Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-04-24
SOWING SEEDS IN DANNY
BY NELLIE L. McCLUNC
Author OF "The Next Of Kim "Thrce Times and Out .,e

,,,,rioGt. 1890. bD pubho Ledger Co.
TIE PRESSED his hands again to his
II head and groaned aloud and Tic
-.bo bcors the cry Of the child or Of the
.,ropu man in agony drew near and laid
u;s nicrced hands upon him in healing
and bcnediction.,
The next Sunday the Rev. Hugh
Crsntley was Mt bis best, and MS ser
mons had new quality That appealed
40 and comfortcd many weary one
Who. like himself, was travelling by
tho thorn road
IVY Mrs, McGuirc's little house there
,,. nothing TO disturb the reading now
s,r tho minister came no more. but the
~, ;oronsncss had all gone from Mary's
Jyo;cc and Mrs. McGuire found herself
Ling nil interest IN Christians Strug
,ics ne she looked at Mnry's face.
orcc she saw the minister pass and
,Lo bcot upon the window with her
ttmi,tinp needle, but he hurricd by
n',iihnmi looking up. Then the anger OF
NJ NIcj;uirc was kindlcd nightly. aud
.ho snmptimes woke up in the night TO
SYnrcss Sxr her opinion Of him IN the most
in,L forms she could think Of, feeling
,n",cnnwbile the futility OF human speech
II was a hard position for Mrs. Me
Guirc. who had always boon ublc to
,cItlc her own affairs with case and
grace. =, 49,,
m about u month, Mrs. Mcclure sat
IN her chntz. covered rocking chair
and thought hard, for something had
10 bc done. She narrowed her black
owes into sits and thought and thought.
Suddruly she started as " she heard
something, and perhaps she did -- the
angel who brought the inspiration may
have whirred his wings little.
Mary Barner was coming that after
MON TO "rcd up" littlc for her. for
bcr rheumatism had been very bad.
With wonderful agility she rose anil
made ready for bed. First. however.
she carefully examined the latch on
bcr kitchen door. Now this latcn hal
n bad habit of locking itself IL the door
was closed quickly. Mrs. McGuirc tried
Il and found It would do this every
time. and with this she seemed quite
About half after 3 O'Clock Mary
came and began to set the little house
in order. When this was done Mrs
Mcclure asked her IL she would make
her a few buttcrmilk biscuits--shc had
been wishing for them oil day.
When she saw Mary safely in the
kitchen her heart began to beat. Now.
II the minister was at home, the thing
was aS good as done.
She watched at the window until
Jimmy Watson came from school. and
then. tapping on the glass, brcxonrd
him to come in. whicl, he did with
great trCpidution of spirit.
She told him to go ut once and tell
Mr.. GrGntlcy to come. fo" she needed
him very badly.
Then she got back into bed and tried
to compose her features into some re-
sCmb ancc of invaiidism.
When Mr.. Grantlcy came she was
resting cnsicr. she said (Which was
truC). but would he just get her a
would he please shut the door quick
after him aud not let the cat up.
Mr. Grantler went at once and she
heard the door shut with snap.
Just to be- sure that it was "snibbed, "
Mrs. Mcclure tiptoed after him in her
bare feet. very bad thing for sick
a.bcd lady to do. too. but to her credit
bc il written. she did not listen at the
kCyholC.
She got back into bed. cxclaiming TO
herself with great emphasis
There. now. tight it out among yer
selves"
When the minister stepped quickly
Inside the little kitchen. closing the door
hurricdy behind him To prevent the in
vaSOn Of the cat (of which there wasn't
one and never had been any. he bphcld
a very busy and beautiful young woman
sitting flour into baking dish.
,Mary.' he almost shouted. hardly
believing his senses.
lie recovered himself instantly. and
explained his crrand. but the palor Of
his lace was unmistakablc.
When Mary handed him the cun Of
water she saw that his hand was shak-
ing; but she returned to her baking
with the greatest composure.
The minister attempted TO lit the
latch. flc ratified the door in vain.
Come ont this way Mary said as
Swcctly ns if she really wanted him to
90.
She tried to open the outside door.
also in vain. Mrs. Mcclure had secured
II from the outside with q Clothesine
prom and n horse nail.
. The minister came and tried it. but
Mrs. McGure's work held good. Then
me absurdity of the position struck
them both. and the little house rang with
laugntcr-laughter that washed away
n" hcartachcs of the dreary days be
fore.
The minister's reserve was breaking
down.
Mary he said. taking her face be-
tween his hands. "are YOU going to
marry Horace Clay:"
No, she answered, meeting his