| Show LILY jessica had a dream often of a sunday morning when she sat in church with her great blue eyes fixed so steadfastly on the minister ministers s face ehe she was dreaming it it was to have a lily to care for and jove love until it grew to be tall and graceful with a beautiful white blos som on top then with her own hands take it to church on easter morning and place it on the pulpit step the morning of Jes birthday the postman left a little square box addressed to her inside wrapped in many folds of tissue paper she found an add looking object something like an ill III shaped onion in layers of dried brown brorn leaves outside the box these words easter lily bulb then she knew it was a gift from the min ister later and that he wished her dream to come true what a happy girl she was she went to the florists and had a pot filled with earth then with careful loving hands she patted the bulb down safe in its bed of earth and set 4 it away far back in a dark cool closet by and by tour four tiny green sacks commenced to grow on top that swelled larger and larger until the green case began to crack and the very night before faster jessica had four beautiful sweet white lilies now all that remained to fulfil the dream was to carry it to church no easy task for a little girl lil e jessica but early in the morning she started out hugging it close in two stout loving little arms that often ached under their beautiful baiden once she set it down on the sidewalk sidewall to rest her arms she pulled the paper away from the top and 1001 ed into the blossoms they looked to her like beautiful white gold throated bells she felt sure they were a set of flower chimes and when the breeze set them swaying gently she imag ined she could hear the music but the tapping on the window op was not imagination jessica was a little frightened then she saw raw the girl won t you let me look at it just a minute the girl asked in a thin high voice jessica lifted the lily and carried it across the street then she braced it up against the rickety fence you mar ma smell it it if I 1 can come in a minute she said there was a cry from the girl oh ohl granny hurry hurry and the next minute jessica found herself in the bare little room and the lily set on the floor and the poor mis mite of humanity bending in awe over it finally she leaned back in her chair with closed eyes and said it must be baright right from heaven there was a very tender smile on Jes lips as she leaned over her beloved lily and kissed each blossom but a tear tricked down into one golden throated cup I 1 will give it to you she said moving it yet nearer the girl I 1 guess god will see it here quick as he would in church after service jessica and the min ister walked down the street hand in hand and she told him about the girl and the lily he was silent so silent she thought he was offended I 1 am sorry if I 1 did wrong jes sica said but she was so poor and sick and the minister looked down at her and there were tears in his eyes which she thought very strange in deed wrong he said wd why my child you placed that lily on the very topmost step of god gods s throne jessica gave his hand nand a happy little squeeze and her feet would skip for the world is such a beautiful place when one ones s dreama come true I 1 |
