Mary's Rainbow

see me every Sunday and Tu

all have a long chat over the telephone. I know that you will be very happy here, little one,

and within his own tighten its hold and saw a ve

ed the Doctor and Mary to walk from the station, and they had ju

n blossom! Really, I would not mind being a little girl m

I do wish I could see you every evening. Couldn't you live wi

hall invite myself to stay over night with the c

y might have her own room fitted up with her furniture from home. And a very dainty little room it was, with pale blue-tinted walls and light woodwork, soft mull curtains looped back with pale blue ribbons, the brass bed, satin-wood dresser, writing desk, and chairs, and the little bookcase from her pl

ose whom she loved better than all the fun and frolics in the world? And every time she was called to the parlor to see her uncle, the same question was on her lips: "How many days is it now, Uncle, before they will be home?" until he at last brough

t would tell the exact date when her dear ones would sail for home. Toward the end of the month, the Doctor came with a letter, yes,-but the little girl was sorely disappointed; for baby Beth had been

and she studied the calendar to see whether there were more months of thirty than of thirty-one days between November and May. Looking over the pages which she had turned back when she had first hung the calendar in her room, she danced about at sight of only

Doctor, pale and haggard, came to Maryvale and as gently as possible told her of the wreck of the great ocean steamer and the loss of those so dear to them, she felt that she was indeed his little Mary, and that she now belonged to our Blessed Mother in a very special way. For some weeks her aunt and uncle were much worried about her, for she be

almost as deeply as she did; but she had learned where to find the comfort she so sorely needed; and when she could no longer bear the merry laughte

ister Austin's nerves were sorely tried, for Wilhelmina was never happier than when swinging from the highest limbs of the very tallest trees she could find. Sister Madeline had been made Mother Superior at Maryvale; and Wilhelmina was a frequent visitor to her office, where she was called to answer for her pranks. But she

nearly a whole year of school on account of illness, and she had been taught at home by a governess-that is, when that young woman could find her and keep her in the schoolroom long enough to teach her anything. She, too, took music lessons; and poor Sister Dominic had her hands full

chase me out of the house if I tried it. You don't know what it means to

d these very important scales and exercises. How can you expect to pla

ister." And the young lady drew her thumb

c sighed. So

warm friendship, which grew stronger and stronger as the years went on, ea

ble had been done at the time of the wreck to make sure that there was no mistake. Mary was not convinced and began praying to our Blessed Mother to obtain for her light and guidance. Many a half hour she spent in the chapel, besides denying herself candy and other goodies; and her belief that her dear ones had

to happen so quickly as al

from the wreck, and who insisted that Mrs. Selwyn had been in the same lifeboat and had reached Bordeaux, France, very ill, but still alive. But the fact that she had sent no word of her rescue made the Doctor fear that she had died before she was able to do so; and he made up his mind not to arouse Mary's hopes until he was perfectly sure that there was no danger of her being again cruelly disappointed. He at once began to make use of every means in his power to follow up the

flowing by the sudden return of her father, who had been captu

l family gathering in the big east parlor at Maryvale, where Mother Madeline li

d petted until, if their little curly heads had not been so filled with "s'prises" whic

lady who owned this beautiful home. The Doctor had met her once before, and Mary knew her quite well, for she and Wilhelmina had often been sent to her with messages from Mother Madeline. She wished to sell Bird-a-Lea; and while Mr. and Mrs. Selwyn and the Doctor talked matters over with her, Mary took the little ones to see the big bird cage around near the barn. It was built so as to enclose two small trees in which rare birds sang and flitte

as to be their new home; and the twins were much disappointed becaus