Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-14

through good weather and stormy, that
Miss Van Tinsel's fine clothes were worn to
a bedraggled ruin, while poor Jess was as
naked as when she first came into the world.
Away back on q previous summer two little
girls had played in the lane together. a rich
little girl and poor one. Somehow. be-
cause Of a storm, or the dreams. or the
laughter, two dollies were left amid the
weeds Of the lane. a prim young thing In
f1nery and q china doll without possible
pedigree.
Even a year Of companionship. as they
lay deep buried under the leaves and the
changing skies, had not brought friendship.
Miss Van Tinsel was proud and naughty
and overbearing, SO much so that Jess had
long since lapsed into silence. from which
only the songs of spring could arouse her.
when birds tilted on the apple boughs at
the side Of the lane.
Some day people will find US here, for
gotten and alone" declared Miss Van Tin
sci, repeating a sentence that had grown to
be an almost daily declaration with her.
Then pedigree will tell-and family and
wealth. They will recognize that you are
of common sort and leave you here, but I
shall be taken back to the lap of luxury
once more. You shall see."
Jess never replied She just drew the
sheltering weeds about her poor little china
body and thought-thought of the poverty
of winter when the apple blossoms and the
birds were not there.
1t ollen chances that even the unassum-
ing and good are sorely tried. and poor Jess
was severely reminded Of this on an after
noon not long afterward. little girl
dressed in the height Of fashion. came
romping down the lane. She had been
away to school and was much changed, but
Jess and Miss Van Tinsel recognized her. 1t
was the rich little girl Quite by accident
she trod upon Miss Van Tinsel and picked
her up.
Now is my time-I told you SOL" said the
doll triumphantly as she was lifted out of
the weeds and carried down the lane a
short distance.
Unfortunately. however. Miss Van Tinsel
was to be treated to a rather unpleasant
surprise
MY old dollr' calculated the rich little
girl in establishment. as she held the poor
faded creature out at arms length in her
neatly gloved hand. ugh, but she's nasty
and wet and quite ruined; should not like
her now" Having said this she tossed
poor Miss Van Tinsel back into the weeds
again and hurried away up the lane.
That same afternoon another little girl
came into the lane-she had been absent,
too. Illness had taken the roses from her
cheeks and she was thin from long suffer
ing. She picked stray blossoms from the
tangle of underground in the lane and
bathed her wan face in the bright petals
that were showered from the apple
boughs.
Miss Van Tinsel was watching her.
tears still wet upon her round cheeks. She
saw the child bending over something in
the weeds directly at her feet. and then
snatch 1t to her breast as il it were the
very greatest treasure in all the world.
"My dolly-my poor-poor lost Jessyi"
she cried joyfully. Il have found you at
last-you shall come home and I will give
you a new dress and love you-SO muchr"
Then Miss Van Tinsel, as she crouched
forgotten and alone in the wet leaves, saw
the china doll borne in loving arms down
a path of fallen apple blossoms.
MORAL-Our WORTH is not governed
by what we think of OURSELVES. but
by the love OTHERS bestow upon us