The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-06-26
THE CHILDREN'S HOUR.
DIckY DoNovAN's "sUNsHINE."


her crown of silver hair. Then she
drew the curtains so that the sunlight
would stream in gloriously without
throwing a glare on the broad, cush-
toned couch, pushed the vase of fluffy
yellow chrysanthemums where it
would show to the best advantage, saw
that the new book lay where mother
bell was conveniently near.
Now I'm; off," she said gayly, an
swearing the smile from. the; couch.
BE a good girl, mother mine, and
don't try to do all the things you feel
like doing, Katiell be listening for
your bell, and if she doesn't hear 1t
she'll worry, or else get woebegone
because she thinks you don't like her
way of doing things as we'll as you
do mine"
'Tll be good" promised the little
lady who lay on the couch, looking
| rather frail but altogether lovely in
| her lavender kimono. 'It's so nice to
feel that I'm not going to do the least
little thing to interfere with this bliss
full condition"
"See that you DON'T" warned her
tall daughter from the doorway;
"By!" She blew another kiss from
the tips of her fingers, closed the door
softly and ran quickly down the
stairs.
Once out of doors, she drew long,
satisfying breath of the crisp fall air.
Oh, it was wonderful day! Blue
sky, fresh breeze, and sunshine that
might have belonged to the Lady June
herself! And mother was better
really and truly better! The doctor
had said so mother looked it, and her
own heart, fairly reliable barometer
in the home atmosphere, sensed it.
She would have liked to run and skip
with the children who were hurrying
along to school, just for pure gladness
of life. She could even smile when
Miss .,Adelia Barnes stopped her by
laying hand pityingly upon her arm
and inquiring in hushed and stricken
voice.
and how is your poor, dear moth
err this morning, Rilla?"
| ooh, mothers better, Miss Della"
she answered brightly. ''She really
looks and acts like her old self. She'll
be around again in week or two"
| 81 hope so, Rilla." Miss Barnes
voice told how forlorn the hope was.
| I'm sure I hope so. But one never
can tell. Don't be too sanguine. A
| nj &c
warning. And relapses are-very
dangerous"
"We're being more than careful"
Rilla assured her. "and mother is so
sensible about taking things easy. l
think she'll get along all right"
Indeed, L hope So" said Miss
| Barnes sadly. You'd miss her dread
fully-if anything should happen. Give
my love to your mother, Rilla, and
tell hersI shall come to see; her soon
very sseon!" ..tsA.~. So. = ;.
Thank you, Miss Della" said Rilla
with an effort, adding with sudden
afterthought of possible consequences.
Come some Saturday. I'm home, too,
on Saturdays"
THANK you," said Miss Barnes in
her turn, and passed on.
Rilla resumed her walk to the Kin
dergarten, but she had no desire to
skip and run. The wind had grown
cold. The sunshine was pale. and
cherries. All at once she was tired
and anxious and unhappy.
This will never do, Rilla Robbins, y
she told herself sternly, giving her
spirit a vigorous mental shaking
Brace up to the days work! Things
haven't changed radically in the last
five minutes. It's you. No, it isn't;
it's Miss Adelia Barnes. And you
know what she is she added mean.
ingly.
So she met the kindergarten young
sters with her usual smile, though it
cost an effort, and soon the pleasant
routine of the day had begun. After
the opening song, it was Dicky Dono
vans turn to be Weather-man, and
very proud and important was that
young gentleman as he marched to the
) blackboard which had on it one word
outlined in big black letters.
To-day
If it had been cloudy or rainy
Dicky would have filled in the outlines
. with gray crayon. If it had been snow
ing, he would have made the letters all
white. But the sun was shining splen
didly, and that made all the difference
in the world. The big letters were tc
be brightly, beautifully yellow!
; Dicky looked through the box Of
colored crayons. Red, blue, green
gray, purple, brown,-why, where was
the yellow one? He looked again. Il
was nowhere to be found, and. turning
7 an aggrieved face upon Miss Rilla.
"Thomebody thole my thunthine!'
he cried, almost ready to dissolve il
tears at the calamity which had over
taken CT day"
Somebody stolen the sunshine?
II repeated Rilla, laughing. ooh, no
! Dicky dear. Here it is on my desk. l
was just mislaid. Nobody would stea
our sunshine" =.
Dicky took the rescued treasure ant
set manfully to work on the weather
? In her. own heart Rilla Robbins quail
fed her statement. Peoplesdid some
! Etimes steal sunshine. That very morn
Fling Miss ;Adefia Barnes had stole1
l hers.