The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1907-05-10

AcoSOu SpIluS ID III oiAS 'AAoooAe'
am wont to call this secret pres
ence the little spring.
The little spring" l 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 10.
"Ettare," said Peleas. Nicola has a
friend who is i'll in the hospital. She
has gone to see her and she has got
in her place for to-day the most pathet-
ic little woman She is down there
in the kitchen now making salad"
Then her salads will be good" l
said. Haven't you often noticed how
the disappointments in life come out
in appetizing dishes or exquisite
needlework or beautiful dispositions?
''Ah. yes" said Peleas. but their
eyes never look any less sad. l wish
we could cheer her up. Her name is
Mary"
Presently went down to the
kitchen.
Mary" I said, what fresh, crisp
lettuce! am glad to know that was
right. l thought the world smelled of
spring this morning"
Spring, ma 'an?' said Mary.
'Yes-spring," said. March, April,
May. Surely in spite of the snow, you
have not forgotten?'
Mary smiled family, and sighed. So
many smiles are signs!
mo, ma am" she said, Il have not
forgotten"
"Ah, no." said, zone doesn't for
get. Mary, pursued IF it were
spring what would you rather do than
anything else?"
20, ma am" said Mary.
had only to look in her eyes, swift
ly lifted, to know that in her heart
some wish was hidden of what that
swift look was the spirit.
For myself" said l, spring or win
ter, l wish-let us both wish-to be
near to some one very, very dear"
"Oh, ma'am," said Mary. "Yes'm M"
"Ah WE'LL said as l left her. this,
l am persuaded, is very special day.
And | know that spring is some
where about listening"
I went back upstairs smiling at the
pleasant mystification in Mary's face.
In the upper hallway Peleas stood
with a workman.
"Ettare,' said Peleas, this man says
something about water-pipes."
"Ah," said l. ito be sure. The wa
ter pipes in the attic. Have you for
gotten the school play?"
Il had" Peleas confessed. II 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 a most as
tOnishing course to which Peleas and
l had assented only after proper hest
tation. They wished to give her a
kind of play, and they had selected our
attic 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 princess by a fountain in a 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
ITS nice and warm up here" he
said.
THAT" said I, 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 I, 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 60
through the winter prophesying an
early spring, happy in the confidence
that the prophecy would lure on the
spring 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 early spring." I re-
peated firmly. How can Won helm
thinking so when you can make tho
spring wherever you go-you, Yourself
] mean?"
The man looked startled.
II, ma'am?" he asked.
"Certainly," cried. IF I could IN
about all winter carrying a little tool
in my pocket which would make an
attic floor and a lead pipe blossom
into fountain. l should not find #
hard to believe that could make it
spring whenever l wished"
'Why, yes'm," he said. 1--WE Thought
that myself sometimes"
LET us have" said to the man
"this fountain of spring come I'M here
between this old chest and the dor.
mer window. I hope" l added. "that
this is 4 quick spring. because they
are coming here to rehearse this after.
noon, and they will want the fonn.
tain"
This here. spring." he said, It'll
take about two full hours to bring I'm
that fountain, ma am"
Very WE'LL" said I, Il told you
there. would be an early spring"
At four o'clock Lisa and her friends
came to rehearse for the fountain
play. saw them all safely above
stairs, and then slipped down to the
80