The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-03-10
DAILY SHORT STORY.
HER LENTEN SACRIFICE.
BY JOHN DARLING.
lCopSright. l9lJ.l


may dear; that ought to be your sack
cloth and ashes this Lent said Miss
Craft, spinster. and Sunday school
teacher of Geraldine Bonner and Other
girls not yet old enough to vote
What is it,
"Darning" l hate to darn stock
ings,"
Miss Craft almost smiled. but her
thin lips set themselves again before
they had entirely committed such 4
frivol;:y Il thought that might be
it. my dear. And now let me tell you
that If you would do your whole du-y
this Lenten tide you would 20 out
darning by the hour and put away the
money you receive for this work, for
your Easter Offering. 1t is no sacrifice
for a girl like you to save part of
your allowance; you should make
yourself do something you do not like
to do and earn money thereby. / am
a firm believer in teaching the young
women what sacrifice means a firm
believer"
Geraldine looked respectfully inter
ested in what Miss Craft was saying
but she was not at all sure that It
was her duty to carry out her teach
er's wishes.
But the subject occurred to her
again. and for some reason or other
il kept thrusting itself into her
thoughts. How true 1t was that she
had no cross to bear; that she sell
dom had a sacrifice to make; that
her world went along in a singularly
smooth path. Perhaps Miss Craft was
right when she said darning would
show her how to do something grace
fully that she did not want to do. It
might help her after all. She did not
want to be selfish; this might develop
her character.
Before the beginning of Lent she
had decided to darn stockings for
any one who would pay her 20 cents
an hour all through the penitential
season, and to this end she wrote lit
tie notes to her friends and placed
tiny card of advertisement in the
church lcaffet. She hoped. down in her
soul, that she would not find much
work to do, but she had determined to
take whatever came her way.
One family after another engaged
her services for one or two or three
or even five or six hours a week, and
before she could realize II Geraldine
had given up nearly all of her own
time. This in itself was great sac
rifice. for the skating was good and
she loved to skate. Her little box of
money, which she was saving for her
Easter offering, was getting heavy.
The family in which Geraldine found
the most darning to do was a fam
lily of father. mother, four sons and
a small daughter. The mother kept
no servant and had eyes that would
not admit of her darnng or doing
close work at night. Hence. Gerald
ines newly established profession fit
ted in conveniently with the schemes
of the family need.
Each week when Geraldine left the
quiet little home on a refined street
of the town she lett a neat row of
stockings ready for the mother to put
away. AS she began to catch up with
the darning in that home her hours
of work grew less, and Geraldine was
sorry. There was only a small part
of Lent remaining and then she would
be free again.
The week before Easter Geraldine
felt that she could do the darning for
the Foster family in less than two
hours. and on the day on which she
was to go to that home she had
planned to have an afternoons skat-
ing.
To her surprise and disappointment
when she arrived in the cheerful sew
ing room, Mrs. Foster showed her
basketful of socks.
My son James has come home for
Easter, and whenhe comes he always
brings his mending and l have it
done for him. 1t is fortunate for me
that you are here, Miss Bonner"
Geraldine tried to smile. but the
smile was only surface deep. She
could see her skating disappearing
with all the other days of sport she
had planned. But in trying to smile
and in attacking her work cheerfully
Geraldine could not help feeling that
Oh q OF he her
power.
I'll try to get them all done for
you, Mrs. Foster" she said, cheer
fully. This is my last week. you
know"
II do know ito my SORROW" re-
piled Mrs. Foster. '"Oh. James, come
in. Miss Bonner, this is my son who
has loaded you down with extra work.
James, Miss Bonner. who has been
helping me for a few weeks with the
mending."
James Foster let his eyes dwell
longer than was necessary on the
lovely face of Geraldine Bonner as
she sat in the sunlight in his mothers
tiny sewing ROOM He stepped over
to her low rocker and put out his
hand. Il am glad to have the pleas
ure of meeting you-and sorry to
have brought you more work." he
Aiahh.
companying his words.
"Oh-don't mind the work. well,
I'll tell you how much good it has
done me. some day. perhaps" Gerald
Inc answered.
You're fond Of darning?" asked
James, sitting down on the edge of
the machine. He was tall, and the
edge of it made a not uncomfortable
seat for him.
Fond of it?" asked Geraldine. IF
were l shouldn't be doing II as a
lenten sacrifice. should Il" she laugh
ed.
"Hardly-would she. mother"
Mrs. Foster shook her head. NO,
son, / guess not. But I'll say for Miss
Bonner right here and now that she
might love the work dearly. for she
has never been anything but cheerful
and happy over 1t. and ii has been a
pleasure to have her here"
Geraldine made bow over her
work and Mrs. Foster hurried OF to
attend to numerous duties. James,
being at home on a visit. could think
of no pleasanter way Of spending that