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Silver Bowls. Frontispiece.

SILVER BOWLS.

BY

MRS. GEORGE A. PAULL,

(MINNIE E. KENNEY)

AUTHOR OF “CHRISTIE’S HOME-MAKING,” “CHRISTIE’S NEXT THINGS,” “MRS. MORSE’S GIRLS,” ETC.

c .

AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY,

1 50 NASSAU STREET, NEW YORK.

COPYRIGHT,

AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, 1893.

Gontrnts

CHAPTER XXXIV.

CHAPTER XXXV.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

The End 426

Chapter I. An Opportunity

“ There, that is the last one, and I am glad of it !”

It was with a sigh of relief that Louise Rushton uttered this exclamation, as she folded a pair of well-darned stockings and dropped them upon the pile which already filled the work-basket.

Clasping her hands above her head, a favorite attitude when she was in a thoughtful mood, she leaned back in her rocking-chair and fell into a reverie so deep that she did not hear the door-bell ring nor the voice of her most intimate friend asking for her. Not even the light footsteps upon the stairs attracted her attention, and it was not until Ella Lindsay’s voice broke upon her ears that she aroused from her thoughts.

“A penny for your thoughts, Louise !”

“ Do n’t be recklessly extravagant, my dear. They are n’t worth half that magnificent sum,”

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exclaimed Louise, jumping up to greet her friend with so much eagerness that the work-basket was knocked over and its contents sent flying hither and thither.

“Just like me!” Louise remarked, as Ella helped her to gather up the stockings which had rolled like balls in every direction, and to replace the scissors, pin-ball, needlebook, and the other paraphernalia of a work-basket which were scattered about. “ I am always exemplifying the laws of gravitation, as Miss Giddings used to say, when I upset things generally. I do n’t suppose any one else could possibly have knocked that basket over without deliberately trying.”

“ Do n’t glory in your capacity to turn things topsy-turvy without trying,” laughed Ella, as order was restored at last, and she dropped into the low wdndow-seat which was the greatest charm of the room. “ And now tell me why you were in such a brown study. What were you thinking about ?”

“ I was imitating those Buddhists, Mohammedans, or whatever they are, who give themselves up for a certain time to thinking about nothing,” Louise returned. “I was just reaching that beatific state when your voice broke in upon me and shattered the charm.”

“I shall really begin to believe that you could n’t think in earnest about anything if you tried,” her friend answered. “You are the most perfectly ridiculous girl, Louise !”

“ Well, how could any one have any thoughts left after she had been darning stockings for two hours ?” queried Louise. “ I can’t say that it is altogether monotonous work, for the different sizes of the holes offer some room for reflection ; but it isn’t stimulating to one’s imagination.”

“ But you certainly were n’t thinking about stockings,” persisted Ella.

“ Can’t I convince you that I was thinking about nothing?” asked Louise. “ I was thinking about the holes in the stockings then, if I wasn’t thinking about the stockings ; and I should like to know if a hole is not simply nothing, bounded by ragged edges ?”

“ If you have darned all those stockings it is time you rested your brain and Angers both,” Ella said. “ I am going to the postofflce, and I came in to see if you did not want to walk down with me.”

“Yes, if you don’t mind waiting a few minutes while I make myself a little more presentable,” Louise answered, putting aside her apron and shaking off the bits of lint and yarn that clung to her dress. As she let her hair fall in shining brown waves about her shoulders, and began to brush it energetically, she said,

“ I suppose I might as well tell you what I was lO

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thinking about just then, only I am rather ashamed of being so discontented. I was wishing that I might make more of myself in the next four years than I have in the four since I left school. I do n’t mean that I consider them absolutely thrown away, for I hope our class motto has made them of some use to those about me. I have tried to ‘ Doe ye nexte thynge,’ but I can’t help getting restless sometimes. I want a special object in life besides doing the little things that come in my way. Most of the girls that were in our class at school are outgrowing me, and I have ambition enough not to be willing to be the last in the race. I was just running their names over in my mind. I had a letter from Christie Stanley last night, telling me of all the work she is interested in and of all her plans for the future ; and I know without her saying it just what an ideal minister’s wife she makes, loving, thoughtful, and helpful to every one that comes near her. She is just as she used to be. If any one is in trouble, Christie has only to know it to go to the rescue at once. I really believe it makes her happier to be doing something for some one else than to please herself in any other way.”

“Yes, she is the most perfectly unselfish girl I ever saw,” Ella responded heartily.

Christie had not lost her place in the hearts

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of her old schoolmates because their paths had diverged, and they still held her in loving remembrance for her unselfish ways and loving deeds.

''‘Then there is Achsah Howe,” resumed Louise. “ She is going to make a name for herself yet as a writer, and I suppose that some day we shall be very proud of having been in the same class with her at school. It always seemed too bad that we never got really acquainted with her in all the years she was there until just the last few days. Poor old Ishmael ! She did have a hard time of it, with her pride and her shabby old dresses. I have wished so many times since then that we had only known how it was and had been kinder to her. I am sure she has forgiven all of us long ago for teasing her as we did, but I am so sorry every time I think of it. The rest of us had such good times at the Institute, and she got left out of them all, except just at the last ; and after all it was only through Christie that even graduating night was not the worst of all.”

“ I always knew that Achsah was clever, but I never realized it fully till that night when she carried off all the honors,” said Ella. The old school-days did not seem so very far away as they recalled them.

“Well, to proceed with the roll,” went on

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Louise. Florence Dinsmore is studying art and working away at painting with all her might and main. Grace Davenport is the leader of society here in Weston ; and though I do n’t think that I would choose that for an aim in life if I could, yet there are ever so many lovely things that she can and does do just because she has more influence than most people. No one but Grace, for instance, could have made that poor little lame French girl who embroiders so beautifully the latest craze ; but because it was Miss Davenport who was trying to get up a class for her, and intended to belong to it herself, every one who could join it was eager to do so, more for the sake of .saying that they were in the same class with Grace than for any other reason. I know it would n’t strike one as missionary work, and yet it has meant a comfortable living for the girl and her blind mother, in the only way she could have earned it, while they might have been really suffering for the necessaries of life if it had n’t been for Grace. I could n’t have done what she did, no matter how much I wanted to help the girl.”

“ Grace is always doing such things,” assented Ella Lindsay. “ She does gracious things in such a gracious way that it never hurts or wounds any one, and I do n’t think there is one person in Weston who envies her father’s wealth and all

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tlie luxuries she has. She is just as nice as she used to be at school, and as unspoiled as if she were not flattered and sought after on all sides.”

“You, Ella, have a double object to live for, as you are studying to be a medical missionary, and so you have both the enthusiasm of the work and the study to keep you interested,” Louise proceeded. “ Elsie Dunning is n’t amounting to anything more than I am. She just has a good time, and does n’t trouble herself about doing anything else. Last of all there is my worthless self, who couldn’t do very much if I had unbounded opportunities, for I have n’t any special gifts nor graces ; but yet I would dearly like a chance. I do love music, though I do n’t suppose I have any talent for it. It is the one thing that I have tried to keep up ever since I was at school, and if I could only take lessons and have a chance to practise, I might at least make enough of it to be of some help to father after a while by teaching. My cousin is going to have a splendid opportunity this winter, and I suppose that is what has made me wish so particularly for it just now. There ’s no use in wishing however; it only makes me discontented, so I ’ll stop building my air-castles, and content myself with being the failure of the class.”

“ Now, Louise, I wont let you say anything like that about yourself,” exclaimed Ella indig-

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nantly. You are just the very sunshine of the house. You know as well as I do what a help you are to your mother, and you know too that there is more heroism and self-denial in doing little bits of disagreeable things bravely and cheerily than in writing the most beautiful poem or painting the grandest picture. Great things bring an inspiration with them that drudgery does n’t, and I am proud to have any one as true and unselfish as you are for my dearest friend.”

Louise flushed with pleasure as her friend spoke so enthusiastically, though she returned a laughing response.

“ I am afraid you are easily made proud, goosie, if you are proud of such a fly-away as I am. There now I am ready to go out. What a lovely afternoon it is !”

Is n’t it perfect !” was the response, as the two girls went out into the golden sunshine of the October afternoon.

Long avenues of maples were the crowning glory of Weston, and just now, when the autumn fires had touched them with crimson and gold, they were in the height of their beauty. The streets were carpeted with the bright-colored leaves which had been blown down, and every now and then the girls were tempted to pick up some particularly beautiful one.

It was a pleasant walk down to the postofflce,

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and one which many of the young people took every afternoon. It was Saturday afternoon, and Ella had just come home from the city where she spent the rest of the week studying medicine, and the two had much to talk about as they walked along.

The mail had not been distributed when they reached the office, and they had to wait a few minutes, but they felt well repaid for their walk when three letters each were handed out to them.

“ I wonder what Aunt Belle has written to me so soon again for,” Louise remarked, as she glanced at the superscriptions upon the envelopes which she held in her hand. “ I only answered her last letter on Wednesday. If you will excuse me for glancing over it, Ella, I think I will gratify my curiosity.”

Certainly, read it by all means,” Ella answered, and Louise drew the letter out of the envelope and began to peruse its contents as they walked along.

“ What is it ?” asked Ella eagerly, as she looked at her friend, and saw that her face was radiant with delight.

“ Oh, pinch me quick, and wake me up ! I feel as if I was dreaming. If I am awake then I am the happiest girl alive. My opportunity has come after all.”

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‘‘ What is it ? Tell me about it !*’ asked Ella as eagerly as her friend could have wished, and for answer Louise put her aunt’s letter into Ella’s hand and bade her read it for herself.

“My dear niece,” the letter ran, “it was a great temptation in my last letter to say something to you about a plan that I was trying to put into effect for you as well as for Dora this winter ; but lest there might at the last moment be some disappointment about it, I resolved to wait until I was sure that there would be no obstacles in the way. Everything has turned out exactly as I could have wished it, however, and now it only remains to see whether you will approve my plan. Will you come and spend the winter with us, and take vocal and instrumental music lessons with Dora? I will not say anything about any other nice times that may possibly come in, for I want it to be especially an industrious winter, and one in which you will make great progress with so good a teacher. It will be no expense to you at all, and you can feel that you are making full return by being a companion to Dora and helping her to keep up her interest in her studies. Let me hear from you as soon as you can talk the matter over with your father and mother. I hope you can be spared, for it will be a great pleasure to us to have you. With love to all

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the family, and especially to your dear mother, I am

“ Your loving

“AUNT BELLE.”

“Isn’t that almost like a fairy story!” exclaimed Louise, as her friend finished the perusal of the letter. “ Ever since I heard that Dora was going to study music this winter I have been perfectly feverish to have the same advantages, but I never dreamed even of the possibility of such a thing as this coming to pass. I feel sure that I can go, which makes it all the more delightful. Two years ago if an invitation like this had come I could not have accepted it, for mother could not have spared me ; but now that Nellie has grown to be such a help about household matters, and really seems to enjoy helping mother and making herself useful, it seems as if it would be right for me to fit myself for greater helpfulness, if I have a chance.”

“ It is almost too lovely to be true 1” answered Ella, as delighted over her friend’s good news as if it were her own. “Just when you were wishing so for it, too. I am so glad, Louise, and I wont say a word about how much I shall miss you, but only think about the pleasure you will have. What a delightful winter it will be ! and you deserve it, if ever a girl did.”

“ Nonsense, I do n’t deserve it a bit,” Louise i8

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answered. But none tlie less I shall enjoy it with all my heart. I can hardly wait to walk home to tell father and mother about it. I know how pleased they will be. To think that after I had given up all hopes, my opportunity should have come at last !”

Chapter II. Plans

Six-YEAR old Dottie was ringing the tea-bell vigorously when Louise bade Ella good-by and went into the house with her precious letter clasped tightly in her hand.

“ I will give you three guesses each, and then I do n’t believe any of you will guess what is in this letter,” she said gayly, holding it up, as the family gathered about the table in their accustomed places.

Dora is engaged,” hazarded Nellie, who was in her seventeenth year, and regarded an engagement as almost the greatest event in any one’s life, scarcely to be exceeded by a wedding.

‘‘ No, indeed,” Louise answered promptly. “ Something better than that.”

‘‘ Are you invited to a party ?” asked Dottie, to whom that seemed the most desirable thing that could be imagined.

“You are partly right, pet,” answered Louise, smiling at her little sister’s earnest tones. “ I am invited somewhere, but it is n’t to a party.”

“ You are raising my curiosity,” her mother

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said, as she began to pour the tea. “ What is it ? I am sure I cannot guess, as Nellie and Dottie have failed.”

I am invited to spend the winter with Aunt Belle, and take lessons in music with Dora from that splendid teacher who is forming a class. You remember, do n’t you, mother? Dora wrote all about him two weeks ago, and I have been longing ever since to take lessons too, but I never thought that I should have the chance.”

“ I do n’t call music lessons anything particularly nice,” exclaimed Fred, as he helped himself to a hot biscuit.

‘‘ Your tastes and mine differ sometimes, you know, Fred,” Louise retorted. “ I did n’t think that there was anything particularly nice about that big beetle you were so delighted with a few weeks ago.”

“ That was because you could n’t appreciate him,” Fred answered. He ’s the best specimen in my collection.”

“ Perhaps a lack of appreciation is why you do n’t think that music lessons are nice,” Louise replied. “ But, mother, is n’t it just the loveliest plan ? I feel as if I must be dreaming. Listen while I read Aunt Belle’s letter.”

Although Nellie, Fred, and Dottie seemed rather disappointed that the important news was not something more delightful, there was

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no lack of appreciation upon the part of their father and mother.

“Can I go?” Louise asked eagerly, although she was quite sure that consent was already given.

“Of course you can, my dear daughter,” her father answered. “ I am only too glad to have you enjoy such an opportunity of improving yourself. Nellie has grown to be such a help to your mother that we can manage to spare you better than we ever could have done before ; and though of course we shall miss our sunshine, yet not one of us would be willing to have you refuse such an invitation. It is very kind of your aunt.” Louise’s delight was reflected in her mother’s smiling face.

“We will all help you to get ready as soon as possible, so that you can be there for the very first lesson,” her mother said, and the rest of the meal was given up to the discussion of what Louise would need for her visit.

All the family were interested now, and when Dottie understood that Louise was going away, and that she was talking about what she should get to wear, she exclaimed,

“ Sister can have my pink sash with the rosebuds on the end. You will be careful and not get ice-cream on it, wont you, sister ?”

Dottie had worn this sash to the two parties

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which were the greatest events in her short life, and she considered that such caution belonged to the sash.

“ You are a dear generous little girl, but sister wont want your sash,” Louise answered. “ You shall keep it to wear yourself the night I come home again.”

Dottie looked relieved, for her sash was her favorite possession, and although she loved her sister with all her heart, and really meant her offer, yet she was very glad that it was not accepted.

Very few girls spend the first twenty years of their life as uneventfully as had Louise. Since her school-days there had been no event to break the monotony of daily routine, yet she had changed greatly in these years, although she was not conscious of it herself. She was still as full of fun, and as ready to make laughable speeches and join in any prank, as in her school-days, but the indolence and selfishness that had marred her character then had been almost entirely overcome, and she was a loving, helpful daughter and elder sister. She let the motto that the graduating class had chosen for their watchword when they left their school-days behind them, Doe ye nexte thynge,” run like a golden cord through her life, making every little deed that came to her hand well worth doing, since

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it was “ ye nexte thynge ” that had been planned for her.

The tired, anxious look had vanished from her mother’s face since her daughter had shared her cares and labors, and the home-life had been a happier one. Louise had been happy, too, in the consciousness that she was trying to be useful, although her sphere of usefulness was but a small one. It extended somewhat beyond her home, however, for in the work of the church and Sunday-school she could always be depended upon to do her part, and she was one of those who are needed to fill up the chinks.

She had taken charge of the sewing-class in the mission-school at Factory ville, and between her various duties rarely had time to sit down and sigh for a wider sphere. Once in a while however a restlessness took possession of her, and she felt as if she must have an opportunity to make more of herself, so that her life might be fuller and more satisfactory. Now an opportunity had been put in her way, and she welcomed it all the more eagerly because she had scarcely dared to hope for it.

The next two weeks were very busy ones. There was a great deal of planning and a careful making over of old garments and discussion about new ones, while every day saw the pile

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of sewing gradually diminishing beneath the busy fingers. It was decidedly the most important event in Louise’s life, and her thoughts were full of joyous anticipation. If she could not have been spared, if she had thought that by going away she would leave too heavy a burden of care to rest upon her mother’s shoulders, she would have made up her mind to stay at home, however reluctantly, but it seemed as if it was right for her to avail herself of this opportunity of improvement.

“ For once in my life I can be as happy and selfish as I like without feeling wicked about it,” she said to herself gleefully, as she stitched away at the long seams and made the machine fly to the accompaniment of a cheery song.

When Lousie was a little girl one of her favorite books had been Miss Edgeworth’s “ Moral Tales,” and one of the stories had made a deep impression upon her. As she grew older it returned to her mind with peculiar aptness whenever she tried to accomplish an object without sufficient material for the purpose.

Her childish sympathies had been greatly aroused for the little girl who tried over and over again to wrap up a filigree basket that was intended for a birthday present in a piece of paper that was too small for the purpose, and when she began to share in the cares and econo-

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mies of the household, she continually likened herself to this little girl, perpetually trying to wrap something up in an impossibly small piece of paper.

“ Somebody always has to go without something,” she said once to Ella. “ Mother pinches and pulls and skimps to make the money cover all that has to be done with it, but it is n’t a bit of use. When there isn’t enough you can’t make it enough by any amount of contriving. I am always glad of one thing ; there is n’t any stern father to drav/ moral reflections upon the subject. We all make the best of it and cheerfully hope that there will be enough next time. We know that there is n’t any probability of this, as it never has come to pass, but still we are optimistic, and do the best we can. It does n’t matter so much for us youngsters, but I hate to have father look so tired and work so hard when he does n’t get paid for it half the time, and I want mother to have more comfort ; but they both seem as happy as if they had everything in the world to make them so.”

Since Louise had been old enough to know anything about the resources of the family there never had been enough of an income to supply the continually increasing necessities of the family. Dr. Rushton was one of the most popular physicians in the place, and had a large

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practice, but unfortunately it was not tbe class of practice that is particularly remunerative. Because the poor people knew that he would give just as much attention and care to a case for which he did not expect to be paid, and because his bills were so small when he knew that his patients were unable to make much return — and needed the knowledge that their illnesses were not running up large bills to struggle with after they were restored to health, to give them the freedom from anxiety which would materially aid in their recovery — the good doctor had the largest practice in town and the smallest income.

Sometimes his friends remonstrated with him for his liberality, and told him that he was being imposed upon, but it was of no use. A pitiful story of want always touched his heart, and oftentimes, though but few knew it, not only was his attendance given, but the medicine and some of the nourishing food afterwards were supplied by the kind man.

“ It would be a great deal harder for me to press a bill when I know people need the money for the necessities of life, or to know that suffering was unrelieved because there was no money to pay a physician, than to give my services,” he would say when he was expostulated with. He was paid royally in the way that per-

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haps he most appreciated. Every one loved him, and the trust and confidence which his cheery, genial presence inspired in a sick-room did as much good as his medicines. Still love and gratitude would not supply the needs of a growing family, and Louise wished many a time that she had been a boy and could have helped her father to add to their income. As she was a girl, and her mother needed so much help about the household duties, there was no question but that her place was there for a few years ; still the thought that now she could fit herself to lighten her father’s burden of care made her very happy.

‘‘You don’t know how extravagantly well dressed I shall be, for me, this winter,” Louise remarked to Ella Lindsay one afternoon when her friend had run in for a little chat. “ I have always been like Bella Wilfer’s father, in ‘ The Mutual Friend.’ You remember his chief ambition was to have a new suit all at once. I believe I know that passage by heart : ‘His black hat was brown before he could afford a coat, his pantaloons were white at the seams and knees before he could buy a pair of boots, his boots had worn out before he could treat himself to new pantaloons, and by the time he worked around to the hat again, that shining modern article roofed in an ancient ruin of various peri-

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ods.’ Well, that has been my case always. I have had new things, but I never managed to get them all together before. If I had a new coat one winter, I had to make over last winter’s dress ; and when I had a new dress I had to disguise its glories under an old-fashioned coat ; and the pleasure of anything new has always been spoiled for me until the last tw’o years by the fact that it had to be purchased with an economical eye to the possibilities of growth in future, and when it was new it had to be baggy so that I would not outgrow it by the next season. ‘ ’T was ever thus from childhood’s hour,’ until the last two years, when I stopped growing, and so could have new things and things to fit me at the same time. But this outfit nearly turns my head. Think of one bran - new dress, my best one made over, a good every-day dress that still has a good constitution, though I wore it as best all last winter, and a new coat besides ! I am positively worldly. I feel as if I should overawe the music teacher with my finery. I know I shall be oppressed myself with a consciousness of it. I shall need a little time to get used to it before beginning my lessons. ”