The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-11-23

her to make me hat fit to be seen il
Boston. 1 never let on to anybod,
what 1 had done. But you ought t.
"a seen Fannie when that hat cam'
home. Ifshe wasn't happy 1t wa
a beauty! The long black feathe
curled around her golden hair, anc
just touched her shoulder.
I'm front there was little tuft o.
white with some tall birds o. Paradise
feathers waving in it. The millinel
said it needed that, SO got it besides
You've no idea how handsome she
looked in it, and I enjoyed that hal
forty times better than when I had il
for mine"
Was Grandma thinking "And
yet Fannie begrudges me little new
ribbon for my bonnet, as well off as
she is, too p If any such thought
disturbed her, they did not appear on
her placid face as she patiently knit
|. ted on.
1t was only fortnight from that
day that we gathered again in Grand
mas room. There was no merry
talk. There was that strange hush
which but ones presence brings,
broken only by low, sad strains of
music, and words of consolation spo-
ken in subdued tones.
Grandma slept peacefully. There
fingered on her dear face the light of
the tender smile she had given us at
parting. Beautiful flowers were all
about her, and I noticed. as bent
above her for the last time, how pure
and fresh the white ribbon at her
throat was, and then, with pang, 1
remembered her old bonnet-s strings.
Dear Grandma She had gone
where garments are without spot or
wrinkle. How she would enjoy the
white raiment, the purity, the un-
changing freshness of the heavenly
land |
We all loved Grandma dearly For
a time, it seemed as if we could not
go on without her. But hearts do
not break if they know where to go
for help, and we tried to forget our loss
in remembering her everlasting gain.
One day, towards evening, long
ing seized me to look once more into
Grandma's room SO I went across
lots, and stole around to the side door,
which opened directly into her room.
1t was ajar, and I stepped softly in.
Grandma's armchair-empty-stood
by the window. I leaned over it,
trying to picture her, as I had seen
her so often, sitting in the twilight
humming her favorite hymn:
Jesus, lover of my soul.
Let me to Thy bosom fly.
But the sound of sobbing reached
my ear, and, looking up, I saw in the
shadows at the other end of the room
Aunt Fannie, standing by the
bureau. Grandma's bonnet was in
her hand. She turned it about and
looked at it as if she would torture
herself with the certainty that it was,
indeed, shabby then she kissed it
again and again, and bowed herhead
low over 1t in an agony of bitter weep
ing. And I had thought Aunt Fan
ME self-constrained and cold
She had not heard me come in, so
/ went noiselessly away.
Aunt Fannie meant to be good
daughter. She had always supplied
her mother abundantly with necessi-
ties and even comforts but she would
have given all she possessed that
night, standing there in that desolate
room, to have been able to recall the
thoughtless words which, for the sake
of few paltry dollars, had denied the
dear old mother almost the last re-
quest she ever made.
Let love antedate the work of death,
and now bring the sweet spices of
a fresh ribbon, flower, a tender
word, a loving thankfulness; they
will cheer and gladden. hearts that
need them. Christian Observer.