Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-01-16

|
The South Wind gave obeisance mild.
Would you not like to dance?
My Zephyrs play a sprightly waltz
They learned in pleasant France"
And then, ask not the why and how,
know not to this hour,
By all these gifts and changes strange,
The seed became-a flower!
e. M. Ford, in Youths Companion.
THE STAR WINDOW.
Andrea and Fay were neHt-door
neighbors and lest friends. Andrea
lived in square white house very
much like other peoples houses but
Fay's house was an old-fashioned, oc-
tagon structure. All the rooms were
round, and delightful little clrving
stairways were found in all sorts Of
unexpected places. From Fay's dain-
ty blue sleeping-room tiny flight led
up to the "den," small room filed
with many beautiful and curious
things from faraway lands, belong
ing to Uncle Kent, who was away
from home on second voyage round
the world.
In this room there was window
shaped like star; and near 1t hung
an electric light bulb, in which, by
pressing one or another Of a row Of
buttons, the color OF the light could
be changed. This was simply an cleo
trical experiment of Uncle Kent's,
but very mysterious and fascinating
to the children.
One day Fay had beautiful idea,
and her eyes sparkled and danced as
she told it to Andrea.
Every night at bedtime" said she,
II will turn on the ruby light, and it
will shine through the star window,
across the garden, into your chamber
window, and it will mean Good night!
Sweet dreams!'
How lovely!" cried Andrea. Gay
Meredith, how ever, ever did you
think of it?"
"Oh, heard Brother Harry tell
ling about man in a story book who
used colored lights to send orders to
his servants" replied Fay, "and L
thought how nice it would be to use
the ruby light to say .Goog night
ut will be just splendid" said An
fdrea, land when you want to see me
right off, for something very special
and important that can't wait till
morning, turn on the violet light, and
that will mean, Come over /"
"All right" said Fay, and. soon
T they had arranged messages for the
other colors.
II We should ever have quarrel"
said Fay, slowly, the blue light
could mean, I am SONY"
bat we never could!o cried An
,drea, in dismay.
So every night the ruby light shone
/ IN he star window, and Andrea knew
that it was Fay's goodnight message.
And sometimes in the early evening
the violet light would call urgently,
Come over, come overt
| And then one dreadful, never-to-be
forgotten day the two dear little best
friends quarreled. Neither knew ex'
actly how 1t happened, or what real.
ly was the cause, but Andrea went
sorrowfully home, and for the first
time in many weeks Fay sent no
goodnight message
For two nights the star window
| was dark, but on the third Andrea
woke late in the evening to find a
light shining in her face. Could 1t
be message from Fay? She sprang
up eagerly. Yes, light was shining
in the star window-the violet light
most urgent signal of all. Andrea
put on her shoes and stockings and
seized shawl. af
Come over! come oves!' signalled
the imperious violet light.
Andrea took a blue hyacinth from
among her window plants, and slip
ped noiselessly down the stairs and
| out of the house. She ran swiftly
down the shadowy garden and across
the Meredyths' lawn. The door in
the western porch was open, and she
ran happily in, and up the queer
winding stairway, through Fay's room
and up to the den, where the viole
light was still shining brightly. Eut
In the doorway she came to sud
den stop, and her lips began to quivel
with disappointment and fright, fol
the room was full of strangers, ant
Fay was nowhere to be seen.
Then some one saw the little fig
ure in the white night-dress and trail
ing scarlet shawl, with the blue
hyacinth clasped tightly in her arms
and in moment the whole Geolog,
Club was crowding round her.
why, it is little Andrea Wayne!'
cried Fay's mother. Tell me how
you came here, darling"
Il thought Fay called me-" sobbet
Andrea.
/ But Fay has gone to her grand
mothers to stay until tomorrow
night" said Mrs. Meredith. "Hov
could you think she called you
dear?"
1T was the violet light. 1t said
Come over whispered Andrea.
you have been dreaming little
lady," said Mr.. Meredith. Now sa,
farewell to the Geology Club, and
will carry you home"
Andrea handed the blue hyacintl
to Mrs. Meredyth. Please give it tt
Fay said she. "and tell her it mean
the same as the blue light"
Nov know she has been dream
ing" laughed Mr.. Meredith, as h
carried her down the stairs.
All the next day Andrea waited pa
tientiy, wondering II Fay would III
derataud the message Of the blue fop