The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1908-02-28

yet al that uloTu-
ing I had been thinking of spring. Are
there not days of snow when without
reason spring Is in ones thought?
TO explain this | have a theory that
year-long spring Is the secret spirit OF
all things; and that she walks masked,
now as ripe summer, now as yellow
autumn, and now, when the fancy
seizes her, as white winter. But all
the time the happiest hearts under
stand the Jest and know that what
ever she may wear-wreaths Of corn
or grapes or snow-yet spring is never
absent from the world,
/ am won't to call this secret pres
ence the Little Spring. and all that
morning, though the snow blew and
piled about my easement, | had known
that the Little Spring was In the air.
Then Peleas came in, and the wintry
sun touched his white hair as 1t
touched mine, for we are both 10
and everyone believes that We belong
to the Winter People, the people whose
hair is white and whose steps are
slow. But We laugh at this, because
we know that we harbor spring in our
hearts.
"Ettare," said Peleas, "Nichola 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 pathetic
little woman. She is down there in the
1.A.I1u -au, r,altnn N salad unr
eyes look as II they had seer nothing
but the things they didn't want to
see"
Then her salads will be good |
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. Isn't it
curious that excellent salads and kind
deeds leave the eyes sad-as If they
wanted something more? ! wish we
could cheer her up. Her name is
Mary"
Presently / went down to the
kitchen. 1t was strange to see in her
place this quiet woman with the
young face and the sad eyes and the
gown Of heliotrope Bingham.
MARY" l said. what fresh, crisp
lettuce! / am glad to know that /
was right. I thought the world
smelled Of spring this morning.''.s"
Spring, ma'am?" said Mary as If
she hardly knew what the word meant.
"Yes-spring,' | said. March,
April, May. Surely, in spite of the
snow, you have not forgotten"
Mary smiled family, and sighed, but
the smile was a sigh after all.
| understood her silence. I protest
I think that nc n could properly
answer that question, thinking only of
spring.
"Ah," said 7, "Mary-if it we're
( spring at this moment | suppose that
you and l would as lief it were win
ter, if only we could be with the n
whom we IKE best to be with"
Miami" said Mary. "Yes'm."
had only to look in her eyes, swift
ly lifted, to know that in her heart
some wish was hidden of which that
swift look was the spirit. Whom did
Mary like best to be with? | won
dered as | moved about the spotless
kitchen. y
For myself" said /, spring or win
ter, | would wish the same thing.
Mary, let us both wish that-to be
near some one very, very dear. And
if, as | suspect. spring is somewhere
about, l think we shall have our
wishes"
"Oh ma'am," said Mary. "Yes'm."
But the sadness of Mary's eyes was
like the outer winter itself.
"Ah WELL" said | as | left her. this,
am persuaded; Is a very special day.
And | know that spring is somewhere
about, listening"
| went back upstairs, smiling at the
(, pleasant mystification in Mary's face.
And l protest that as I passed through
the corridor, | smelled the sweetness
of fiowering-currants and of Forsythia.
In the upper hallway Peleas stood
with a workman.
"Ettare." said Peleas, with that
adorable helplessness which the most
charming men always assume in the
presence OF the processes of domes
ITCHY, this man says something about
water-pipes."
"Ah,' said /, ito be sure. The water
pipes in the attic. Have you forgotten
the school play?' 4.
81 had Peleas confessed, Il had. Sc
many good things have happened this
last week that only a magician could
remember them. This will be the mar
to make the fountain that Lisa
wanted"
"This will be the man. | assented
"and let us go up to the attic a
once"
The mana great earnest giant IL