The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1907-09-07
Not Related.


! Phyllis came up the stone steps and
into the hill with an energy that made
her mother style. She had been
watching from the window and was
not surprised when her daughter be-
gan:
Mamma, she tags me every step.
She kept hold of my dress all the way
to school this morning and this after
noon, and she wanted to look in the
store windows, and said 'Hullo' to the
ice man. What do you think of that?
Right on the street. And the girls
laughed and said. oh. you are Silly
Proctors friend They say Silly
| stead of 'Sylvy,' because she-isn't-''
sit right down here, dear. and We'll
talk it over. l have been thinking
about you, for Sylvia's mother came in
to see me this morning"
''Sylvia's mother?'
Yes, and I am sure you would have
been interested in the story"
Phyllis drew her chair nearer, drew
a long breath and waited.
You see, when Sylvia was tiny girl
she had a long sickness and they
thought she would die. But by and by
she got better. Then they said she
must begin her life over again. She
was years old, but she had to learn
to walk and talk-just like a baby.
Her brain was weak, and Mrs. Proctor
feared she would never be able to go
to school and learn like other girls.
They had a nurse to take care of her
and a teacher just as soon as she was
strong enough to study, and for eight
years that has been the way she has
lived. But now the doctor says she
needs to be with other children. He
told Mrs. Proctor that having a nurse
she is 13 years old"
And I'm only 'leven, and she holds
my dress and tags"
Yes, but let me tell you. Her
mother said she didn't know what to
do till she moved here last June. and
Sylvia took a ancy to you. Then
when school began she thought if you
would be willing to let her Sylvia go
and come with you she would feel per-
fectly easy. She wants you TO he a
sort of sister-not an older one-but
brighter and stronger sister"
Mamma, 1 am no sister to Sylvia
Proctor
well. call it step-sister then. You
know Lulu Webb is Jimmie's step-sis-
ter. but she takes care of him and
loves him"
He is q dear chubby baby. couldn't
be that girls step-sister, nor step
cousin. nor-not-not even her step
friend"
Phyllis eyes were full of hot tears
and she could scarcely speak for the
choking in her throat.
Never mind. then. Go upstairs and
get ready for dinner and see how you
feel about it tomorrow morning"
Phyllis ran away to her room, put
because she was a girl who had to
think of things, she could not forget
Sylvia.
she can find some other girl to he
her step-sister-I sh'd hope" she said
to herself. scrubbing her face in cold
water.
over the mirror before which she
brushed out her curly brown hair
hung text of which Phyllis had been
quite proud the Christmas before. II
had been sent from her home by her
old Sunday school teacher, and She had
not seen it until it was handed down
from the Christmas tree of her new
church home.
The number of postage stamps on
the wrapper had excited the curiosity.
Of a seat full of little girls, and when
she finally got free from the string
and paper they exclaimed over the
lovely frame, reading the words Won
deringly: For even Christ pleased
not himself"
THAT means we shouldn't be self
ish." Phyllis explained. my teacher
use to talk a lot about poor folks and
the heather and US giving to help
EN-"
But now, standing with her brush
uplifted. Phyllis saw something in the
words which made her toss her head
and say:
But that doesn't mean for me to
take care Of Sylvia, l shl hope. 1t
would wear me out"
After dinner she said to her mother: