Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1907-03-27

place to the
"Poorhouse." said the old woman
calmly
"Well. yes, poorhouse," deprecating.
ly, ''but never mind all that. I've
brung the minister"
81 don't think I've had the pleasure
of meeting Mrs. Bray before" said the
minister, rising. land yet I've called
here several times"
mo, we haven't met" acquiesced the
pld woman. II generally stay in the
kitchen.'
81 must acknowledge this visit Is
mostly business one, Mrs. Bray" he
said resuming his seat. "You see, l am
planning to have the church decorated
for Easter but the ladies of my con-
gregation assure me that such a thing
Is utterly impossible. l have come to
you as a last resort Can you help
me?"
The old woman looked from one to
the other with a sudden yearning in her
eyes. Then a soft flush began to steal
over her face.
1T isn't easy to decorate without
anything to decorate WITH" she said
tremulously. I'm the city we used to
have palms and Easter lilies and no
end of ferns and delicate things to
bank with"
'.But there are the woods suggested
the minister. Il notice lots of pretty
things on my walks"
"Yes, the woods are beautiful around
here in the spring. l notice them from
the Kitchen windows, and sometimes
before any one is up l take short
walks" Her hands were still trem-
bling, but into her face was coming an
expression which Mrs. Perry remem-
| bered to have belonged to her old days.
'Do you mean for me to take charge
of the decoratingT she asked.
"Yes, but of course with plenty of
help"
He turned hastily and glanced
through the window. Something rap
turous in the expression ON the old wo-
mans face made him lose command of
himself for moment.
"Well. shall need help in gathering
the decorations" she was saying as he
!
cut and bring home and boxes and
boards to build up for the banking.
There are some bushes along the creek
that / can fix up to look very much
like palms at little distance, and that
dark moss below the ledge will make
beautiful bank on which we can ar
range the early white flowers which
~ hnn n III.
sides. But there" breaking into low,
joyous laugh, which apparently fright
ened her, for she stopped suddenly and
looked about in scared, tremulous
sort of way. Il was only going to
say" she went on deprecatingly, that
l haven't seen the church yet. l ought
to go there first and look around"
"Of course. We will take you there
this afternoon" volunteered the minis
ter, beaming.
"And you can have my horse an
wagon every afternoon if YOU Hike,
added Mrs. Perry warmly. "Then there
is my boy Tommy; you can have him
to drive you an to do your gatherin'
an liftin'."
The old woman's face was now abso-
lutely radiant.
at will be beautiful" she murmur-
ed, "lilSe the world seemed when | was
young" She was not thinking of the
decoration now, but of the beautiful
thing of not being forgotten. GOD is
good to have remembered me so lov-
ingly."
The minister gazed at her a mo-
ment, then turned again to the win
dow. "There will be no failure in the
church decoration" he remarked to
Mrs. Perry.
Nor was there, nor in the beautiful
thing that had come to the little old
woman. During the decorating she
was like different creature. When
it was all over the minister went to
her impulsively and grasped both her
hands.
II cannot tell you how much you
have helped me-" he said earnestly.
1.-THE decoration has been perfect
success, and it is all owing to you.
But there is another thing / wish to
speak about My housekeeper is about
to leave, and need some one to take
her place. Will you come and look
after the parsonage-and me, too, for
that matterT
So the beautiful thing which had
come to her was not of a day, but was
to last through all the remainder of