Christian fiction; Families -- Fiction; Love stories
It was beautiful to wake the next morning with the birds singing a
matin in the trees, and a wonderful Sabbath quiet over everything.
Tired out as she was and worn with excitement and care, Shirley was the
first to waken, and she lay there quiet beside Carol for a little while
with her eyes closed, listening, and saying a prayer of thanksgiving
for the peace of the place, and the wonder that it had come into her
life. Then suddenly a strange luminousness about her simply forced her
to open her eyes.
The eastern window was across the room from her bed, and the sky was
rosy, with the dawn, and flooding the room. It was the first time in
years she had watched the sun rise. She had almost forgotten, in the
little dark city house, that there was a sun to rise and make things
glorious. The sun had seemed an enemy to burn and wilt and stifle.
But now here was a friend, a radiant new friend, to be waited for and
enjoyed, to give glory to all their lives. She raised herself on one
elbow and watched until the red ball had risen and burst into the
brightness of day. Then she lay down softly again and listened to the
birds. They seemed to be mad with joy over the new day. Presently the
chorus grew less and less. The birds had gone about their morning
tasks, and only a single bright song now and then from some soloist in
the big tree overhead marked the sweet-scented silence of the morning.
In the quiet Shirley lay and went over events since she had first seen
this spot and taken the idea of living in the barn. Her heart gave
thanks anew that her mother had not disliked it as she had feared.
There was no sense that it was a stable, no odor of living creatures
having occupied it before, only sweet dusty clover like a lingering of
past things put away carefully. It was like a great camping
expedition. And then all those flowers! The scent of the lilies was
on the air. How lovely of the young girl out of her luxury to think to
pass on some of the sweet things of life! And the gracious, chivalrous
man, her brother! She must not let him think she would presume upon
his kindness. She must not let even her thoughts cross the line and
dwell on the ground of social equality. She knew where he belonged,
and there he should stay for all her. She was heart-free and happy,
and only too glad to have such a kind landlord.
She drifted off to sleep again, and it was late when she awoke the next
time. A silvery bell from the little white church in the valley was
ringing and echoing distantly. Sabbath, real Sabbath, seemed brooding
happily in the very air. Shirley got up and dressed hastily. She felt
as if she had already lost too much of this first wonderful day in the
country.
A thrush was spilling his liquid notes in the tree overhead when she
tiptoed softly into her mother's room. Doris opened her eyes and
looked in wonder, then whispered softly:
"Vat is dat, Sirley? Vat _is_ dat pitty sound?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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