Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1921-07-22
CHIR-RUP!
BY JULIA A. PIERCE.

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TO- 1894, by Mcclure Newspaper syndioatsl
Greta gave her trim little figure
one last crltlcising glance in the mir.
ror, readjusted the sailor hat,
thoughtmlly pulled on her gloves.
then picked up The suitcase which
contained all Of her earthly posses.
slons and stepped out of the room.
She did not lock the door, but left
the key in the inside, for she would
never be coming back
Since the mill had laid off so many
girls three months before, Grcta had
lived on her meager savings. Now
they were gone and she could not
stay in the room with no money to
pay the landlady. Yalnly she had
gone from city to city, answering ev.
cry advertisement for which she was
applicable, but the result was always
the same.
II was mld-afternoon and the sky
was heavy with storm clouds.
BIlndly gloomlly, without noticing
the weight Of her suitcase, GTeta
walked on and on-Out of the dirty
city into the country Finally large
fiat stone beside the road met her
eye. Yes, she was weary. Placing
her suitcase on the rock she sank
down upon ia forlorn little figure
indeed.
This young life, who had kept her
self pure and sweet through all the
trials and temptations the vile cities
had thrown about her, had no place
to lay her head that night No one
would miss her, for she had no home
and the only friend she had ever
known was somewhere in the West
she knew not where. She had re-
cei7ed no word from him since he
had left her, three years before.
She allowed herself to drop into
pleasant reyery and she could see his
handsome face as he had tenderly
told her Of his love and his ambitions
81 will be back before many months,
and then--' last embrace and
kiss, and he had leaped aboard the
moving express waving and smiling.
Soon afterwards her mother died and
all was sold to pay the funeral ex
penses. Greta was left penniless and
alone and was forced to seek employ
ment in the mill hundreds of miles
from her old home.
If Francis had ever written, his
letters had never been forwarded.
"Chir-Iup! chlr-rup" The sound
startled her and she looked up. There
she saw a wee bird on a cherry bush
looking straight at her. Again he re-
peated his "Chir-rup! chir-rupl" more
emphatically than before
"Cheer up. How can TT Greta
might have been talking to a person
instead of bird, so bitter was her
tone.
As though in answer, birdie fitted
to another branch and again broke
out: "Chir-rup, chir-rup, chir-r-rupw
"Well, never!" exclaimed Greta,
aloud.
"Chlr-rup, chir-rupl" and he flew
away
Greta watched him disappear high
up in the clouds Suddenly a verse
Of scripture which she had learned
in school came to her: IF then God
so clothe the grass, which is today in
the field, and tomorrow is cast into
the oven; how much more will He
clothe you, O We of little faith" 1t
was as though the bird had dropped
this message from heaven whence
he had just flown.
Greta sprang to her feet, tense and
alert
"Faith-falth-O We OF little faith
how much more will He clothe you, o
We of little faith?'
YES" she thought aloud, that is
the trouble. l have lost faith-all
faith-falth in God-falth in mankind
faith in myself" Then n sudden
determination and ambition fairly
shook her whole being, and, graspng
her suitcase, she started ut brisk
walk toward the city. Yes some way
would be provided, she felt certain
now.
AS she was entering the city and
was about to cross a street, she halt
ed moment to let an auto pass
which was coming at law-breaking
speed, Why, it was slowing down
and the driver was looking at her,
Before the car was scarcely opposite