The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-02-26

HoS1S~S-S~oe
room was the most priced. 1t was
a charming room, with windows to
the east and south, SO that If the day
had any sunshine to give. the room
was sure to get it. The bedroom set
had been Christmas present to Di-
antha from her father and mother
and she was proud of the fact that
there was not scratch on any of the
furniture, and that the brass bed
shone as brightly as when it was new.
Every picture on the wall was gift
from someone. In the alcove was
low bookcase that contained the vol
umes that belonged to her, some of
them nursery tales. In short, her
room was the center Of her pride and
happiness to an extent of which her
father did not dream.
Mrs. Conway did not speak of the
matter to Diantha till her husband
left the room. Then she said cas-
ually:
"What do you think of papa's sug-
gestion, dear?"
Diantha lifted burning face.
ut doesn't matter what think.
Papa has settled it,"
II suppose" hesitated Mrs. Conway,
"that it would be just the room for a
convalescent like Irene"
$50 that Irene is comfortable, it
doesn't matter about me, of course"
"You are well and strong. That
is the reason your father thought first
of Irene. We can move your things
to the blue room," she added.
ooh, no." Diantha cried. eff she is
going to have the room, let her have
everything in it. It doesn't make any
difference to me-"
She was aware that her mother was
looking at her in establishment, and if
the truth be told, Mrs. Conway was
no more surprised than Diantha her.
self. For all her life Diantha had had
an excellent opinion of herself. She
had taken it for granted that she was
generous and unselfish and in every
way worthy Of admiration. When she
had agreed to Irene's coming, She
had protested her willingness to make
sacrifices, and had meant every word
she said.
The discovery of her own insincer.
ity came as shock. She had been
asked to give up the one thing she
could not give up willingly.
Mrs. Conway had rather hard
time the next few days. 1t was nee.
essary to put the room Irene was to
occupy into immaculate order, and Di
antha moved herself and her ward
robe over to the blue room, sternly
refusing to take with her a single
picture or piece of bric-a-brac. Her
new quarters while comfortable
enough, were smaller and decidedly
less attractive than the old, and Di
! antha woke every morning and went
to bed every night nursing sense
of injury. 1t really seemed to hel
that her happiness and welfare was
matter of Indifference to both hel
! parents.
"All they care about she told her
self perversely, lis to have Irene
happy"
The day came when Uncle John ant
Irene were to start, and Mrs. Conway
looked forward to their, arrival will
no little apprehension. She knew tina
she had hard winter before her will
the sole responsibility for her delicate
niece, but she had counted on Dian
thas assistance and cooperation
Now it seemed that instead of help
she was to be burden and an ankle
| ty, and the mother sighed as sh'
looked at the anxious months coming
Diantha came home from schoo
that day with the air of martyr
Since she had given up her room sh'
had encouraged herself to look OF
Irene's presence in her home in tn
most unfavorable light.
"Of course I can't have any goo,
times this winter" Diantha told he1
SELF eff I invite boys and girls here
they'll make racket and disturb her
and I don't suppose she'll like to hav
me go out without her."
| Decidedly she was cultivating tn
unlovely art of making the worst o
things.
i AS she entered the house, her in
tention was to go on to her room
without speaking to her mother, bu
she glanced into the living room
where Mrs. Conway sat by the wiz
dow, and forgot her unworthy re
solve. For her mothers face was CO
orless, her eyes swollen with weeI
ing. Diantha's heart came up into he
mouth.
Mother" she gasped when sh
could find her voice, what is it,"
Without a word her mother handle
her a telegram. 1t was signed wit
her uncle's name, and stated tersel
that Irene was so much worse tina
all idea of a journey had been give
up. The closing sentence rang Xix
a knell in Diantha's ears.
/, "The doctor holds out very littl
hope"
She went slowly upstairs. She stoo
for a long minute in the door OF tn
bright, sunny room which had bee
made ready for Irene. How she ha
grudged her it's possession. How III
willing she had been to give it vi
And now it seemed probable she woul
never be asked to make that sacrifice
3 She ran to the blue room, shut tn
: door hard, and flung herself weepin
on the bed.
Through the long months of Irene