An Arrow in a Sunbeam, and Other TalesJewett, Sarah Orne
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An Arrow in a Sunbeam, and Other Tales
Jewett, Sarah Orne
United States -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Juvenile fiction
The next day Mrs. Marley's wildest expectations were realized; for she
was warm as toast the whole morning, and sold all her candy, and went
home by two o'clock. That had never happened but once or twice before.
"Why, I shouldn't wonder if we could lay up considerable this winter,"
said she to Polly.
Miss Sydney did not like the idea of the old candy-woman's being there.
Children came to buy of her, and the street seemed noisier than ever at
times. Perhaps she might have to leave the house, after all. But one
may get used to almost any thing; and as the days went by she was
surprised to find that she was not half so much annoyed as at first;
and one afternoon she found herself standing at one of the dining-room
windows, and watching the people go by. I do not think she had shown
so much interest as this in the world at large for many years. I think
it must have been from noticing the pleasure her flowers gave the
people who stopped to look at them that she began to think herself
selfish, and to be aware how completely indifferent she had grown to
any claims the world might have upon her. And one morning, when she
heard somebody say, "Why, it's like a glimpse into the tropics! Oh! I
wish I could have such a conservatory!" She thought, "Here I have kept
this all to myself for all these years, when so many others might have
enjoyed it too!" But then the old feeling of independence came over
her. The greenhouse was out of people's way; she surely couldn't have
let people in whom she didn't know; however, she was glad, now that the
street was cut, that some one had more pleasure, if she had not. After
all it was a satisfaction to our friend; and from this time the seeds
of kindness and charity and helpfulness began to show themselves above
the ground in the almost empty garden of her heart. I will tell you
how they grew and blossomed; and as strangers came to see her real
flowers, and to look in at the conservatory windows from the cold city
street, instead of winter to see a bit of imprisoned summer, so friend
after friend came to find there was another garden in her own heart,
and Miss Sydney learned the blessedness there is in loving and giving
and helping.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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