The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-08
Her LEArEn SACRIFICE
BY JOHN DARLING.

Sseeesseeeseessseseeess
copyright. 1915. by the Mcclure Ne"SpA
paper SyndicateD
There is only one thing tna' :
realIv do not like to do" said Gerai-
dine.
"Then that's the thing for you TO
do nv dear; that ought to be your
sackcloth and ashes this Lent, SAID
Miss Craft, spinster, and SUNDAY
school teacher Of Geraldine bonner
and other girls not yet old enough 70
vote. What is it?'
"Darning! l hate to darn STOCK
ings!"
But before the beginning OF Lent
she had decided to darn stockings LOT
anyone who would pay her 20 cents an
hour all through the penitential sea-
son. and to this end she wrote little
notes to her friends and placed a tiny
card of advertisement in the church
leaflet. She hoped, down in her SOUL
that she would not find much work 10
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 week, and
before she could realize it 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
family of father mother, four sons
and a small daughter. The mother
kept no servant and had eyes that
would not admit of her darning or
doing close work at night. Hence,
Geraldines newly established profess
sion fitted in conveniently with the
schemes of the family need.
The week before Easter Geraldine
felt that she could do the darning for
the Foster family in less than two
.,
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 a
basketful of socks.
I'll try to get them all done for
you, Mrs. Foster" she said, cheerfully.
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 love.
ly 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. II
am glad to have the pleasure of meet.
ing you-and sorry to have brought
you more work." he said, his frank,
pleasant smile accompanying his
words.
"Oh-dOn't mind the work. well
I'll tell you how much good it has
done me, some day, perhaps" Ger.
aldine 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. III
| were | shouldn't bc doing it as a
lenten sacrifice, should II? she
laughed.
"Hardly-would she, mother?"
Mrs. Foster shook her head. mo,
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 it, and it has been a
pleasure to have her here"
Geraldine made a bow over her
work and Mrs. Foster hurried off to
attend to numerous duties. James,
peing at home on a visit, could think
OF no pleasanter way of spending
that vacation time than in sitting in
his mothers sewing room watching
the sunbeams play in and out among
Geraldine Bonner's curls as she bent
over the homely task of darning.
All afternoon he remained near tina
girl and at the end Of three hours
when she had finished the two had
become more than mere acouaint,
ances. They were sure that they had
found several points Of meeting and
tnat they should see each other often
while James was at home.
Geraldine was busy during thu
week, but on Sunday when she mada
her Easter offering of many dollars
earned by herself in performing a
TASK she did not like. she looked nm
TO see James Foster opposite her in
church. Afterward he walked boma
with her In the spring sunshine and
tney said much to each other that
dio not pertain to darning socks
Later, when he returned again N
MS nome town to visit, he asked her
10 marry him, Il dare to do ii. dear
since | know you are girl who can
make sacrifices-otherwise I could
hot ASK you just now. | haven't
much to offer"