And in a great
box, at present hidden from the children, were heaps of candles,
silver and crystal baubles, powdered snowflakes, glass icicles,
gilded nuts, parti-coloured spheres, cornucopias full of goodies,
and, above all, two wonderful Christmas angels, and a snow-white
dove!
Neither tree, nor garlands, nor box contained any hint of the donor,
to the great disappointment of the neophytes. Rhoda had an idea, for
Cupid had 'clapped her i' the shoulder,' and her intuitions were
preternaturally keen just now. Mary almost knew, though she had
never been in love in her life, and her faculties were working only
in their every-day fashion; but she was not in the least surprised
when she drew a letter from under the white dove's wing. Seeing that
it was addressed to her, she waited until everybody had gone, and sat
under the pepper-tree in the deserted playground, where she might
read it in solitude.
'DEAR MISTRESS MARY,' it said, 'do you care to hear of my life?
"Pas Ewig-Weibliche
Zieht uns hinan,"
and I am growing olives. Do you remember what the Spanish monk said
to the tree that he pruned, and that cried out under his hook? "It is
not beauty that is wanted of you, nor shade, but olives." The sun is
hot, and it has not rained for many a long week, it seems to me, but
the dew of your influence falls ever sweet and fresh on the dust of
my daily task.
Pages:
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164