The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-07-27
An Early
Spring
Copyright. by Joseph B. Bowie.)
BY Zona Gale.

MidWinter-and yet all that morn
ing had been thinking of spring Are
there not days Of snow when without
reason spring Is in ones thought?
l am wont to call this secret pres.
ence the little spring.
The little spring" / said "She
knows. She stays even when everyone
supposes that she has forgotten"
Then Peleas came in, and the win.
try sun touched his white hair as II
touched mine, for we are both 20.
"Ettare," said Peleas. Nicola has o
friend who is i'll in the hospital She
has gone to see her and she has got
In her place for to-day the most pathet
ic little woman. She is down there
In the kitchen now making a salad"
Then her salads will be good"
said. Haven't you often noticed how
the disappointments in life come out
in appetiZing dishes or exquisite
needlework or beautiful dispositions" ?"
'Ah, yes" said Peleas, but their
eyes never look any less sad wish
we could cheer her up. Her name is
Mary"
But OH" | said, Mary is such an
established kind Of name II only she
were Bella or Bessie / would have
some hope.
Presently went down to the
kitchen.
Mary" I said, what fresh, crisp
lettuce! / am glad TO know that was
right. l thought the world smeled OF
spring this morning"
Spring, ma'am?" said Mary.
Yes-spring," said. March April
May. Surely, in spite of the snow, You
have not forgotten"
Mary smiled family, and sighed. Sc
many smiles are sighs!
NO, ma'am,' she said, q have not
forgotten"
"Ah, no." | said, zone doesn't for
get. Mary, | pursued. III II were
spring what would you rather do than
anything else?'
20, maam," 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 /, Spring or win
near to some one very, very dear"
"oh, ma'am," said Mary. "Yesm"
"Ah well, said | as l left her, this,
am persuaded, is a very special day
And ! know that spring is some
where about listening"
/ went back upstairs smiling at the
pheasant mystiication in Marys face
I In the upper hallway Peleas stood
with a workman.
"Ettare," said Peleas, this man says
something about water.plpes."
"Ah," said J. ito be sure. The wa
ter pipes in the attic Have you for
gotten the school play?'
Il had" Peleas confessed 81 had
This Will be the man to make the
fountain that Lisa wanted"
This will be the man" ! 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 a holiday, and pursue a most as
ltonishlng course to which Peleas and
j had assented only after proper hest.
Itation They wished 10 give her
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 princess by Il fountain in a 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.
It's nice aud warm up here" he
said.
That" said |, smiling at my own
Image In dusty mirror, "is no doubt
because spring is in the world, in
spite OF the snow"
'lt'll be late spring, along o. the
said the man, throwing
down his kit OF tools.
'Nonsense" said !, ut will be an
early spring. can tell by the way
the snow Is Piled"
For I protest that ! can see no rea. /
son why | should not make up, for my
own joy, a sign or two that shall carry
conviction OF pleasant things. They I
are quite as easy to originate as are
the bad omens. [
How dare any one prophesy a late S
spring? Why should not everyone go s
through the winter prophesying an /
early spring, happy in the confidence Y
that the prophecy would lure on the a
spring itself? Everyone ought al a
least TO understand that spring Is 2
really in the world all winter long If
only one knew how TO look for it. b
1T will We an early spring" / re. {
peated firmly. How can you help n
SO when you can make the A
spring wherever you go--you. yourself I
] mean?" "A
The man looked startled.
a. maam?" he asked. h
Certainly" cried, IF could 20 n
about all winter carrying a little tool
IN my pocket which would make an n
attic floor and lead pipe blossom n
Into fountain, / should not find 1t
hard 70 believe that | could make II 8,