Jewel's Story Book

FLOWER (

l and her grandfather visited the st

ghter-in-law as they stood alone for a minute after breakfast, Jewe

was always mentally contrasting with Madge. "The rain will give me a c

, for Jewel has the voice of

he Steinway grand. "Ah, if

dam," he said, lowering his voice, "t

voice, do

al. Eloise is an accomplished pianist. She has one piece that Jewel espec

oubt it. I've heard very l

erself," the broker lowered his voice to still deeper impressiveness.

es met his

went on. "Jewel," for here the child entered the roo

is out ther

legs a bit faster th

the Spring Song. She could perform only a few measures, but there were no false notes in

o her again under his breath, as Jewel at la

. How different was to be the future of her little girl from a

he had guarded Jewel's simplicity, the self-restraint with which he had abstained from loading her with knickknacks or f

good!" praye

rs. Evringham's window. The raindrops pattered against the clear glass, the lawn gr

low, I think," said Jewel, lo

r the ferns," re

o be there, now,

sier here. I love to hear

l have the story now

ck at the door and Zeke appear

ht be a little damp up her

l. "Mother, wouldn't you like

sticks on the andirons and let Jewel tou

when the flames leaped up. "My mother made it

ng, "but you'd better find out first if he does. This

t many of the same things,"

g coachman, "and as long as you're going

"Zeke said it made his nose tingle every time he thought of anybody else brai

the arrival of the hour when Mrs. Evringham had engaged to take a drive with her father-in-law. Jewel accompanied them, riding Star, and it was great entertainment to her mother to watch the c

ld grandpa about it, driving to the station this morning, and what do you suppose he asked

e'll see," she replied, opening

house and Flossie had just said she

said Mrs. Evringham,

she wished her mother were here to take care of thi

sie, about God being Love," she said; "but

r me to have it or else He'd let the doctors cure me. I've had the kindest

you, Himself," sa

Oh, no, He won't. I asked Him every night for a year,

ot to be the image and likeness of God is a lie; and He doesn't see lies, and so He doesn't know these mistakes you're thinki

her visitor's tone brought a glea

running around here with me, a

e doubtfully. "Mother says it will do my soul

dy it was better for them to be sick. He healed everybody, everybody that asked him, and he

ks. "If I was sure God wanted me to get w

but you didn't know

" asked

ther, but I do know a little, and if

ed Flossie, regarding her visi

ing that puzzled her. She saw Hazel roll Flossie's chair back under the elm-tree

hat had begun. "I wish health was catching," she sighed. "Little Hazel's a picture. I wonder how

o her surprise matters were exactly as she saw them last. Flossie was, holding both dol

her noiselessly. "I do believe in my heart," she exclaimed, "that Hazel Wright is giving F

ied out of the house and walked over to the tree. Hazel skipped to meet her, her face all alight. "Oh, Miss Fletcher, Flossie wants to be healed by C

on in the invalid's usually listless

them right now. You children go on playing and I'll find all the re

tree, and with pencil and paper made her not

th your children, F

e doctor and come and feel their pulses. Aunt Hazel has my doll's li

turned, "because-it isn't fun to be sick an

lay with her doll, Bernice, who had recovered from such a cata

he directions and I'll take the children to drive

e, "you bring them to me to spank, because

, "and you have a Christian Science maid, then there won't be any spank

rned Floss

to the lightning speed with which the maid changed to a coachman, and then

ched out her references and made record of them, her eyes roving often

for the invalid was always accomplished with much coaxing on Miss Fletcher's part, and great reluctance on Flossie's. The little girl took no notice n

iss Fletcher was carrying a tray, and upon it was laid out a large doll's tea-set. It was

s ago I had a niece your age, Hazel, who used to think it was the best fun in the world to come to aunt Hazel's and

aint shape of the bowl and pitchers, as Miss F

p handsome toys the way children do n

ked Flossie, beginning to think that in such a case

he looked at the guest's interested little face her ey

r seen them?

ust be hungry after your games,

ng to Hazel that Flossi

said. "Won't it be the most fun! I suppose, ma'am, you'll like to have the

h elegant languor. "I think

nd down; for Miss Fletcher, who had returned to the house,

e sewing-table for a sideboard, and the la

r?" asked Miss Fletcher of her invalid, doubtfu

oked up eagerly into Miss Fletcher's eyes and said, "Yo

y. "Then there's nothing to fear, for s

and milk, a tea-pot of grape juice, one dish of nuts and another of jelly, the waitress's eyes spoke so eloquently that Flossie mercifu

e children laughed and ate, and when the sandwich plates and coffee-pot and tea-pot and

tle niece!" exclaimed Flossie, enchante

l, looking around at her hostes

of the delightful afternoon, which made Mr. Badger and Hannah open their ey

little girl's dishes. Oh, I wish you could see them. They're the most be-autiful you e

id use them,"

s me to call her aunt Hazel, uncle Dick!" The

Perhaps she'll forget a

aten as much as she usually did in two whole days.

bout it," returned Mr. Badger. "It

she said at last. "God doesn't disappoint people. They'll get some grown-up Scientist, bu

returned Mr.

k them to come here by your garden and have lunch some day, Hazel. I'll

o take the lesson over and read it with them, and I'm going to read them the 'Quest Flo

er their little visitor had gone to b

her consents to take lunch in my ya

t's fence, Flossie was sitting under the tree and waved a hand to her. T

ust tired enough yesterday. She slept las

ing as her new friend drew near, "the

l. She had her doll and some books in her arm

oked over the titles. "You have som

sson to Flossie before I treated her

surprised at the number of good verses and promises I read

er run into the house to bring the Bible,

d, that reading all those verses to you last night made me feel that we don't any of

a few years older, she would not have attempted this without a word of explanation to two people to whom many of the terms of her religion were strange, but no doubts assailed her. Th

what they were hearing, excepting the Bible verses, and these did not seem to bear on the case. It was Hazel's perfectly unhesitatin

r look, "I guess I'd better tre

she ejaculated, "then I sup

er," returned t

mbarrassed, gathered up her sew

prayers can't do any harm, and if she isn't a smart young one I never saw one. She's Fletcher clear through. I'd l

hat it was her aunt whom she was visiting daily could scarcely have other than a kindly motive; and that long list of Bible references which she had read to Flossie last ev

aring the luncheon which she inten

ugh for two laboring me

aunt Hazel," she said, and the address softened the hostess's eyes, "won't you and

d. This was a contingency t

you to see my flowers, and Flossie says she'd l

ied aunt Hazel reluctantly; "but I d

ing that perhaps her own invitation was not sufficient, "and I know uncle Dick

rimmest. "I've spanked him many a

ted the child, stari

ile. "Not very hard; not hard enough,

breath. "You knew hi

ll you will, and if you'll be very careful you can wheel Flossie up to your garde

re was some trouble between this kind, new friend and her dear uncle Dick, and

Hazel took the little white book and sat down close by t

e stories?"

lossie; "but when mother brings a book and says

hear this," she said

came from miles away to look at the rare trees and shrubs, and the beautiful vistas through which one could gain glimpses of blue water where idle s

; and so many strangers as well as friends told him that it was so that he came to b

that he started and looked about him to find its source. Becoming more and more interested each moment, as he could find only such blosso

hed him to discover what might be the

r containing a plant crowned with a wondrous pu

h steadily refused; saying that, the plant being now in perfection, he

en hastened, himself, and overtook the young man. When his

youth, "but do you not know that at the Publi

ut to grow it must be difficult. Promise me to return and t

tend his own; and as for me, the King will send me on a quest w

onging, hastened to the Public Garden and made known his desire. He was given a bulb, and was

rejoicing, caused the bulb to be planted in

isdom concerning the ways of flowers, but still the bulb rested passive. The man offered rewards, but in vain. His garden was still

figure in the sleeping castle, and went out upon a balcony. A flood of moonlight was turning his garden

he centre of the garden, reposed his buried hope. No one was by to witness the breaki

o see, for a little green shoot appeared from the brown earth, and, wi

the castle were sleeping, he descende

ed, and one fair day it burst into blossom a

's very heartstrings. "The King has many, how many, who can

flower from one day to the next, till

nt to perfection and given it to the King; for he realized, at last, that only by giving it, could its loveliness

d bulb could be vouchsafed to any one. Very sadly he retraced his steps and carefully covered the preci

the landscape, the man turned, with a full heart, to the care and nu

and beautifying daily, until, one morning, a divine fragrance spread beyond the farthest limits of that garden, for the flower had bloomed, spotless, fit for a holy gift; and the man looked upon it humbly and n

her attentively. Miss Fletcher had laid do

ike it?" a

ie. "I wish I knew w

eplied Hazel. "I forget what she said the bu

haps," replied

look at yours and see how the bud is to-day." Hazel sprang up from

behind still polishing her spectacles with hands that were not very steady, felt a

a-set. They had cocoa to-day instead of the beaten egg and milk; then, just before Hazel went home, Miss Fletcher let her water the

but Miss Fletcher very kindly and patiently helped he

and uncle Dick went out doors with her after supper and watched her wate

t care to come and lunch

arding him. "She says she used to kno

ughed. "She c

n," said the little girl, "th

it had, when sh

ace wistfully, "She didn't know h

ipper was good

ee what's the ma

go on having a good time. Everythi

val and sympathy of her namesake, and her conscience had been awakened by the array of golden words from the Bible which she had not studi

alice of the perfect lily shone up at her through the dusk. "Only a couple of days,

street under an umbrella. Tightly held in one arm were Ella and a bundle of books and doll's clothes. Miss Fletcher welcomed the guest gladly, and, after disposi

r garden, where in plain view the quest flow

expression of the former's face had changed even in three d

eir plays, and when lunch time came the appetites of the pair did

it had ceased raining, and Miss F

ee the quest flower!"

ll the rest, reared itself in state

s and pressed her hand to her heart. "Why can't the thi

will come out, and I know just how that lily

houlders. "I want you to stay to supper with us t

o," returned the child

r scissors cut a moss rose so full of sweetness th

girl, very fine in a white frock and ribbons, came skipping up the street. Miss Fletcher stood watching them as her niece ran toward the whe

" she cried, "th

rew near. The stately lily looked

day," she said

n the garden paths. Later she went into the house and upstairs and put on her best black silk dress. An unusual c

of doors and to the elm-tree. "I didn't bring you any lunch to-day," she

ishes just the sam

plied Miss Fletcher, and both the little girls

asked her?" the

es

he's going to ha

N

med Flossie. "I didn't

put her hand on the child's shoulder. "We must do every

n noticed that aunt H

d, bewildered, "are

f consecration to the King, Hazel, I know what would be the first errand He wou

n the garden path

uppose it is?"

imply. "Something right;" and th

our had slipped away before she came up the street, and then

. Mr. Badger's kind eyes looked down into hers and he carried her into the house in his strong arms. Hazel followed, rolling the chair and having many happy thoughts;

another place. Hazel's quick eyes noted that there were four seats, but before she h

I go, au

t such familiarity. "Why,

ess both regard

Hazel into the chair before the pretty china

d. That was the aunt Hazel who gave her the silver spoon. It had been aunt Hazel all the time! S

ut it has crept out again, I hope forever;" and through the wide-open windows came the p

wonder and joy. With new hope she followed the line of treatment suggested by a little girl, and by the time another summer came around, two ha