Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1908-04-23
THE MAGIC
FOUNTAIN
By IONA GALE
CCopyright)


there not days Of snow when without
reason spring Is in ones thought?
To explain this l have q 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.
1 am wont 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 it
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
kitchen now, making a salad. Her
eyes look as II they had seen nothing
but the things they didn't want to
see"
Then her salads will be good" 1
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 IL they
wanted something more? / wish we
could cheer her up. Her name is
Mary"
But Oh" 1 said. Mary ia such an
established kind OF name. II only
she were Bella or Bessie would have
some hope. But Mary-Mary seems
named and described from the begin
ming. Peleas," l cried, stand close I'D
to the plants and see how like spring
it smells. l wish we could teach her
that"
"Ah WELL" said Peleas, finding his
book, we've a whole day to do II in"
Sometimes when 1 wake in the
morning l think of those very words
of Peleas. No matter what charming
possibility We plan to bring about
for others or for ourselves, we've a
whole day to do 1t In.
Presently l 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" said. what fresh. crisp
lettuce! l am glad to know that
was right. l thought the world
smelled OF spring this morning"
Spring, ma'am?" said Mary as II
she hardly knew what the word meant.
"Yes-spring," I 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 l protest
think that no one could properly
answer that question, thinking only Of
| spring.
All" said I. 'Mary-if it were
! spring at this moment l suppose that
you and l would as lief 1t were win
ter, If only we could be with the one
whom we like 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 I moved about the spotless
| kitchen.
For myself" said 1, 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 l 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 l left her. this.
l am persuaded, is a very special day.
And know that spring is somewhere
about, listening"
went DdCh upSlATS, SHINING at the
pleasant justification in Mary's face.
And l protest that as 1 passed through
the corridor. 1 smelled the sweetness
of flowering-currants and of Forsythia.
J 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?"
Il had" Peleas confessed, Il had. So
many good things have happened this
last week that only a magician could
remember them. This will he the man