully in the sudden heat. She had had her
way-dominance was to her as spiritual
sunshine-in the melting of 1t she began to
be sorry for the ruin she had wrought.
What would Granny do? Leslie knew
how rigidly she kept the commandment
especially that against going into the altar
at enmity with brother. Could she for
give Mrs. Murdoch this wilful and senseless
despoilment2 Almost with the thought
Granny's hand fell over hers in a warm,
tender clasp, and looking up she saw the
faded face illumined. Together they went
forward and knelt at the altar rail. Leslie
never remembered clearly anything more
until they were out in the narrow church
porch, with Mrs. Murdoch facing them.
She began to say: well. l am right down
sorry, Sister Gray-but whoever thought
the weather"
Don't say another word. Granny inter
rupted her. 1T is all for the best My
poor foolish flowers could not last always.
What better fate could they have than to
be an Easter offering2'
well I'm mighty glad you take 1t that
way-h they'd been mine l should be real
provoked" Mrs. Murdoch returned alta bly,.
What else she said Leslie did not hear
for there was Lighton giving Granny his
arm, and saying with dancing eyes, as he
led her toward the shabby buggy: Dear
Mrs Gray l. too need to make an Easter
ofrering-to you. Won't you be very good
and take me for a grandson? viii answer
for Leslie If only you say yes