Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1909-12-25
BY ANNA eENTLv.

Say mother" and Mollie tugged
gently AT a fold Of her mothers dress
10 attract her attention Did you So,
that beautiful memorial window that
the Staceys have had put into the
church for theiI little girl who died
.asl year.
| They were IN the church porch as
the child spoke, but her mother made
ne reply until they had walked some
| distance down the street. and then her
words were few and hesitatingly spo
ken
Yes. | saw II
And" persisted Mollie. who was
evidently a good deal exercised upon
The subject. THE superintendent spoke
Of Il IN Sunday school and said that
the window was placed there by the
parents Of our lost fellow pupil to be
Il constant reminder OF her lovely life
among w. She wasn't good a bit
Still Mrs Mason made no comment
Noble made Il wry face. which her
mother was too wise to see, and as the
| 1--WE walked slowly homeward Mrs.
| Mason tried &c divert the little girls
mind from the subject OF her dead
mates imperfections by describing for
| her benefit another memorial" that
she had seen IN visit to the City
hospital few days before. This
| was free bed contributed by the
bercaved parents of another little lost
one. aud Molie listened with glisten-
ing eyes to the story of the little street
boy who had been run over by heavy
tray and had both legs broken
And there he lay she said, her
own kind eyes full of tender tears.
his little white. pinched face bright
with u contented smile and his feeble
hands towing with few rose gerani-
um leaves that some kind visitor had
dropped on the coverlid for him. so
cheerful and happy that wondered
It him | asked him II he was com.
Portable. and you should have seen his
pale face light up and heard him pipe
IN his thin. shrill voice:
Comfortable is IT, ma'am: Why
| it's list hlvin itsilf afther the dirt an
The coold an the hoonger an the
bailn's Faith. an it's we'll paid am
for he loss o. me two spindle llgs
and he laughed aloud. such n mer-
" little cackle that ! really forgot foi
the moment that he was helpless.
hc,rildcn cripple for life and only
| thought OF him MS n petted child, lying
IN state IA u soft, white, clean bed
ten. ded and cared for as tenderly as II
NJ had been the heir 10 dukedom.'
What beautiful memorial" cried
| Nnllir with childish delight
| Her mother nodded approvingly.
Yes. il was beautiful thought. and
| The fund that supports that bed is
called by the dead ehild's name, the
| Ida Lewis fund SO that every sick
| and suffering one who is comforted
and nursed back 70 health in that bed
will bless the name of the giver, whom
| hey can never thank on earth.
Nellie was silent foi a little time.
and then she said softly. while n great
,eai rolled down her cheek and drop.
ped umheeded upon the soft fur of hei
| tirprt. How | wish we could have Il
/
| Beth"
The mothers lip quivereo. and for IA
moi she could not control hei
voice u reply 10 the childs suggestion.
| l.i,ilt I.e;l had gone 70 heaven only
| q few shorl months ago. and the
wound IN hen mothers breast was yet
| too s.isitiv, t. bear without shriI /
| Ing the iendercst touch, but with an
effort she kept back her tears and re
piled
III costs great deal OF money for
memorials NJ tia, kind. and only
wealthy people or those with a large
| incom" can afford these noble and
| beautiful charities Some OF the grand
est churches. hospitals ard asylums II
lie world have been founded and en-
dawed Ia keep alive the memory OF
those who were dear 10 the great oi
rich ones OF earth !"
Molie sighed
AN the same. | d. wish we could
have some kind OF a memorial for
Be- u She was such II dear. sweet
| little thing" she half whispered as
they paused moment upon the steps
| of their modest but comfortable home.
and. futile as seemed the wish. her
no hers heart could not but re-echo II.
That night after the young folks
were AL in bed and silence tad fallen
upon the merry. noisy household AIRS
Mason SAT with unwontcdly idle hands
watching the fast decaying brands in
. the fireplace and thinking OF the dear
little life that only few months be-
fore had passed away from among
them. How she yearned for the touch
of those baby fingers. the kisses OF
those baby lips now still and silent IN
this world forever
She would not have had the lives OF
her other children saddened for al
ways by this bereavement that must
necessarily mean SO much more 20 her
than 10 them. and yet they were all
planning gayly and eagerly for the
fast approaching Christmas. carefully
counting up their boarded pennies and
-