"Thanks," the little girl whispered, as she turned on the pillow,
and went off to sleep again.
There was great joy all through the Home, for every one knew that
Clematis was getting well.
Doctor Wyatt came every day to look at his little sick girl, and
laugh, and pat her cheeks.
"You just wait till you see the apple pies my aunt can make," he
would say.
Then Clematis would smile.
"Tell me about the garden. Are there any lilacs?"
"No lilac blossoms now, little sister, but asters, and hollyhocks,
and goldenrod. You just wait till you see them."
Then the doctor would go out, with another laugh.
Soon Clematis got so well that she could sit up in bed.
Miss Rose would sit by the window, sewing, and sometimes she would
read a story.
One afternoon she saw that Clematis was anxious about something. She
had a little wrinkle in her forehead.
"What is it you are thinking about? Is there something you want?"
[Illustration: In the country at last]
Miss Rose went and stood by the bed, smoothing her forehead with her
soft hand.
"I was thinking," said Clematis. "I was thinking that--that perhaps
I could have Deborah come to see me, just for a minute."
"Well, you wait a minute, and I'll see."
Miss Rose went out, and Clematis waited to hear her steps again. She
had not seen Deborah for a long time.
Soon she heard Miss Rose coming back. She shut her eyes till the
footsteps came up to the bed, and before she opened them, there was
a little pounce beside her.
Her dear Deborah was rubbing a cold nose against her cheek, and
purring how glad she was to see her.
Clematis smoothed and patted her a long time, as she lay purring
close by her side.
After that, Deborah came up often, and lay there on the bed, while
Miss Rose sewed by the window.
"What are you sewing?" asked Clematis one day, when she was well
enough to sit up.
"What do you suppose?"
"It looks like a dress."
"That's just what it is. It's a new dress for a little girl to wear
to the country."
"Oh, who is going to have it? Let me see it. Please hold it up."
Miss Rose held the dress before her. It was nearly done.
The skirt was of serge, navy blue, with two pockets. With it went a
middy blouse, with white lacings at the neck, and white stars on the
sleeves.
"Oh, please tell me. Who is going to have it?" The child's eyes
danced as she saw the pretty dress.
"I'll give you just one guess," said Miss Rose, smiling.
Clematis gasped. Could it be for her? She had never dreamed of
owning a dress like that.
The little girl sat there a moment, without speaking. Then she
pointed one finger at herself.
"Right, the very first time," said Miss Rose. "This blouse is to
travel in. There is another."
She reached down and lifted another blouse. This was white, with
blue collar and cuffs, and a blue star on the sleeve.
All this was too much for Clematis. The tears stood in her eyes, and
she breathed fast. But she did not say very much to speak her
gratitude.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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