ut of the window at a tall, slender, gray-eyed
young lady hurrying down the street, surrounded by a bevy of
bright-faced, adoring boys and girls.
"Yes, she's another Saint Elspeth, isn't she? How nice it is to have her
here as long as I can't have my dear Mrs. Strong! And do you know,
grandma, she and Mrs. Strong were chums when they went to college? Isn't
that queer?"
"How did you happen to find that out?"
"'Cause on my list of missionary doings this week I had 'not getting mad
when Gray chawed up St. Elspeth's letter 'fore I had read it more'n
three times.' And she asked me who Saint Elspeth was."
"Do you make out a list of missionary doings each week?" asked Mrs.
Campbell, amused at Peace's version of the occurrence, for the child had
been so angry at the destruction of the letter from this beloved friend
that she had seized a heavy club and rushed at the cowering pup as if
bent on crushing its skull. Before the blow descended, however, she
dropped her weapon, bounced into a nearby chair, and glared wrathfully
at poor Gray until he shrank from her almost as if she had struck him.
Then suddenly the anger died from her eyes, and clutching the surprised
animal about the neck she fell to petting him energetically, exclaiming
in pitying tones, "Poor Gray, I don't s'pose you know how near I came to
knocking your head off any more'n you know how much I wanted that
letter you've just swallowed, but I'm sorry just the same. Shake hands
and be friends!"
Peace, not understanding the smile that crept over the gentle face of
the dear old lady, hastened to explain, "We write them so's folks won't
laugh. We don't mean to laugh at each other, but sometimes children do
say the funniest things. There is Bernice Platte for one. She can't say
anything the way she wants to, and it makes her feel bad when we giggle.
So Miss Edith took to having us write our lists. I don't care how much
they laugh at me, I get so much of that at home that I am used to it,
but some folks ain't brought up that way and I s'pose it hurts."
Mrs. Campbell caught her breath sharply. It had never occurred to her
before that Peace was sensitive, but the gusty sigh with which these
words were spoken told her companion much, and slipping her arm about
the little figure crouched at her side, the woman said gently, "Would
you mind telling grandma some of the bits of sunshine you have been
scattering this week?"
The wistful round face brightened quickly.
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