Heart of Gold

he sky that she opened her eyes to her surroundings. Then it was with a heavy sense of so

ng bad," she said half aloud,

mind the scene of yesterday, and the bitter truth rushed over her with agonizing keenness. She could never walk again! All her days must be spent in a wheel-chair,

the doorway, where Allee had paused, u

alid st

own eyes stared unblinkingly straight ahead of her, and not a mu

wo whole legs to amuse yourself with and mine are no good. Get out of here! I don't want to see anyone with legs today-or tomorrow-or ever again!" Jerking the pillow slip ov

greatest catastrophe of her short life to be banished by Peace; and stumbling with unseei

dent on his way to the sick-room, sobbed out, "O, Grandpa, she sent me awa

r voice. "It's I,-St. John. Do you think she will le

them. "Come back, Allee, I'm sorry I don't like the looks

aright; then as the minister gave her a gentle push toward the door, she bounded lightly away, and wh

oorway; but instead of looking surprised at his presence, Peace pushed the little sister from her and demanded fiercely,

zed at his reception as he could have been had she dashed

lly. "Do you s'pose I've forgotten that day in Parker down by t

ly features into the most surprising contortions imaginable. But with the heavy ache in his heart and a growing lump in his throat at the pi

led figure, and he held her fast, crooning softly in her ear as a mother might over her

lse; I've scratched my brains to 'member the funny stories I s'lected for Sadie Wenzell's bunch of scrapbooks; I've even pretended the funniest things I could imagine, but it won't work. I knew if there was a sign of a laugh left

ich had suddenly overshadowed the young life, he hastily tucked his long limbs out of sight under the edge of the bed, slumped as far down in his chair as he possibly could, and fell t

he Flag Room caught snatches of the tune Peace loved so well, the Gleaners' Motto Song. Recalling the days when the brown-

e days ar

me happ

world's

courage

faith

the ills

miles and

toil and

eat all?" exclaim

inquired the pastor, as she made

ty-canner!' And when it ain't that it's 'Nose-arts Snorter,' or those wretched archipelagoes. I'm so sick of 'em all that I could shout when she touches the pi

g in his pocket, he drew out a small book, daintily bound in white and gold. "Elspeth sent you this booklet, dear," he ventured, somewhat timidly, for after two such rebuffs as he had

some sense. Books haven't. I've been stuffed so full of stories, I am ready to bu'st." Then, as if fearing that she had been rude to this dear

little girl named G

he said coldly, in such exact imitation of Miss Phelps that no one who had ever met the

pillows really Peace, the sunbeam of this home, the sunbeam of every home she chanced to enter? Poor little girl! What a pity such a terribl

leaped into her eyes, so heavy with weeping. "It's easier-the pain here," laying one

atural expression creep over the white face, though his heart ached at t

ng int'resting to say,

d be only a matter of minutes before

e. I'm tired," sh

breathing told him that she was fast asleep, when, layin

he confided to his wife in troubled tones when he had told he

leeping son's forehead as she laid him in his crib for his nap. "Why did they tell h

oncerned. He was so unmanned by the verdict that he blurted it out to Mrs. Campbell immediately upon his return home, and the girls overheard it. But Peace was out-of-doors all the while. She didn't waken for dinner; but when everyone was in bed, Mrs. Campbell heard her crying, and

ife hopefully. "This experience won't down her, hard as i

dogs' barking fretted her, the singing of the canary made her peevish, even the cat's purring brought forth a protest; but as soon as the unreasonable patient discovered that all the pets had been banished on her account, she demanded them back. However, the long-suffering members of the family could not find it in their hearts to chide, and they redoubled their efforts to make their little favorite forget. Those were gloomy days in the Ca

quired of Faith one afternoon, when it was that si

gerly, for her fingers were just it

sing you play so

and dashed into a brilliant, rattling jig which ha

hrill, imperious voice from above shrieked, "Don't pl

nds poised in mid air, so abru

that tune and every one of 'em can

she tried air after air, hoping to find something which might satisfy the childish whim of the lame siste

ones than had been her peevish, unreasonable demands. Nothing interested her, books she loathed, conversation bored her, neighborly calls from her dearest friends wearied her, she no longer yearned for the sunshine and flowers of the garden; indeed, she showed no desire to be out-of-doors at all, but lay day aft

and's strong arm, "I cannot bear it, I cannot bear it! She takes it

h could come to her!" sig

the day. It was her Lilac Lady, now sleeping under the sod

s where the fierce heat had driven her. The little face among the pillows was no longer rosy and round; blue veins showed at the temples, the lips were colorless, the eyes hollow; the hands,

, touching with light fingers the clustering ri

fashion, "Good afternoon, Aunt Pen. I hope you keep well

f comfortably in a nearby chair and cheerily answered, "Yes, I am well, dear, and all the

voice in lifeless tones. "Prob'ly his music has legs,

at the Home," continued Aunt Pen, as if she had

roke in Peace, perceiving the

a whole libr'y at my-at my de-mand. So you put

replied the woman soberly, though sorely tempted to smil

hink I don't want to do anything but read, and they keep the house pretty well filled up with magazines, old and new. Last week I

gently, a little catch in her voice as she thought of Peace, doomed to spend the r

me! I sh'd think you woul

limpse of a slip of paper written on, in her handwriting. I had not examined the book since the day I picked it up fro

ous surprise anima

hem for you. Perhaps she felt that she would be-asleep-before you came, so she wrote a little me

gerly and with jealous eyes scanned the simple stanza

garden

the mor

nd laughi

with fac

th arms o

ashine

s until s

neath the o

ed by mortal

rom day

y darling

I keep h

lowers and

laughter

God-given

rom the he

breath of t

of sun-kis

ss of vagra

ss of cooli

the thril

ks and fo

g, soul-chee

songs wit

how can I

s peace you

ful lesson

ous spirit

e burden

e sharp sti

fresh asp

ives me ho

she whispered eagerly, "What does it all mean, please? Did she really feel that way, Aunt Pen?

brought back the sunshine she thought had gone out of her life forever. You gave her something to live for, some

of the leaves overhead broke the stillness. Then she said sadly, glancing

ar. It was your merry voice, your gay laughter, your joyous nature that cheered you

thought so if you had lived with

, our little sunbeam has just been hiding under a dark cloud all this w

that?" Peace e

woman answered

forgotten how to laugh and

n all that, dear! But even then, it i

to learn-again, Aunt Pen. May I keep this little poem so's I won't fo

message. You helped your Lilac Lady