Golden Moments | Page 2

in Heaven. You have helped me to realize this by your tender care
of my dear father's grave, and in his name and my own I thank you."
There was silence for a minute or two, for the old lady's speech had
moved even the giddy Marie. Then Sophie pressed Adela's hand, and
whispered gratefully, "My roses went to decorate God's garden; that is
best of all."
[Illustration: "GOOD MORNING"]
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MARY'S PIGEONS.
I can't believe there are prettier pigeons than mine anywhere in the
world. Every morning and every afternoon I feed them myself, and they
are so tame they eat out of my hand, or out of the basin when I hold it
for them.
There is some one else who thinks them as pretty as I do, and I'll tell
you all about her. It was last year, early in the autumn, that I went out
with the pan into the front yard to feed them, and walked down the
stone steps, calling the pigeons all the way, while they flew after me. I
didn't notice anything in the road, which was just in front of me, until I
saw a very big man in a grand livery picking his way across the yard,

and then I noticed a carriage had stopped in front of the house, and the
lady inside was looking at me and at my pigeons. She beckoned me to
come to her; but I was too shy, and ran into the house, to find Mother,
who went out to the lady, and I followed just behind her.
And what do you think the lady wanted? To buy my pigeons--my
beautiful pigeons! She offered me a dollar, and then two, and then three;
but I shook my head every time, and hugged the pigeon that was in my
arms. At last she showed me five dollars in gold, and asked if I would
let them go for that. But I couldn't--it didn't seem as if any money could
pay me for the loss of my pigeons.
Mother said I must do as I liked about it, for they were my very own,
but she said five dollars was a great deal of money, and more than the
pigeons were worth; only I didn't think so.
Then the lady said she wouldn't ask me any more, but in case I changed
my mind she would give Mother her card. I was sorry I couldn't let her
have my birds, but then I dare say she has lots of pretty things, and I
have only my pigeons.
Well, Father and William laughed at me for some time about the
pigeons; and if I wanted any money for shoes or anything, Father
would say, "Dear me! how well Mary's five dollars would have paid for
this!" But that was only laughingly, for he would never have taken my
money.
This spring my pigeons made a nest, and there were two eggs in it, and
after a time two birds, that grew just like the others. I was thinking
about the lady one day, and I thought, as I had refused to sell her the
old birds, I had better offer to give her the young ones. So next day
William carried them over in a basket, and left them at the house.
A few days after, the carriage stopped again before our house, and this
time the lady came in and sat in the parlor, and ate a piece of Mother's
cake and drank a glass of new milk. But before she went away she gave
me a parcel which she said was for my very own, and she hoped I
would take as good care of it as I did of my pigeons. And when I

looked there was the most beautiful work-case in the world! I used not
to like my sewing, but now I do, because I use the work-case and the
silver thimble every time!
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A CAGE STORY.
Now, Pussy, don't turn away and look sulky. I've only put you in
Polly's cage so that you may understand a real true cage story that
Uncle Rupert told me last night. He's a soldier, you know, and he wears
a red sash, just like mine, only he does not wear it round his waist as
little girls do, but across his shoulder.
Well, that's not the story, but this is. Uncle Rupert was in China, where
the men wear pig-tails down their back, and it was war time: the
English were fighting against the Chinese. He told me why, but I've
forgotten, but I know in the end the English won; but they lost a battle
first, and Uncle Rupert was taken prisoner. English people are kind to
their prisoners, Pussy, but the Chinese are