Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1916-03-16
Helen, The Unreceiving.

lOI lllc oullilliCl. OuC was DuSilJ PaeNihS
her trunk, and her friend Molly was hov-
ering round wistfully eager TO help.
"What can do ?" she asked.
Nothing" replied Helen, "except TO
sit down and be company"
Molly obeYed, for she had learned not
TO interfere with HeIen's plans.
Presently Mrs. Morris came in. ltwas
to be Helen's first summer away from
home, and the coming separation made
her mother restless.
Daughter" she said with eager solici-
tude, what shall get for your lunch on
the train ?"
Nothing" replied Helen. There
will be dining car"
81 have mince pie and some jelly rolls,
and could make you some nice sand
wiches," persisted her mother.
Don't bother" said Helen. "Just sit
down and rest. You know, mother, |
don't care for cold lunches anyway"
Just before the trunk was closed Mar
garet came in with blue silk dress over
her arm.
"I want you TO take this, sister," she
said. 81 am sure shall not need II at
all, and il fits you better than il does me"
30 Margaret, couldn't think OF taking
your best dress | shall get along very
we'll with what have"
Fourteen-year-old Bob, who adored
his grown-up cousin, drove Helen 10 the
station in her dogcart.
LET me check your trunk ?" he offered
with manly feeling of responsibility.
ooh, nop said Helen with a laugh.
al wouldn't trust my trunk TO anyone.
III attend to it.
"Now, Bot" she said as the train came
in sight, don't forget 10 tell Margaret TO
look on my table. left little surprise
for her. Give this to mother, and tell
Molly she'll hear from me soon. AS for
you, she looked at him with an antici-
patory Edo you know what |
am going TO do for you? Pm going to
give you Princess BeSS for the whole
summer. None OF the others need her,
and you can ride and drive every day"
Helen felt happy as she boarded the
train. Bob'S grip of her hand, the sud-
den eager Joy in his eyes, his awkward
effort TO express his thanks, gave her
pleasant sense OF being thoughtfully gen.
erous. And how Margaret would exclaim
over the bracelet she had bought for her;
and how her patient, gentle mother would
be touched by the gift she had sent back
from the station!
Helen spent the summer with Mrs.
Wales, distant relative who had sun-
mer home high up in the Rockies. She
enjoyed every day of it. One whole
week she spent in making pictures for
Molly. She got snapshots OF the aSpenS
by the stream in the canon she made
some fine pictures of Longs Peak and
the snow-capped range running south.
She spent two whole days patiently hid
ing in the pines TO get picture OF a wild
antelope, for Molly loved animal pictures.
One morning she sat on the veranda
that overlooked the canon and that gave
a glimpse OF the mountain ranges TO the
south. She was singing as she sewed.
Mrs. Wales joined her.
"What are you making, Helen ?" she
asked.
81 am making a balsam pillow for moth
err" and Helen's eyes shone with happy
affection. 81 went out and gathered the
needles yesterday myself Tom wanted
to get them for me, but wouldn't let
him. like 10 do things myself"
GLOW selfishl" Mrs. Wales's tone
was serious.
"Selfsh ?" Helen wheeled on her.
Selfish not TO put anyone to trouble on
your account ?"
"Do you enjoy making that pillow for
your mother?"
"Why, OF course. Pm never happier
than when I'm doing something for moth
er."
"You spoke about letting Bob have
your horse, and how much you enjoyed
his pleasure"
"Yes."
"And you had delightful week making
pictures for your friend ?"
al love to do things for Molly. She
appreciates them so |" Helen was grow
ing thoughtful.
Don't you suppose" suggested Mrs.
Wales, "that if II gives you Joy to do
things for others, it might give them
pleasure 10 do things for you ?"
Instantly there flashed into Helen's
mind the look of disappointment in her
mothers face, in Margaret's, in Molly's,
when they had tried to help her and she
had refused. She was not saving them
trouble; only hurting them. They and
many others had wanted 10 do things for
her-even as she wanted TO do things for
them.
"You see, DEAR" added Mrs. Wales,
"just because il is more blessed to give
than TO receive, the unreceiving may be
as cruelty selfish as the ungiving."