Missy

marvellous reward of having grown to be so old; she was ten, now, an advanced age-almost grown up! She could look back, across the eons which separated her from seven-years-old, and

en at eight, she had lingering fancies of fairies dancing on the flower-be

in the glimmering twilight when that one very bright and knowing star peered in at her, solitary, on the side porch, or when, later, the moonshine stole through the window and onto her pillow, so thick and white she could almost f

anything; too full and compelling in every minute of the long, long hours which yet seemed n

ss, and as she walked through the June sunshine to the Presbyterian church, trying to remember not to skip, she had been quite happy. And she had still felt happy during the Sunday-school less

ntment intensified a little w

seemed, then, to feel a subtle sort of glow, as

erent tunes. Melissa would have preferred the Sunday-school to use the big, cloth-covered hymnals. Somehow they looked more religious; just as their tunes, with slow, long-drawn cadences, somehow sounded more religious than the Sunday-school's cheerful tun

rs, that she noticed the choir had come in and was beginning to practise a real hymn.

e-e-es-ed sle-e-e-ep-From which

d-glass window the sunlight filtered through blue-and-red-and-golden angels, sending shafts of heavenly colour across the floor; and the fibres of her soul, enmeshed in music, seemed to stretch out to mingle with that heavenly col

st, they stopped singing and filed out of the choir-room, she could hardly bear to have them go. She wished she might follow them, might tuck herself away in the auditorium somewhere and stay f

pleasantly, thrillingly so. It was divine. When she reached home, she went into the empty front-parlour and hunted out the big, cloth-covered hymnal that was there. She found "Asleep in Jesus" and played it over and over on the piano. The bass was a trifle difficult

randma Merriam who lived in the south part of town, Aunt Nettie, and Cousin Pete Merriam. Cousin Pete's mother was dead an

wiser than Missy, for all her acquired wisdom. She stood in awe of him. He had a way of asking her absurd, foolish questions about things that everybody knew; and when, to be polite, she had to answer him seriously in his own foolish vein, he would laugh a

s? You'll be church orga

y bl

commented grandma. "It's the one I'd like su

a sheet of music from

s grandmother. "Ought to hear her do this

he placed the rag-t

rather no

her-his amiable but

tter with to-d

blushe

I just don't feel

Pete. "You're temperamental, a

n for embarrassment; but this was a ho

I feel re

religious! That's a goo

shamed of yourself!" re

he insisted. "Re

but wounded to unwonted bravery, "isn't i

houted

randfather this time. Grandpa moved over to the piano and removed

t the age to be

like, Missy-the r

r. Indeed, she could not have defined that sweetly sad

ad to answer when asked why she wasn't eating her drumstick, and whether the green apples in grandma's orchard had given her an "upset," and other direct questions; but when s

. She was contemplating a surprise for grandpa and grandma. Next week mother and Aunt Nettie were going over to Aunt Anna's in Junction City

a beside her little willow rocker, and whoever else was present beside whatever chair he'd been sitting in. Grandpa prayed a long prayer; grandma a shorter one; then, if any of the grandchildren were there, they must say a verse by heart. Missy's first verse

admiring surprise. After much deliberation she had decided upon the Psalm in w

beautiful for that. She murmured aloud, "I will fear no evil-for Thou art with me-Th

ll she liked

me all the days of my life; and I will

lowed up from the slick green grass like a mass of flame; a breeze stirred the flame to gentle motion and touched the ramblers on the summerhouse, shaking out delicious scents; distantly from the backyard came the tranquil, drowsy sounds of unseen chicken

g. She craved some sort of expression. So she rose and moved slowly over the slick green grass, pausing by the blazing nasturtium bed to pick

owing out through her fingers and to the keyboard; the music

s rudely interrupted by m

down with a headache. I'm af

ight,

dn't forbear a little sigh. Perhaps mother no

k it's nice the way you'

t forgetting that grown-ups don't

's HEAVENLY! Yo

, for a second, on the sleek brown head. The marvellous feeling endured through the afternoon, and through supper, and through the evening-clear up to the time Missy undresse

me. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days

h the window to her pillow. She felt that it was a shining benediction from our Lord H

even the lawnmower which black Jeff was already rolling over the grass had assumed a peculiarly agreeable clatter. And though, at breakfast, father grumbled at his eggs being ove

dusting and other little "chores" don

through "One Sweetly Solemn Tho

told you often enough you must finish your p

umm

defence. She only hung her

about this. Get right to your exercises-I

rries may have had something to do with it. But Missy couldn't consider t

r kept piling on her one errand after another. Mother was in an unwonted flurry; for the next day was the one s

didn't yet know just what these aids to comfort were; but the Psalmist had said of the

and got into bed, once more the grace of God ro

own she loved mother tremendously, but till that moment she had forgotten how very much. She had to concentrate hard upon "Thy rod and Thy staff" befor

e yard from the Curriers' yard next door; the orchard out in back where grew the apples which sometimes gave her an "upset"; the garden where grandpa spent hours and hours "cultivating" his vegetables; and g

a big conch shell which, held close to the ear, still sang a song of the sea; the marble-topped centre-table, and on it the interesting "album" of family photographs, and the mysterious contrivance which made so lifelike the double "views" you placed in the holder; and the lamp with its shade dripping crystal bangl

l and broad-even taller and broader than father; and he must be terribly wise because he was Justice-of-the-Peace, and because he didn't talk much. Other

flat on the floor. Even Missy's mother couldn't do that, and sometimes she seemed to grow a little tired of being reminded of it. Grandma liked to talk as much as grandpa liked to keep silent; and always, to the running accompaniment o

home. She even let her drink coffee! Not that Missy cared especially for coffee-it had a bitter taste; but drinking it made her feel grown-u

n the porch till the night came stealing up; it covered the street and the yard with darkness, crawled into the tree tops and the rose-bushes and the lilac-hedge. It hid all the familiar objects of daytime, except the street-lamp at the corn

ight in Cherryvale. And then everything became visible again, but in a magically beautiful way; it was now like

. Suddenly she felt sad, a peculiar, serene kind of sadness. It grew from the inside out-now and then almost escaping in a sigh. Beca

when, at last

o go in and play

grandpa!" Missy

e hymns which mingle so inexplicably with the feelings inside you. Not even her difficulties with the organ-such as forgetting occasionally to treadle, or having the keys pop up soundlessly fro

two of them. And, playing those hymns, with grandpa singing and grandma listening, the new religious feeling grew and grew and grew in Missy till it seemed to flo

little lull,

y, my song

was one of the first pieces she had learned by heart.

ightness in grandma's, too. So, though she wasn't unhappy at all, she felt her own eyes grow moist. Grandpa and grandm

pter than usual to-night-and while grandma was reading her shorter one, Missy was not attending. She was repeating to herself the Twenty-third Psalm. And even when they all knelt, grandpa beside th

annel to be widened; she closed her eyes ti

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures

ough her tightly closed eyes, vision herself kneeling there; while, at the same time, she could feel her spirit floating away, mingling with the air, melting i

e must be; in fact, as her voice "tremuloed" on that last sublime "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all

at her "Amen" both of them lifted. And oh! what a r

y to her and kissed

dear? And you recited it so beautifully, too!-Not

her, but he kept s

hat baby!-the de

ual exaltation, couldn't help

t you'd be surprised," she

e to pick out that particular Psalm, and what difficulties she experience

es it mean t

" she r

e, what does that

y shall follow me all the

, ba

e trees are all green, and the grass slick and soft. And birds are singing, and the wind'

pa

ar," sai

se of the Lord,

id grandpa agai

s, all dressed in silver and gold, and with paper-flowers in their hair, and long diamond bangles hanging like fringe

ries?" Grandpa

rely goodness and

wo, doesn't it?" said

hed at his

off on her fingers: "Surely-and G

said grandpa, very slowly.

t seen Pete enter, else she would have been less free

, Pete advance

urely,' is there? What's the

ndpa's knees. And grandpa, in the severe voice tha

ill do,

, unawed,

h a funny little dingbat! And

ed him with a ges

time to attend prayers instead of cavorting

as fond of Missy, was fond of P

und over town, grandpa-he's ju

in his stylish-looking blue serge coat and sharply creased white ducks, debonairly twirling the bamboo walking-stick which the Cherryvale boys, half-enviously, twitted him about, and felt the win

ency, didn't suspect the reason for h

a tucked her into bed-the big, extraordinarily soft feather-bed whic

out just as readily as though she'd been in her own little bed at home. Aga

n engrossing occupation. Later she helped grandpa hoe the cabbages, and afterward "puttered around" with grandma in the flower-garden. Then she and grandma listened, very quietly, through a crack in the nearly-closed door while

t into the parlour and played hymns. Then came dinner, a splendid and heavy repast which constrained her to

twaist and white duck skirt and white canvas oxfords. Presently Pete suggested that Polly go into the parlour with him to look at

r usual vivacity; presently she suggested that they leave off crocheting and work on paper-flowers a while. What a delight! Missy was just

said grandma. "You'll find

a big hat-box, appropriately covered with

ere. Without any definite plan, but still tip-toeing in the manner she and grandma had approached to overhear the law-suit, she moved toward the partly-closed door. Through th

urrier

you mean?-what

mur

on!-I'm trying

sing my dress! You can

mur

you let me

urrier

you talk to all the girl

whole world of re

ol

eart beat quickly. Here was Romance-not the made-up kind of Romance you surreptitiously read in mother's

neck and peered around the door. They were sitting close together on the divan. Pete's arm was about Polly Currier's sh

h served as a door-stop. At the noise two startled pairs of eyes were upon he

-What're you up to?

of shame en

d in a stricken voice. "I

er, still in tha

pose you 'didn't mean to'-Right beh

n voice, now, had sunk to a whi

still

self-always sneaking round! You

't sure in just what lay the shamefulness of her deed; ti

ete reiterated. He hesitat

g to blab it all

uch a suggestion. "Well, see that you do

Polly's voice fain

exhausted, Missy crept away, per

the house of the Lord forever. She hadn't intended to sin; but she must have been unusually iniquitous. Pete's face had told her that. It was particu

a's asking what had kept her so long. It would have been easy to make up an excuse, but this new

ck, Missy?" she

ma'

uch at dinner. Maybe you di

sleepy,

feeling her forehead-h

le," said grandma. "You're feverish. And if you're

ere to start at the Methodist Church; and, though father was a Presbyterian (to oblige mother), grandpa and grandma were Methodists and would go every n

make paper-flowers, she docilely let herself be put to bed. Anyway, perhaps

o was wearing an aloof and serious manner, refrained from looking at her, and she strived to

een her grandparents. She was wearing her white "best dress." It seemed appropriate that your best clothes should be always

us in appearance as was the Presbyterian church. Missy, in her heart, preferred stained-glass windows and thei

choir; she wasn't a Methodist, but she had a flute-like soprano voice, and the Methodists-whom all the town knew had "poor singing"-had overstepped the boundaries of sectarianism for this revival. Polly looked like an angel in pink lawn and rose-wreathed leghorn hat; she co

and prayer he "had the gift." For so good a man, he had a remarkably poor opinion of the virtues of his fellow-men. Missy couldn't understand half his fiery eloquenc

uivered and stretched up to be born anew. So, with several other sinners-including grandpa and grandma whom she had never before suspected of sin-she unhesitatingly walked forward. She invoked the grace of God; her head, her body, her feet seeme

's tomato-vines; she noticed, too, that Mrs. Brenning's hat had become askew, which gave her a queer, unsuitable, rakish look. Yet Missy didn't feel like laughing. She felt like closing her eyes and waiting to be born anew.

r the shore! Leave the poor old stra

on his face as though an electric light had been turned on just inside. He was praying fervently for God's grace upon "these Thy repentant creatures." Missy shut her eyes, repented violently, and awaited the miracle. What would happen? How would it feel, when her soul was born anew? Surely it must be ti

she hadn't repented hard enough. Very soberly she walked back to the pew and took her place between grandp

ow how this was done. And then some of the younger ones, after being urged, followed example. Sobbing, they testified as to their depth of sin and

, she didn't know whether she was more disappointed or relieved. Perhaps their silence denoted that their

ietly. She was too dejected to pay much attention to what they were saying; caught only scattered, meaningless phras

r own dismal thoughts. The bloo

hallowed pillow in troubled dreams. Once she cried out in sleep, and grandma came hurrying in with a candle. Grandma sat down beside her-what was this

t hour is one when big Ideas-all kinds of unusual thoughts-are very apt to come. When you're not

ndow, and bits of fleecy cloud, and flying specks of far-away birds. How wonderful to be a bird and live up in the beautiful sky! When she died and became an

regarded that sort of detached object which was herself. That detached Missy had gone to the meeting, and failed to find grace. Others had gone and found grace. Even though they had acted no

h

irred. She puckered her brows in intense c

made the Gr

st, Pete appeared

rve it," said

don't!" acq

er state of sin! Her Gr

Bible, and stole back to the tool-house where grandpa kept his garden things and grandma her washtubs. For that which she now was to do,

Holy Bible for awhile; then became absorbed in the ecstasies of compositio

tiently waiting

are you doing out t

ssy made a compromise

g the Holy Bi

ion softened; and

ner's wait

and Missy at the table. Missy tried to attend to grandma's chatter and make the right answe

th you, Missy? What ar

clapped her han

s I whi

es

s just a piece

t pi

oing to be

e? Well, that'll be

g to have to carry on a conversation. That often

when, after dinn

. You don't seem quite like yourself-perhaps

e should come. She found a chance to slip out to the tool-house and rescue the Holy Bible and the sheet o

she jumped out of bed-religion, it seems

ding close over it, cheeks flushed, eye

ot exactly in Pete's line; but as long as Polly Currier had to be there, he'd decided he might as well go to s

ught no ominous suggestion a

art beating so hard she feared they might hear it. Once inside the church, she dr

ad a bunch of pansies at her belt-pansies out of grandma's garden. Pete must have given them to

nd piercing-sweet. It was so beautiful that it hurt. Missy shut her eyes. She could almost see angels in misty white and float

ious feeling till her soul could be entirely born anew. And she had quite a long time to wait. That made her task difficult and

nd grandma didn't do that; they merely knelt in the pew with bowed heads. So Missy also knelt with bowed head. She was by th

last, was c

e as of an electric light turned on within, exho

ll her down. Missy frowned slightly-why was grandma tugging at her skirt? Tugging aways she extended her a

th. I will fear no evil even if it is born again. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all t

t? Missy twitched away and, raising

less life. I repent my sins-O Lord, please forgive me for being a spy-eye when

sat

itself about her, a soft and velvety stillness

on; a warm white light which tingled through to every fibre of her bei