Suzanna Stirs the Fire

ordinary hours intruded and filled the small lives with their duties and their pleasures. Still shadowy, deeply hidden,

e girls. Exquisitely clean, often quaintly adorned with ribbons placed according

an unconscious patronage, felt but hardly resented by the o

free hours that others out in the big world might some day be glad he had lived! This idealism l

r father's financial condition, and indeed she

s of the velvet, the sparkle of the gold, the soft luster of the pearls. But she felt no envy. She loved the adornments with her imagination, not with

ating. Witness the ingenious way, following Suzanna's suggestion, that mother h

ired from many tasks, could paint rare word pictures, build for eager little listeners castles of hope

ey, old John Massey's only child, setting forth the lesson from the Bible, and then the thrilling announcement by the Su

to the brilliance of the affair if Suzanna were to recite. So she gave Suzanna a sheet of pape

," said Miss Massey, "and if you need any help as to em

, thank you, Miss Massey," she said. She could scarcely wait

er after she had read over the verses, "but

ress, mother?" aske

r," returned

l daughter. "I have two dollars that I couldn't

haltingly about a pair of new shoes s

soft valenciennes lace. And later, green cambric for a petticoat. And then on Wednesday the cutting out of the dress with suggestions and help from Mrs. Reynolds, the

held the fretful baby in her arms and tried to soothe him.

this week," said Mrs. Proc

tival, mother," said Suzanna, as she

hly cleaned, the carpets taken up. O, please take

would stop and rest. Such driving haste, such tenacity, meant later a nervous headache wit

led Maizie to watch him, while she tiptoed back into the dining-room. Her mother stil

rn of the loved one who could laugh and say something funny about sleep claiming

, and darn them. I'll call you when I need y

na lingered, but no

he ground beside her, selected a pair of Peter's, slipped the egg down, threaded her needle and beg

to me say two verses of 'Th

s Suzanna dramatically repeated the first part of the poem.

Maizie. "Everybody will listen a

sly wove the needle in and out. "It's a rose blossom. And when I recite in it on t

en cents a yard," said Maizie. She spoke som

red Suzanna reproachfully. "Go see if the baby i

re. She wanted to hear more of Suzanna's fancies, but Suzanna remained silent, having been chilled a little by Maizie's practicality. So Maizie put out her hand and touch

. She let Peter's stocking fall to the ground while she clasped her hands ecstatically. "O, Maizie, it's almost t

hink, Suzanna, when the green petticoat's

wn to you, Maizie, but not for years and years," she

e silent. In different manner, however, for Maizie simply accepted an unpleasant fact, whi

said. "Once a month, when we love each oth

at way," said Maizie, wistfully; "I'm sure mother would

o mean. And Saturday morning you can peel the potatoes so thick that mother'll say: 'Maizie, do you think we're made of money! Here, let Suza

said Maizie, h

round my neck and say: 'Dear, sweet, lovely Suzanna, I'm so sorry I've been so hateful. I

wever. "And I'll say: 'Yes, dear sinner, I forgive

d, marvelous to little eyes with its yards and yards of valenciennes lace that graduated in width from very narrow to on

and for the sixth time Mrs. Procter looked up from her sewing machine at whic

rounder-eyed and then turned to gaze w

"that when I'm older I can have a pink

who knew how strictly to the let

I recite 'The Little Martyr of Smyrna' up on the big platform, I'm afraid I won't be humble in s

poke: "Oh, you'll be all right, Suzanna. The minister means something else when he preaches of b

my patent leat

nna. They're too short even

them for that o

y; "I should be distressed seein

y toes can push through and then put a puff of black, ribbon over

portunities. "Why, I think I can do that," she said. "I'll make a sort of shirred bag into which your toes will fit and so lengthen the slipper and cover the stitching with a bow. I hope I can find a needle strong enough to go through th

for the metamorphosis. It was the quickening of the senses that rallied themselves to meet and solve

s about her mot

other, to have to

rocter looked at Suzanna

ou understand the word, Suzan

other-like catching in your br

please get t

ng, slippers in hand, she fou

he baby?" Suzanna

ed him out to the yard. He's kic

, handed the slip

ir ribbon. That will do for th

cel

lved, worked, tri

going to Bryson's and buying

lieve it is

"because we're doing something harder than just g

l, it does make you feel that you've accomplished a gr

d said: "So, we can put it away now, Suzanna; it's quite f

er mother's face and put her question: "When will you b

w supperward, spoke abstracte

k and her face very pale, Suzanna gazed unbelievingly at her mother. For a moment she was quite unable to speak. Then in

uite unconscious of the storm in the ch

he knuckles. "If you don't cut the goods away the green petticoat won't gleam through

was setting in. She merely said: "Suzanna, we must make that dress last a long time. I made it so that it can be lengthened five inches. We c