Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1907-05-11


there not days of snow when without
reason spring is in ones thought?
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 it
touched mine, for We are both 20.
"Ettare," said Peleas, Nicola has q
friegd who is i'll in the hospital. She
has gone to see her and she has got
N her place for today the most pathet-
ic little woman. She is down there
in the kitchen now making salad"
Then her salads will be good." I
said. Haven't you often noticed how
the disappointments in life come out
IN appetizing dishes or exquisite
ueedlework or beautiful dispositions"
"Ah, yes" said Releas, but their
eyes never look any less sad. ! wish
we could cheer her up. Her name is
Mary"
Presently l went down to the
6itchen.
Mary" I said, what fresh, crisp
ettuce! / am glad to know that was
light. thought the world smelled of
Jpring this morning"
Spring, ma'am?" said Mary.
"Yes-spring, l said. March, April,
day. Surely, in spite of the snow, you
lave not forgotten"
Mary smiled family, and sighed. So
many smiles are signs!
No, ma'am," she said, II have not
orgotten."
"Ah, no." l said, "one doesn't for
Jet. Mary, / pursued. IF it were
.pring what wocld you rather Dc than
Enything else?"
20, 'Hia. am said Mary.
For myself" said l, Spring or win
er, i wish-let us both wish-to be
iear to some one very, very dear"
"Oh, ma'am," said Mary. "Yes'm."
'Ah WE'LL" said l as l left her, this,
am persuaded, is very special day.
And, know that spring is some
where about listening"
went back upstairs smiling at the
pleasant mystification in Mary's face.
IR~the upper hallway Peleas stood
with a workman.
"Ettare," said Peleas, "this man says
something about water-pipes."
"Ah," said /, 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" l 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 most as
tonishing course to which Peleas and
] had assented only after proper hesi-
tation They wished to give her q
kind Of play, and they had selected our
at@<e 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.
It's nice and warm up here" he
said.
That" said !, smiling at my own
image in dusty mirror lis no. 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 !, 1T will be an
early spring. l can tell by the way
the snow is piled."
How dare any one prophesy 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
rnring 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 e6rly spring." re-
peated firmly. How can you help
thinking so when you can make the
spring wherever you go-you, yourself,
| mean?"
The man looked startled.
81. ma'am?" he asked.
Certainly" l cried, IF could go
about all winter carrying little tool
in Iuy pocket which would make an
sttic floor and a lead pipe blossom
into a fountain, / should not find it
bard to believe that ! could make it
spring whenever l wished"
why, yes'm," he said. I've thought
hat myself sometimes"
Let us have" said / to the man,
this fountain of spring come up here,
between this old chest and the dor