Year: 1872

prose everything sounded like q
poem TO me; then after making be-
heve ne was afraid I'd forget my ap-
pointment for the morrow if he did
not charge me over and over again
not to, he went away.


The morrow came, and you NAV
be sure I was abroad bright and ear
ly. Then, punctual as the morning,
came Abner,and must add he look
ed as beaming too. Very soon I
was in the carriage, with my best
merino on, and my velvet hat, with
the red poppies in, fairly dancing
on my head, 1 pretended, too, was
hne lady, riding out with my boys,
ana SAID grandly: sold, you need
not stop anyWeere until we reach
Brier Bridges"


By and by We got to Mr.. RAYS
place, and I caught my breath, for I
had never seen anything half so
splendid. There was the crooked
creek the twisted bridges, and great
trees that must have touched the
clouds, while all in and out, over
everything, lay red and yellow leaves.
These were so bright I had half a
mind to say to Abner-aMr. Ray
must be very rich that he can afford
to leave rubIes and gold lying
around in this way" but I wouldn't
stop to take time, there was so much
to see and to say.


When we got to the house it seem
ed made all of frost and flowers, and
l was just ready to dance for rejoie-
ing in it; but when We rode around
to side door and entered the rear
palace 1 seemed to lose my senses,
and just aoated along with my hand
in Abners. By-and-by he was gone,
and l was standing in a room all
a-glitter with a hundred hues and
colors, and lady and gentleman
faced me-were talking to me. I
was frightened, for I couldn't hear q
word they said. Faint too was I,
without the slightest idea where my
feet were, and feeling as if adrift at
sea, with only tangle of roses be-
tween me and great, green grave.


found out afterWard the lady was
Mrs. Ray. She spoke as her hus-
band did, in few, short words, and I
was wild to catch and fix their mean
ing, but all brought out of that
room with me was this: she would
''instruct" me as to my duties in an
hour from that, told me they were
materialists, and I was not to 'pois-
on" her child's mind with doctrines
or dogmas." I hadn't the slightest
idea what that meant, but, being well
brought up, concluded it was not
possible for me to poison the ehild's
mind in any way, and felt sure the
spain of instant dismissal she
threatened would never be mine on
that score.


When 1 turned and left them in
their gold and purple grandeur, and
found my hand again in Abner's, I
was so delighted 1 could not help
saying: at may be very splendid to
be a materialist, but for my part Pm
glad I'm Prosy Potter and have got
you"


We we're going to find Brightelsey
Ray, when somehow all of sudden
he was right there, with his two soft
mites of hands in mine, and his eyes
looking into my eyes as think an
gels must look for the first time into
faces they left long before on earth.
1 took him into my arms-this SEEM
ing seraph-holding him against my
heart, kissing him and crying.


1t was for joy cried My little
brothers were seeming more real to
me than ever they had seemed be-
fore, and this was the lOveliest and
dearest Of them that nestled in my
arms and against my bosom. He
was even more lovely than had ever
pictured him. His hair of the pure,
clear gold the sky often takes on
just after the sun is gone and the
dazzle gone with it. It was pushed
back from his temples and fell in
curls to his waist, and was so feath-
cry soft a qulEer went through it all
the time, as if loving, unseen lips
lifted it. His cheeks and forehead
we're like pearl, his mouth the sweet
est rose-pink, his large, ,golden-lashed
eyes the real pansy-purple nobody
ever sees except in the eyes Of
children.


After my very little cry, the next
thing did was to straighten out the
great, blue ribbons lying like wings
on his exquisite shoulders, and 1
turned a tress or two in my fingers.


Il see you've found your mission,
Prosy," said Abner, and left Us. I
was the least bit frightened then, but
had barely time to find it cut and
anwer a question of Bright's, when
the housekeeper came to show me
where l and my things belonged.


1t is impossible for me to tell now
wild I went over that child-over
Brightelsey Ray-and he seemed to
be almost as wild over me. Every
think 1 did for him was q delight, but
l think the dearest moment Of that
never-to- be-torgotten day was when
1 taught him snow I lay me down
to sleep" He was in his night-dress,
just ready to cuddle down, and had
said:


"Now kiss me one for last"


"But you must say your prayers
for last, my Brightest" I didn't
stop at Bright you see. To me he
was always Brightest.


"Prayers?"


eyes, little sleepy head. What is
it you say, Now / lay me'-or 'OuI
FatherP


Il don't say anything but just
| goodnight"


1 was very pitiful over him, this
child of parents so rich and yet too
poor to teach him a prayer. "My
baby shall never lie down again with
out such wings to cover him" 1 said
to myself, and taught him how to
kneel and what to say.


know it would be tiresome were
I to tell how the next three days
passed, so I viii only give hint OF
them. Mr.. and Mrs. Ray loved their
only child devOtedly, but did as
suppose rich parents usually do, had
| set times for having him with Them