been strange months, filled with new experiences to the woman. When twilight fell

lutely nothing about them. She had never tried to

at little appeal. There could be no denial for the

about?" asked Eliza

d tell tories; efefants, and S

e its gown was gay and because it stood high above the other flowers. In its pride it ignored the humble, modest little violet which could barely raise its head above the sod.

Adee. Tell me

f so fine. She had created something. The sensation of power was tingling through every nerve and muscle. She did not know it; neither did the child whose eyelids were closing in slumber; but with this ex

dent. A new sleeve had replaced the torn one, and the torn breadth in

he child stood in the middle of the room at a distance from

ss. Baby don't

Eliza. The child shook her head to and fro

liza had paid a shilling a yard for it the season before and had made it for "comfort". But she could not keep the artist soul from showing in it any more than she could keep it from

lf in the mirror and was better pleased with what she saw than she had been with the reflection of the black-robed f

new household,-a story before bedtime a

bles from the summer provided for their needs. They needed l

o small that little material was needed, and th

of styles to see how a child should be dressed. When she sat in the big living room with needle and th

tures in the fashion plates and sele

gain and again, laying her finger on the represen

always. She was glad of that. She would need money to educate her. She would need more each year as the chil

time," she told herself. "There'll no

ecessities. The flowers which filled the bay windows; the great fire-place with its burning, snapping logs; Old Jerry, the cat, who made up the dome

ight, for no way was lighted. There were services of some kind each Sunday morning; Sunday-school and prayer meeting combined. Twice a month

ehold account. The sugar box was emptied more quickly than ever before. Sometimes, she

not touch it in her victuals, if it were

air before the shelf which bore the household su

ing with it, Bet

m. Ey wikes it

d the yard and garden to where, at the bor

hurrying to and fro, each carrying a burden. Round about the

een repressed along such lines when she was a child. Although she had long since

re. She compromised, however, by promising to fill, and place where Beth cou

when Beth was undoubtedly of school age. The townshi

om the standpoint of a woman, she saw the matters in a different light. She visited the school several times. Forty children were packed in one small room. There were classes from primary to grammar grades. The poor little tots in the chart class sat on hard seats until their backs ached. At re

for womanhood. For some months, she had learned all she could of new methods of teaching. For the first time in

nd trained progressive teachers were making the grades equal to the best in the country. El

ld of Beth's age to walk alone, but

ot-path or-I'll break a way through the underbrush,"

ternoon drinking in everything she could about teaching children

work she had laid out for the month, gave a first reader and slate to Miss Eliz

second year of Beth's life with Miss Eliza passed. The child learned the numbers to twelve. She knew the stories which the first grade chil

dmiration for book knowledge. She had lacked so much in that line herself

grade work. They were fully as old as Eliza herself; but they wore gowns which were qu

noon teas. One had even gone out with her pupils and coasted down

"Eliza Wells was no one's fool, in spite of her queer old ways." Her que

ng the best from these teachers whose opportunities were

or she had a quaint wit, an

home to Beth, she cuddl

t, Adee dear?" was

ory which is reall

stories which were true were better even than fairy stor

Wood

le child and placed her in a little house in the woods

carried the child to its new home. The child was asleep. It lay in slumber in the arms of its mother. The n

it did not open its ey

overed walls that I have to give as a h

rouble here," a neighbor wail

onths passed. The time came for it to walk, but it would only creep upon the floor. It would not raise itself on its feet to loo

ween the four walls which its great-grandparents had built. Y

ld I look at anything which is so painfully homely? As to walking, why should I take the troub

ning somethi

ld have on her listener. Beth immediately sat bolt upr

he gave a little gasp for bre

she heard a song of a bird at her door. She did not know it was a bird; but the sound was sweet, alluring, e

ipening grain, exquisite coloring of flowers, soft breezes laden

what did she

ll this beauty for me to enjoy-me and the little song-bird which made me open my eyes.' Then she took the bird in her hand a

l. Who was the baby the angels brought.

ou the little song-bird that called me ou