Missy

owing out of her heart almost as tangible as a third live being in her quaint little room. It seemed a sort of left-over, still vaguely attached, from the wonderful dream she had just been havi

ned her eyes, the suf

f fairy colours on the mirror above the high-boy, and she liked that ecstatically. She liked, too, by merely turning her head on the pillow, to glimpse, through the parting of the curtains, the ocean of blue sky with its flying cloud ships, so strange; and to hear the morning song of the

awing every day nearer, and the new Pink Dress, and the glory to be hers when she should strew flowers from a huge leghor

he whispered. "I'm

babies, listen with their eyes. To Missy's whispered confidence, Pop

too? Say you're hap

ed her mouth, so as to expose completely her tiny red tongue, and then, without lingual endeavo

her head, she gave the ghost of a sigh. This morning she didn't want to wear her every-day bows; but dutifully she tied them on, a big brown cabbage above each ear. When she had scrambled into her checked gingham "sailor suit," all spick and span, Missy stood eying herself in the

ound it difficult to eat her oatmeal, for very rapture. In the bay window, the geraniums on the sill nodded their great, biossomy heads at her knowingly. Beyond, the big maple was stirring its leaves, silver side up, like music in the b

e was saying, "May White was there, and she and Helen hurried out of

ard Missy. Then, in a louder tone: "Eat your c

space with an answering smile.

This, encouragin

ream, las

you drea

replied Missy, s

ain in her life!" Grown-ups have a disconcerting way of speaking of children, even when present, in the third

" returned Mis

When she had finished her breakfast, Missy approached her mot

hat is i

-day," faltered Miss

ask for explanation. Sh

plicant, "I have to try on t

nted mother. "But only

ghtened and she

: "I don't know that it's wise to humour her in her notions

ave saved her life, she couldn't have answered it intelligibly

er the wedding, and bein

to show in discussing such matters, "that it's good for children to let them work the

reak it off, now" said Mrs. Merriam, stooping to pick up t

rocks," agree

on, "when it's a question

nted the other tartly. "She's spoiled to death and a flirt. I th

g them in the rack. "Any pretty girl in Helen's position couldn't help being spoiled. And yo

id Aunt Nettie irrelevantly-the Cle

ut I don't know-" She hesitated a moment,

mirth. "What on earth do you think a ch

t ones, lifted her to a state which made it much pleasanter to idle in her window, sniffing at the honey-suckle, than to hurry down to the piano. She longed to make up something

loud. To reinforce those verses she knew by heart, she carried along the big Anthology which, in its old-blue binding, contrasted so satisfyingly with the mahogany table in

of the metres rolling off her own lips, the phrases so beautiful and so "deep," seemed to lift a choking something right up into her throat until she could have wept with the sweet pain

attempt to mate with prose. She turned through the pag

untless in war, There never wa

f his romance-was the most beautiful heroine imaginable. And the Wedding was next week, and Missy was to walk first of all the six flower-girls, and the Pink Dress was all but done, and the Pink Stockings-silk!-were upstairs in the third drawer of the high-boy! Oh, it was a golden world, radiant with joy. Of course-it's only earth, after all, and not heaven-she'd rather the bridegroom was going to be young Doc. But Miss Princess had arranged it this other way-her bridegroom had come out of

ith the grocer-boy. He was a nice-mannered boy, picking up the Anthology and Baby's doll from the ground, and handing them to her with a charming smile. Besid

it was time to go to Miss Mart

t of the East, a striking figure, on that quiet street, in the natty whit

suspected he was hearing her, that unlucky morning in the grape-arbour, when she recited

stick, stood with his feet wid

of song, this fine mo

t," stamm

is eyes were red-rimmed, and his face a pasty white. She wondered whethe

le subdued, c

ay bring you. Adventures fairy-sent surprises, await you at the m

n truth, that Missy met young Doc Alis

" he greeted.

pulse, looked at her tongue, sent her Valentines, taken her riding, and shown her many other little courtesies for as far back as she could remember. Then, too, she greatly admired his looks. He was tall and lean and wiry. His face

that. After all, her appearance, at the present moment, didn't so much matter. What did matter was the way she was going to look next Wednesday-and she excitedly began telling young Doc about her coming magnificence, "It's silk orga

wait!" she concl

t answer. Beyond the wagon, Mr. Hackett, whom the Ford had overtaken,

idegroom said never

to smile-not too much. "Wh

It would have been difficult for her to exp

ly, "that you were going

er. "Well, to tell the tru

o visit us often, and maybe yo

big imported cars, I'm afraid o

ology; but when that romantic role falls, in real life, on the shoulders of a nice young Doc, the matter assumes a different complexion. Missy's own ecstasy over the Wedding suddenly loomed thoughtless, selfish, wicked. She longed timidly to reach over and p

iss Martin's artfully tilted cheval glass, she surveyed the pink vision which was herself, gone, for the time, was everything of sadness in the world. She turned her head this way and that, craning to get the effect from every angle-the bouffance of the skirt, the rosebuds wreathing the sides, the butterfly sash in the back. Adjured by Miss Marti

. Though the conversation was held tantalizingly above Missy's full comprehension, she could gather that the "disgrace" centred in the bachelor dinner which Mr. Hackett had giv

performances'?" asked Mi

er quickly. "Rich food at that hour just kills your stom

he might efface herself as a hindrance to continuation of the absorbing talk. But it is a trick of grown-ups to stop dead

I wish you'd run over to Greenleafs' and as

ange cloud gathering so ominously. She asked permission to carry along a bunch of sweet peas, and gathered the

her into the "den" back of the parlour. "I'll tell M

tlessly dangled her feet for what seemed hours,

iss Princess's voice, almost un

This unmistakably Mr. Hackett's lang

you tou

out. But the only door, portiere-hung, was the one leading into the parlour. And now this c

attempts at explanation, all formed a dreadful muttering background out of which shot, like sharp streaks of lightning, occasional clearly-cau

ve raged hours before she detected a third voice, old Mrs. Green

little while, Porter, a

h of turmoil, this all the more

Anger, spent, had give

ow you feel, de

spise

ar. All girls get

ove him. I can't go on. Won't you, th

t?" Missy had never before heard o

, and everything. Think of the scandal, dear. We cou

o-o

ish-but don

stand it an

rest a while. I'll have a good talk with Porter. An

, luncheons,

not overhear, stung Missy to renewed reconnoitering. Tiptoeing over to the window, she fumbled at the fasteni

re! What ar

stile eyes. Missy's heart thumped against her ribs. Her consternation was not lessened wh

hunted criminal. And like a hunted criminal he con

been snooping in here. I ca

red out her

ear," said old Mrs. Greenleaf k

could only attempt a smile a

nk Helen wants you upstairs, Porter." Missy had always thought she was li

e and is lying down," said old Mrs.

esperately tongue-t

arp thunder-clap out of a summer sky, a door slammed upstairs. There was a sound of someone running

's shoulders stiffened as if under a

I'll give them to her after a while, when s

and ran home. She had seen a suspicion of tears in old Mrs. Greenleaf's eyes. It was as

t envied friend appeared. When Kitty took herself home, offended, Missy went out to the remote summerhouse, reliev

ous hints about the handsome Cleveland man; over young Doc's blighted love; over Miss

cause she still loved Doc? If so, why didn't it turn out all right, since Doc loved her, too? Surely that would be better, since there seemed to be something wrong with Mr. Hackett-even though everybody did talk about what a wonderful match he was. Then they talked about inv

The whole unhappy situation was like poetry. (So much in life she was finding, these days, like poetry.) This would make a very sad, but effective poem: the faithful, unhappy

d to the golden day. She detected a subtle restlessness in the shimmering leaves about her; the scent of

ion of nice Doc and of Miss Princess, and, immers

is the best; Ah! courtly that lover and faithful and true. And fair, wondr

ar,"-all tried and discarded. Finall

she met, their

lover did fume. O, fair dawned the Wedding Day, pink in the East, And

is

t, absorbed in cre

re are you?

wheeled the perambulator up and down the front walk, her mind liltingly repeated the words she had written, and she stepped along in time to the rhythm. It was a fine rhythm. And, as soon as she

atin young bride, But sorrow had reddened her deep purple eyes. Each clatter of hoofs from the courtyard below Did summon the blood

fast through Main Street

mood. Can't one's family ever appreciate the yearning for solitude? However, even amid

r supper, Missy? Just look

r "street," would not work wel

the comparative solitude of the back porch steps. It was very sweet and still out there, the

n St

his form That the bride's sinking heart with delight did grow warm. But the poor

way they did race until soon lost to view, And all knew 'twas best for these lovers so true. For where,

rth, soon or late, If the heart of

y her own good night, the Poem, much erased and interlined, tucked in the front of her blouse together with ineffable sensations. Bu

own to her two braids, achieved a decorative effect reserved for Sundays and special events. Then quickly, perhaps because she had

had grown big and efficient, and were therefore deeply cherished. But to-night Missy almost regretted her mother's unexpected ministration; for the paper in he

ed one more element to her

he said, gently brushing the full length of the fine, s

vision, Missy's eye

den remembrance clutched at Missy's ecstatic reply; the shine faded from her eyes. But mother, engrossed, didn't observe; more deeply she sank her

d the sigh which rose like a tidal wave from her overcharged heart. Mother caught the

motions that, fearing for self-control, sh

ng importantly within her blouse, and laid it in the celluloid "treasure box" which sat o

God. "Dear God," she said, "you know how unhappy Miss Princess is and young Doc, too. Please make them both happy, God. And please help me

the strange thing is that it is not more generally practiced. But there is where the gift comes in: a supreme essence of spirit which must, if the prayer is to achieve its end, be first possessed-a thing possessed by all children not

w she was telling it all to God. And presently, in her heart, in whispers fainter than the stir of the slumbering

lendid, sometimes vaguely terrifying, often remotely tied up with some event of the day, but always wonderful. And the last dr

full sunlight streaming across her pillow, hugged Poppylinda, crooned over her and, though preparing to sacri

her Poem, and wrote at the botto

louse, and scrambled downstairs to be c

until there was a clear field, then called Young Doc's number. What a relief to find he had not yet gone o

omething very i

was hurried a

t it

rribly i

an't you tell

to hurry up now and hang up th

along in about fifteen minu

use," she cut in nerv

re Young Doc's car appeared up the side street. He brought it to a st

rage, she held the Po

," he sang out. "Wha

smile made wan by nervousness-and ex

ression gathered upon his face as he read. Missy didn't know exactly what to make of his working muscles-whether he was pained or angry or amu

ied. "Or do you mean she really d

d in steeling herself against his crunching of her s

w well Missy's strain of romanticism. But she strove to con

er hour. I heard her say so myself." Young Doc, crunching her shoulder bones

, she wants to

e vise a second longer, let go her shoulders, and smiled a sm

as more buoyant than she had heard it in months. "Missy

odded e

in the used envelope. "There won't be any answer," he directed Missy, "u

nt. "I'll just pretend it's a secret about a poem.

ng through the leaves of the summerhouse, saw Missy and her convoy coming across the lawn. Missy

lender graceful figure which, for all its loveliness, had something

straight to her in the doorway, and for a moment they stood there as if forgetful of everyone else in the world. Neither

"there are some of those sugar pills in a bag out in the

ned, not too quickly, Miss Princess was laughing and crying bo

mother if you can go for a ride. Needn'

with the necessary permission, tucked into the Ford between the

he Poem! For, half-way down the stretch of Boul

darling, to be married, and you

dart of remembrance came, and a big tear spilled out and ran down her

hat is it?" she

n't really make any difference." However Missy's eyes were

and girl, over her head, regarded each other. It was th

better run back to Mis

theart leaned across

ssy's knees. In the County Courthouse she did not forget to guard this box tenderly all the time Young Doc and Miss Princess were scurrying around musty offices, interviewin

men, and they laughed; and then-O, it is a wonderful world!-Miss Princess took her into a dusty, paper-littered inner office, lifted the Pink Dress out o

flower-hat and t

stockings," said Miss Princess with such a

a gay, laughing Wedding-when again they were all

ll, two nights running. Both times I had on the Pink D

e other two looked i