ft
JPlhl SByJluyA S.
JL j.
uuerLon.
lACKY vnn sick
The s'tuation was de?perate, nnd the
ntlilrtlr ci niTiilttee went Into solemn meeting
t'l consider the OUtllX'k.
State college nnd Wcstcrficlil had each
won three games, un'l tin- rubber game of
tin- si rl s for the colli ire championship of
the state was Ht hand. And Jacky was sick
jnrKy Dean, the star pitcher.
State college had never been so Inni pressed before.
Never In nny college season had Stat' failed to sweep
away Its rivals, but now, with the deciding game at hand,
the outlook appeared desperate. After the first three vic
tories Jacky I)ean had fallen sir k with fever, aril when
the championship games were being played he had tossed
on his bed In the hospital, where the cries of the coai ln iH
could tench him, and writhed with the burning of the fever
and the desire to be out on the ball Held, leading his team
to
Then, after hard Work, the side was retired, and State,
distressed and disheartened, came In dejectedly.
" Win ri did Jack go?" asked Kills suddenly, turning
to Winnie
" H was hi re u moment ago. I didn't notice him move
I was so anxious."
Again State retired without a run. and
Held Ht tucked the ball, and. by the aid of
ntss, made another run, making the scute
State.
Westerfleld's blra"hcrs were n waving
ngain Wester-
Moshy's wild
to II against
victory.
They had
won Its first
the next gamt
State. They
not rlared till him
game, nor rlid they
, played over at J' i
still hoped to win
wImm W'esterfleld had
dare hint tn him that
nvlllc. had gone against
the fourth victory and
flinch the claim to the championship that State had held
for seven years, but when theslxth game was played and
State again went down in defeat, leaving the series tied.
Jacky was better, and he demanded to know.
He wan weak, sci.cely able to sit up In his narrow,
white enameled bed In the collgc hospital, and they feared
to tell him, tint the nurse, who knew of the restless, crav
ing desire of the boy for la ws from the ball field. Insisted
-and sadly and with much exphmatln I Inslcy. the acting
captain, told Jacky of their downfall and of the desperate
outlook for thi' game ((r Saturday, only ten days away.
When they left him Jacky turned over on his cot and .
wept from weakness i nil despair, and the next morning
he demanded his clothes and insisted e was well.
It was Jacky's last year at college, i.nd he had hoped
to close It with a vlc'ory. Tin- nurse refused to let him
stir from the bed, anil In wept again because he had been
sick and was weak, lie cried because State was In des
perate straits and he Jai ky-was unable to help her.
Jacky had learned many tilings at colli ge, but he had
one lesson yet to learn to give In.
" Never mind, Jaky, boy," said the doctor. " Keep
cool and don't worry, i nil you'll be up In three days, and
I'll let you see the game."
And Jacky kept cool and unlet, so rpilct that the nurse
wonderi'd. He Hie the soups that he deteHted as If with
relish and he no longer pleaded for real food " He's get
ting better rapidly." the nurse reported to the doctor.
The athletic committee went Into secret session on the
eve of the contest, facing a desperate situation. Young
Mosby, the freshman pitcher, was the only available man,
and twice Westerllold had pounded his curves all over the
lot.
" it only Jacky w-re well," they mourned.
Jacky hnd been allowed to visit the ball field each day
for live days and sit In the sun to watch his fellows prac
tice for tho final struggle. He had tried to cheer them
unci assure them they would win but they were beaten
even then and hopeless.
II.
The day -opened bright and warm, n typical baseball
dny. A great crowd had gathered. In the bleachers to the
west rif the field the Invading horde of W'esterfleld, waving
their purple and gold banners, were shouting and singing
blue and white of State
eastern bleachers. The
rival schools, the mega-
fort h across the field In
gay sun
wlth en-
ln anticipation of vlctoiy. Tl
waved back defiance from the
lianila blared the songs of the
phone choruses tilted hack and
a jousting match of misc.
Pretty girls, decked with ribbons, carrying
shades of college colors, shouted and danced
thuslasm. 1
Jacky sat with Winnie, and Winnie's father, and Hills,
and Deakyn In the box at the front of the State bleachers.
Jacky was In the dumps. This was the day that he had
planned to score a brilliant victory over Westerflelil, and
tonight was the night Ihahe had Intended to ask Win
nie the same Winnie, w irW for four years of their col
lege life had smiled upon him nnd held him off, and .who
during the last two years had been mor of a tyrant, and
held him farther away than ever. He had Intended to ask
something this night his last night of triumph in his col
lege career, and now he couldn't.
" O, I hiie we will win. I hoie we will win," said
Winnie, waving her Sinte flag vigorously as If to beat
down the waving banters on the other side of the field.
" We won't," said Jacky, kicking vigorously at the
front of th6 box.
"Cheer up, Jacky," said Winnie's fuller. "They may
win even without you."
"No they won't," said Jacky. "T'uy're beaten now.
That's half the game."
' Look, look, they're starting," said Winnie, Joining
her sweet voice In the long yell of Sta'.e and waving de
fiance to Westerfleld. '
The crisp, staccato, barking yell of the confident West
erfleldlans broke upon the air as the State team trottud
out upon the field, the umpires took their stations, and
the game started.
A moment of tense silence, then Nixon, Westerfleld's
first batter, cracked the ball to center. The crowd stood up,
screamed with apprehension a moment, end fell back with
a cheer of relief at the ball settled In Madib n's hands In
left field. Westerfleld's yell of triumph i tided In a choking
sound, and the long yell of State burst forth. Two more
men went out quickly, and, to the volley of triumphant
yells and the fluttering of many flags, State trotted In from
the field and faced '.Troves the Westerfleld pitcher.
Again three men retired In succession and this time the
Westerfleld bleachers broke (orth Into pieans of triumph
as State trotted back on to the field j
" I'd just go and hug that little fellow. If he'd win,"
said Winnie.
Jacky looked grim.
Silence fell suddenly. Then Westerfleld's first batter
drove the ball safe down the first base line. The WeHter
tleld bleachers broke forth Into noise, an 1 a silence fell on
State's side, the band heroically trying to lead the chorus.
Mosby was plainly rattled, and he gave the next man a
base on balls, then fumbled the bunt that was meant for
a sacritlce hit, and the bases were full. Westerfleld's
bleachers were In full cry. Two hits In succession sent
the runners scampering over the home plate before any
one was out.
mass of tnlnr ', ''"1 V ' A-.V - . .y4d'ff li;:.i' -' 4 J . .Fa,
f ..,. J-: C V'.f , s-jfkyi..hh - . .-.'j
v vf tip: -;v ' ,
State w nt wild .ml
nil Id hhai hi is
tin . in tl - i In . I
I oi led the i rond to
int up atul i' n
i hall , vvalv tt)s ! c
knot . -at wit li f i
t. cse tli'
. II over the Wi st-
i.i-ters '. it uli ! up and down and x-
( In i"' i iv r In tin m i:ilis was le it
W'oitia - fiihi-i was -lanilini; on Ins
ii it intiii . In r II ik twislid Into a
,brw mg. w.ib hiiig iMiy move but
I mio ing In rsi I f
As (In.ves plli In d l!
ky's siwnnl -the old link
hatter, .suddenly Icar.hiK
: whole Inllild i).
Ill st ball I In batsman i au"!it
A tie 1 1; i 1 1 en ine up im i'"
I'orwatd. ai led If lo bum.
I I'oi ward to II. Id the bind, tl c
baiter nnlftly drew b.u k his bat. h t the l all go on Into ti e
catcher's milt, and Jacky siuiiled down to second, while
the disgusted catcher found no one at tin base to whom he
could throw.
Mason was at bat again. lie cracked the first ball
pitched to right center, a long hll. and Jacky. Hl.iggcilng
to the plate, threw himself across It Just as the ball
reached the catchers hands, scoring the run tint put
Slate ahead.
The crowd In the K'tatn bleachers went Into hysterics,
screaming and cheering, while the frishmcn man hid up
and down In a frenty d d. litht
Kills, old stager that he was. realized the peril. Jacky
could scarcely stand from i xha usl Ion. The vlctoiy that
the freshmen thouBht was won was in more danger than
.vcr. It seemed Imtiossllile that Jackv. after the ilis-
rale efforts that had yli lib il the needed run. could pilch
effectively and, when he wi nt hit
from weakness. Kllis' fears scenic
He was pllchitiK slowly and with
man went out. hu) nfer that Inm
his place, staggering
d ahoul to In. realiir.cil.
grc.ii ctli 'H. The first
in succession drove the
uky hit a hall
yells of hope
Slates side
and then lose
every one. J. u ky
' I el Held s hea y
iiinini nt. and
There was a
anil take him up to my
crowd."
lie lo
ki il around
Jllsl felt
smiled
u little
and a torrent of noise, and theie was silence and gloom on
the ptate side. Two errors gave Statu a run In Its third
Inning.
Suddenly the crowd In State's side of the field caught
n sight that sent first a whisper of surprise, then a wave
of applause across the field. Jacky Dean, pale, determined,
clad In his uniform, was arguing with the players at the
bench.
"Pean! Dean! Dean! Three and a tiger for Dean!"
yelled the leader of the "rooters," and the crowd, arising,
caught up the cheer and thundered It out In defiance of
Westerfleld's song of litory.
"He's a young fo d he'll kill himself," muttered the
doctor, whose box was next to the. one In which Winnie
sat.
There was u short argument ut the bench, but when
the team trotted out an to the. field Mosby was left at the
bench, and Jacky, his luce st t. Ids lips white, stepped into
the pitcher's box.
Again the three and a tiger for Deal! broke upon the
air, and even Westerlield, with Its lead of four runs,
(junked at the sight of the youth who foi four years had
held them helpless.
" lie can't do It," muttered Kills. " '1 la y ought to drag
lilm back to the hospital."
"He'll win for us yet." said Winnie.
Jacky began slowly. The first man up went out on a
short fly. and State burst fujth Into mug. but the next
singled, and stole second. Another out put him on third,
and, when the dangei seemed over Aikens. Westerfleld's
best hitter, cracked out another hit and added a run to the
majority (i to 1 ugainft State It appeared hopeless.
State drew another blank. Jacky, shf.ken, but begin
ning to warm to his work, was pitching with something
like his old time form, and tills time not one of the In
vaders could reach fim.
The fifth Inning pisred with no change. Jacky's fare
was pale and drawn. I lis eyes w ere shining. Winnie, sit
ting in the box, clasped her hands tightly around her flag,
but forgot to wave It.
Again Westerfleld wis blanked, and this time the first
two batters for State hit safely. Jacky was at bat. In
other days the crowd had cheered wildly for him as the
mainstay of the club In hitting, but this time there was no
Lheering. The doctor, srelng the. weakness and paleness
of the bey, climbed over the front of the box In which
he sat and started to the bench to order him out of the
game. . .
Jacky faced the pitcher with an effort at a smile. The
ball came over the plate. Instead of hitting It he pushed
It with his bat down past the pitcher, and stopped, ex
hausted and laboring, at first base. The bases were full
und none out.
" He's In the air! lie's rattled!" shouted the crowd as
flroves, disturbed by the unexpected turn in the tide, made
u wild pitch letting In another run, and a moment Ia'tr
Mason's long hit sent home two more. The effort at run
ning the bases had worn Jacky oit. He lay stretched on
the grass, panting, while the next three men went out.
The score was tl to 4 but now Westerflelil was anxious
and State was beginning to cheer wildly, and the mega
phone chorus and the baud broke forth In a desperate
effort to rattle the visitors.
Down on the field Dr. Hartman iirgueil. threatened, nnd
scolded Jacky, but all that young man would say was:
" I can't help It. doc. I'll go back to your old hospital
tomorrow, but not until this game is won.
The seventh passed without event, neither side being
ublo to score. The striin was telling on Jacky. His cheeks
Were flushed. Ids eyes growing dull, und he wabbled when
he walked. The eight n came on, and again Westerfleld
tried vainly lo solve the mysteiy of Jacky's curves. He
had lost his speed, and was pitching slow curves and
twisters, and. occasionally, by desperate effort drove the
ball' fast across the plate.
Again the doctor .net him, und argued and fought with
him to unit, ordered Inni to bid In the box Kills was
ellciing himself red in the face, and Winnie's father, who
played on his college bum whi n they pitched straight arm
and the first hound w is out, was growing apoplectic from
applause. Winnie, suddenly silent and alarmed, was
crouching in her chair, her fair face (lushed red. then pale,
as she watched the movements of the straining youth out
In the center of the lianinnd. .
Ren ten by two runs Shite came In for the eighth. It
was plain that droves was In distress. The constant bat
tery of noise, the shouting of the coaeher.s, and the anxious
silence from lyls own side of the field told on his nervt s.
lie gave the first man a base. I In a) Clements rapped out a
bit. A run scored as the next man went out. and, with a
mun on third and one nci d. il to tie, Jacky came to bat.
This time the iiiliclder were wailing for a bunt. Tin y
knew the batter was sick, weak, and exhausted, nnd
droves, regaining parr of his Voiillih ncc, hiirh d the ball
across the plate, with gleut speed. Th" first one was wide
and Jacky let il go without nil effort. The second caine
straight for the plate Jacky crouched and shortened up
lis grip on his hat as if to hunt. The second baseman atul
first baseman. Hiring the move, dashed forward.
With a short, chopping stroke Jacky drove the ball on
u line Just over the upHtri tclad lingers of the second base
man, and, before, the hull came buck to the Infield, he was
perched on first and the tying run had scored.
ball safe. and. to add to his trouble.
filling the bases.
Already Wi sterllehl was aroused and the
were arising, A silence of dread fell ovci
of the Held. To win a game In such a way
it seemed more bitter than ever.
Slowlv and with Ids pain apparent to
prepared tn pitch i4iiu Turner. We'
bitter, was up. .lucky steadied liluiH.ir
with an .'iKonlzing i IT. at threw the ball
crack, .laiky. with a th spairlng ifYoi t. leaped Into the nlr.
lie tliriw up his glove 1 band, dragged ilo'vn the ball, threw
to first and. almost hi fore the crowd knew what hud
hnpneiud. the double play had been completed - the game
was over and Slate had won the game and the champion
ship by a score of 7 to 11.
Westerfleld sat stunned. State arose as a man and
burst Into cheers then, suddenly stopped. nut In the
middle of the field Jacky stood, swaying in his tracks an
Instant, and then ilroppid like a log to t..e ground.
The doctor had leaped iivi r the barrier again and was
'tinning across the (bid Ills fellow players were bending
over Jacky.
Winnie's fingers were clutched upon Kills' coat sleeve
and her face wss turned agonlxetlly toward tin Held.
" Whew!" whistled Kllis, looking at her. " Is It as bad
as that? Kltcky hoy. Jacky." Hut she In aid nothing.
Winnie's father, despite his npoph'C'lo tendency, had
clambered over the railing, dropped on to the ground, Hnd
was sprinting across the field.
" Tut him Ifi my carriage
house," he said to the doctor.
" All light-drive hack that
Slowly Jacky's eyes opcin d.
feeblv. und said: "It's all right.
weak. I'll be all light In a minute."
The word flashed across the Held and. us they ichIIkciI
that Jacky was coming around, the crowd- both Slate and
Westerfleld-stood ani, while the doctor and Winnie's
father led him to the carriage, gave three cheers and a
tiger, and then the lo.ig State yell for Dnin.
When Kills and Winnie, who had walked up, reached
the house they found Jccky stretched out luxuriously on a
lounge, with the doctor and Winnie s father standing by.
" I hope the young Idiot hasn't killed himself," said the
dot tor.
' "Can't kill him," M'iil Kllis, us they came In. " (J rent
in, nic, Jacky boy. You're a famous mun in tills school for
the next four generations "
Jacky. confused at the sight of Winnie, strove to arise.
" I.le down, ph ase," she said, with color suddenly
flushing her face. " 1 iiu did beautifully todny. Only I
was afraid you would truke yourself sick again."
" I was trying to earn the rewarc" you promised
Mosby," he said.
" 1 only promised that us a reward for a real young
boy. You seniors do n it ib-si rve them.''
"Did Jacky tell you," said Winnie's father, "that he
goes west after commencement, tight nway, to go Into
business with Ids uncle? He thinks lie is getting too old
for foolishness like that of today."
Hefore any one could speak Jacky astounded the com
pany by sitting bolt upright on the couch and stretching
out bis arms toward Winnie.
" Oh! enough to think about a a a wife," he burst
out, stammering toward the end. but finishing bravely. ,
Winnie looked down, then raising her head, she smiled
dlstracflngly and said: " It's rather unusual "
" Rather!" said Kills, choking with i desire to laugh.
Winnie's father roared.
" You put me off so all the last two years," stam
mered Jacky. " When we were alone."
" You would better ask father." salt Winnie, with
twitching mouth.
" No, don't, Jacky," said that Individual, growing more
apoplectic.
No one's consent Is worth much If I can't get yours,
W innie," said Jacky. ii'isenihly.
His face was burning with embarrassment, shame,
nnxlety. and fear. What If he had offended her mortally
"Winnie." he said,, ph adingly.
Winnie cast one scathing glance upon t lie convulsed
Kills ant! the apoplectic parent and then turning suddenly
to Jacky. threw her arms about him.
"If you are determined to win you will win anyway,
Jacky," she said. " I want you to marry me," she addetl,
hurriedly, burying her burning face on Jar-ky's shoulder.
"All out but two," said Kills, starting to march the
apoplectic parent towards the door.
I've loved you ever since
pi -red Jacky.
my children, sain Winnies turner,
the second winning double play you've
came to college," whis-
" llless you.
" Jacky. this Is
made today."
i99
A
A
HAPPY MAN. BY EDEIN PHILLPOTTS.
0
SriVKSSION of dry days was end
ed und already the wind, turning
south of west, blew chill and told of
rain. On a wild common, uplifted In
untamed loneliness above the valleys,
I stood and marked how the horizon of
leaden blue merged slowl Into the clouds
that darkened above it. Yesu rday the w t si
had flamed at sunset hour; now increasing
gloom hid the sun; and already one doubted
whether it was the sere leaves that pattered
on the heath, as they Hew unrestful, or the
noise of the first drops of the rain.
The ridges of the land, albeit tuntd to that
somber time, rt'st'ud clear out above the
dim winter green of the fields. The nuked
tlms towtrtd there; and yet. seen close at
hand, they wore their hibernal garb no
longer, for already bloom buds thickened
and the rosy Inflorescence was preparing to
deck each giant with Innumerable flowerets. 1
Stipules were swelling In the heart of the
woods; the honeysuckle budded; the elder's
lush foliage, scorcln d a little by the last
frost, expanded; a th uifand budlets strained
their cases and wrote lift In every hedgerow;
the blackthorn was foaming against the
dark background of the woods.
I sttiotl uion a heath and heard the song
of the ruin coming with tlw wind. It shrilltd
through dead heather, and Its husky tintin
nabulation was not unmusical; It sighed in
the) fallen acres of the red bracken; it whis
pered where silver birches stood, like columns
of silver, beneath their winter veil of
amethtlne twigs. These, like a rtdie of
rain, wept around about them, dlittering;
hollies wire scattirtd over the htath. firs
broke the covert edge hard by, and the high
tut color notu that touched this scene was the
glaucous bloom of Juniper foliuge.
The waiting before rain is a tinu of ms
try, and ut such nionittiis I have si rll, as
it wart, i stn::ti;i kUuhi touch ii:i; tiu
m a. tii lit citutures of woods und WutUs.
Kvcn as among the birds ul.J bras!.,, sua ill id
Uiv trees, bust herbs, and fleeting amiuuls
knowledge, moves, and with sighs and thirsty
expectance, with closed petals of murmur
of young haves, they welcome Hit ihlaitd
thunder cloud and prepare to drink their fill.
A figure movtd upon the luath, und (lit re
Came a young man to me. He whistled as
ht went, ant! am lit d upon the face of nature,
as though she, too, smihd. Vu met, and
he bade me " good day " with such luurtiiusB
thut I respondt d in like maniu r. und marched
along his path to learn, If I might, the secret
of his generous contenlnn tit and Joy of life.
"The wind Is cold, and the ruin will be
collier," I said.
" Be It?" he asked. " Cun t suy us I've felt
It strike chill; but no doubt 'us so, uincu ou
say It."
" A lonely place this," I remarked.
" You might call it lonely lu a manner of
speaking," he answered; " but there's houses
within a mile. My young ," lie broke off
audi whistled again.
The man was absolutely of commoiipluce
type and demeanor. He hud been spreading
manure on a meadow, and he curried hi.
fork over his shoulder. Yet from him there
beamed a wealth of happiness.
1 sought the subject moat likoly to oust
him down.
" Heavy work on the land soon," I said.
" Kss, thank UotY" he answered; "more
work, more money." Then 1 percejved that
this man was fur the moment sorrow proof.
Already gold flamed on the crest of the
gorse. und the warm fragrance of It breathed
out like a blessing.
"A good sign," 1 said. "I'ethups you
know that kissing' in season now the fune
blooms?"
He snd ltd iudulg.nlly.
" 'TIs always in stuaon so ltmg as you've
got somebody asil kiss 'e," he answered.
"Right! And you're one of the lucky
ones?"
lie i yed me cautiously,
" Who might you be, master he asked.
" A workman."
" What be your hours, then?"
" All the twt nty-ifour."
He laughed.
" Then you don't waste your time, I'll
wager!"
" We all waste our time. When you're
not working you're wasting time."
" No. by God, I bun t!" he. said, with grreat
convictlun, and his thoughts turned inward.
" And she's wasting hers, too come,
now!"
He stared.
" The murder's out, then!" he said. " How
dad you guess as we were tokened?"
" Why, It's all over you, mate!"
" 'Tis true enough, fur that matter," he
confessed; "an' the best woman In the
World, but I'm shamed that the thing do
look so dear to the neighbors."
" I know the signs. You're a lucky man.
and I congratulate you."
" Twus on this very l.eath'twodtiys ugone
tklie said it."
" 'Twill never be a barren heath again to
you. then."
" Kxactly so no mote It won't. I can tell
the Juniper lis sat under, come to think of
It."
" Maybe the tree grew for that end "
fuM ruin began to sweep the evening
light and I retreated before it; but my lover
went on hJs way Indifferent and whis-ta-d at
the darkness as it gathered, and the w ind as
It walled over those dcKia(e s-pucc. He
neither knew that rain was falling nor that
tile sun had Set.
So the heart of man makes ius own
1 weather. TodUy it turns night into dawn
and laughter; tomorrow It saddens noon and
moves dtrkly beneath its own storm cloud
of suff. i big. The young mun marched hand
in hand w ith h.ippin. -s; I moved through
lonely avctiuts. of grief; love and life beck
oned him onward to the g item of spring; love
and death ted my spirit back into winter.
HER WEDDING DRESS.
T
(HE rectory stood on a green hill, facing
the blue seat On the lawn guw a
great lime tree, und under it one
hushed June night, when the silken
whisper of the leaves above them was
the only sound In the wuiid ht side their own
voices, they became engaged. She thought,
as she stood leaning against him, that the
lights in the harbor looked like stars that
had stolen down to hear him say he loved
her. , . .
Her mother opened u drawer of the great,
glossy chiffonier in the only guestroom, and
out of yellowing tissue paper drew u full of
ivory silk embossed with satin chrysanthe
mums. " Your Uncle Willie brought it home to
me yeurs ugu from Japan, dear," the elder
woman said, stroking the beautiful fabric,
"and I saved it fur your wedding dress
er Sylviu's." . . ,
The wedding was to be in July, for lis
holiday was over and he had to go back
to London. So the seamstress came ai.d
slushed with Ignorant scissors Into (he silk,
und, plus in her mouth, measured and fitted
it to the slim young figure in which ti e la ai t
beat so lightly. And one i veiling, when
every one else slept, the If idc-elccl hung a
dressing gown over her keyhole, so that Iter
father on coining upstairs might not see
the telltale light In her room, untl Hied the
wedding dress on. And when she saw hi i s. If
atrayed In the w onil i f ul silk, whose spit n
tlor toniuered even the nualiit cut, she sunk
to her knees ami thanked dud thut she was
pretty antl would please him on their wed
ding day. . . .
She was pluus, with a sweet conventional
piety, and her clear voice led the singing In
the little church where she had been chris
tened and confirmed, and w here hi r old father
was to marry her. She could not be burhd
tht n , for " his people should be her r'"Plc,"
and whin she had to It ave him if dial was
good and took her first she must be laid it way
where his ancestors slept. There was work
fur the parson's daughter to do In the pour
parish, and she had always loved the work,
but these last few days it was doubly dear
to her.
dud was so good, so good! . . .
Three ti ns lit fore that which was to be
the wedding day In r rat her culled h.' r into Ids
study and told her thut there was to be no
Wedding.
" He finds that that he dues not love ou."
the old man said in the sternness nt his sup
pressed grit f. " I t'lld him that I would t. 11
you."
She said nutliing. There was nothing to
say. No one said much.
The father und the mother prayi tl. She
herself did not pray; she only worked. And
the wedding dress was hidden away, wits
sprigs of lavender In its folds.
A year luier Sylvia, her younger sister,
came home from school, and the house be
came has ijulet. Sylvia was bubbling over
with little Jokes anil Joys; hi r laugh rang like
silver. And one night there was to be a ball
In the neighborhood. The elder sister had
been invited, but no one even considt red her
going Sylvia cried all the afternoon, for
she had no gown and could not go. Then hi r
sister went upstairs, opened the drawer, anil
look out the silken gown. She carried It
down, hits of dried lavender failing from It,
and gave II to Sylvia.
Win u the girl had gone off to the ball, the
one who staid ut home went out to the lime
tree and stood licking down at the lights
ill the tin l In .r . . .
Two or three i urs l iter there w as a w Hi
ding ut the nciiir. hut pretty Sylvia was
the binle. Th. bridegroom was a soldier, a
po r man, hut they were happy and lot ki d
forward to their life in India us the other
sisnr hid fornnily h k..i fo:uiil v) hi is
in Koli in:;. l i.. m- '.'f.-r, saving all her
n m.i -s for the bride, belli ulit her of tin
old Japanese si!k. hid II tiyeil black, and
wore ii h'-rseil ut the wedding.
13 Y BARONESS
VON HUT EE IN.
ister. now .fid looking and plain,
The elder
said nevt r a word, sewed herself nearly blind
over the garmt nt. and helped hi r nv ther put
it on that July day. She said nothing, but as
sin fastened the collar her pale lips
shook. . . .
The black gow n last ed for ten years, aided
by an occasional making uvt r or rclritnming.
The daughter, now In In r hi. ak. Joyless pis,
looked almost as old as her pretty whll'e
ii aired mother when they went to the dull
;t as antl dinners of the countryside. People
had forgotten that she ever had been young,
line day came a parcel from the Midland
town where Sylvia was now settled, and on
opening It they found a beautiful soft silk
gown for tin old lady.
" Now, dear," she said, " you can have the
Japanese silk!"
She had forgotten that the Japanese silk
hud been her daughter's wedding dress; but
her daughter remembered. The eastern fab
ric was pitilessly good, however, and would
not weur out. So for six or eight years
the rector's daughter wore the black brocade,
antl girls who had been In their cradles when
she had been tin Ir age laughed at her old
fashioned figure and absurd old frork!
When she was Ml she died She had worn
herself out with work, antl had no strength
to resist the cold she took nursing u poeir
woman through pneumonia.
An hour bt fore she died she culled her
mother. " Mother," she said. " I want to bet
buried in the Japanese silk. Promise inc.
It It Is us good as new " Then she closed
her eyes und drifted away.
Her old mi 1 1 r w as l.n.ki n i t at It d. Ami
prosperous Sylvia wept with In r. Hut they
bail not understood, and boiled ht r ill u
white lawn garment that cost more than
they really could ufford. As they were now
in mourning tiny made the Japanese silk
skirl Into a t t tit o.t jind the old lady wore
it as long as she lived.
Then Sylvia give It to the cook, who IS
wearing it still on Sundays.
(5
