The Green Forest tribune., 1907-05-10

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 kitchen.
 Mary" I said 'what fresh, crisp lettuce! I am glad to know that l was right I thought the world smelled of spring this morning..
 Spring, ma'am?" said Mary.
 "Yes-spring. I said. March, April, May. Surely, in spite of the snow, you have not forgotten?' Mary smiled faintly, and sighed. So many smiles are sighs!
 No, ma am," she said, q have not forgotten
 "Ah, mo-" I said, lone doesn't for get. Mary, I pursued. "If it were spring what would you rather do than anything else?"
 70, ma am said Mary.
 had only to look in her eyes, swift ly lifted, to know that in her heart some wish was hidden of what that swift look was the spirit.
 For myself" said l, Spring or win | ter, 1 wish-let us both wish-to be near to some one very, very dear "Oh, ma'am," said Mary Yes m"
 "Ah we'll" said I as 1 left her, this, I am persuaded, is a very special day. And l know that spring is some where about listening I went back upstairs smiling at the pleasant mystification in Mary's face. In the upper hallway Peleas stood with a workman.
 "Ettare," said Peleas, "this man says something about water-pipes.'
 "Ah," said l, ito be sure. The wa ter pipes in the attic. Have you for gotten the school play?"
 T had" Peleas confessed. q had. This will be the man to make the fountain that Lisa wanted.
 This will be the man., I assent ed, and let us go up to the attic at Once."
 Here Lisa and some of her butter fly friends had begged leave to come on holiday and pursue a most as tonishing course to which Peleas and I had assented only after proper hesi- tation. They wished to give her a kind of play, and they had selected our attic for the simple reason that the heroine of the piece lived in an at tic chamber, all cobwebs and rafters, and fell asleep and dreamed that she was a princess by fountain in gar den, and met there the prince waiting for her After which, she aWoke and found herself in the attic, fountain and princess crown gone but the prince was still there among the cob webs and rafters.
 Its nice and warm up here" he said
 That" said I, smiling at my own image in dusty mirror, lis na doubt because spring is in the world, in spite of the snow
 "It'll be late spring, along O the almanacs,' said the man, throwing down his kit of tools.
 Nonsense" said I, ''it will be an early spring. I can tell by the way the snow. is piled!'
 How dare any one prophecy a late spring? Why should not everyone go through the winter prophesying an early spring, happy in the confidence that the prophecy would lure on the spring itself? Everyone ought at least to understand that spring is really in the world all winter long if only one knew how to look for it. '1t will be an early spring." I re- | peated firmly. How can you help thinking so when you can make the spring wherever you go-you, yourself. | l mean?"
 The man looked startled. 'I ma am?" he asked. Certainly" I cried If I could go about all winter carrying a little tool in my pocket which would make an attic floor and lead pipe blossom | into a fountain, I should not find if hard to believe that 1 could make it | spring whenever 1 wished"
 "Why, yes s'm," he said. I've thought | that myself sometimes" Let us have" said I to the man. ''this fountain of spring come up here. | between this old chest and the dor mer window. I hope" I added, "that | this is a quick spring. because they are coming here to rehearse this after noon, and they will want the foun- | tain"
 "This here spring" he said 'it'll take about two full hours to bring up l that fountain, ma'am.'
 Very well,' said I. T told you there would be an early spring.
 At four o'clock Lisa and her friends came to rehearse for the fountain play. I saw them all safely above stairs, and then I slipped down to the kitchen, for l had fancy to- send Mary up, when they were finished with tray of tea and jam and little cakes and bon-bons.
 l found that Mary had miraculously anticipated my wish and had already spread sandwiches and opened the am-
 Mary" I said as I arranged the bon bons, it is still snowing Have you got your wish yet?"
 70 ma am" said Mary. Nom"
 She looked up at me suddenly. I