Frederika's Easter Lily

It was a fine morning In Marcli, njid the sum, tra vel hut over the city, IKseped in at the wtadow of a tenejnent house ín a back Btreet. Tlie window was part of a large room in whioh, lxxides other furniture, was ti wooden bedetead rovrred with a patchwork .quilt. Beneatb the quilte and blankets lay a littlo girl of eleven years, vhose brown eyes Bparkled u welconie to the first gleams of the Ban. Frederika liad broken her leg aboirt Christ.mas time, and ever since had been tucked up in bed, her leg confined in spllnte; and it had been a long three momthe to her, for she temild not hold a book very -well, her ïnother ,w8 too busy to read much, 'and hor fat lier never reached home tintil aíter dark Jogt as she was beginDtag ui get sleepy, II er school friends alwaya carne án ön Saturday, and lately they had been reading'"Alk-o In Wonderland," a story whieh Igave them much amusement, (and Frederika nsed to puzzle over the ïunny thin.üs they read, when Bhe was all alone and tooging for company. One Irlerad never deserted lier- a lily plant which had been giren to her at the Easter festival the year beltare a1 the chapel on Charles Street. It was cm a fetand near bhe wladow, and lts green leaves alwaye made its owner feel peaceful and quiet, as they kept on ín their peaceful lite, never disiurbcd by sunshine or storm. Frederika wondered why the lily did not bud. t?he was a little anxious that it should, for the superintendent of the Bnnday school had pro,mised a book to the boy or girl whoee plant preBeiLted the best appearance at the next Easter festival. Lately it had seemed to Frederika that there was something Tery much like. the begiiuiiug of a bud tlose between bhe sfcalks of the plant, 'but teo fearful was she lest it should aiot prove so, that she did not onention the Suspicion to any one. One day 6he begged to have the plant placed iiearor the bed, where she eould watch it -without Btraining her eyes; and so cvery morning her mother moved the Stand close by the bedside where her Uaughter could touch the green leaves whenever she chose to do so. For 'a. week she watched the tiny, gvow!ag bunch, until Bhe was quite sure that the plant would bloom; but Hvould it be iu season for Easter '? Bhe hardly dared to hope for it, but lier teacher had promised to take the plant to the chapel on Easter Sunday, so that she would have an equal chance of winning the prize with the others. Still if it was not in bloom, Khe thought there would be little use in taking it. Now, this made Frederika rather sad, and when her mother came ïn 6he foiwid her little daughter's eyes filled with teare, and even the leaves lof the plant had a few pearls on them. "I thought the plant would be company ior you, my child," said the motter. "If it makes you cry, I'd better take it away." "Oh, no !" answered Frederika. "I like it. I will not weep; but I am so tired of being in bed, and this old splint liurts me to-day." "Lot me Koe if I camiot ease it," faid a cheery voice, and the doctor came up to her bedside. "You know, Frederika, if we had not been imiortunate at first, you would (have been up by this time, but what do I see - tears ? You must mot waste such fprecious jewels. Jla.s the Hly been ïiaughty ? I must Igive it some drops tto make it behave. When your mother givcs you your auedicine, ask her to íut a drop or two 011 the earth ín the pot; it camiot do the plant any harin, and we will see wlio gets ahead the faeter, you or the lily. On Easter day, iï you keep on improving, I intend to take you out of bed, and let you rest on the lounge. Now, it is a yace betweem you two; the lily must bloom by Easter, yon say, or you will not stand any chance of -winning the prize, and you must improve a great deal by that time, or you caníiot be taken out of bed. I wonder twhich of you will win?" Frederika laughed. It was such a ïunmy idea to give medicine to a plant. The 'afternoon before Easter came, (and with it Frederika's Sunday school teacher, Miss Lake. Aiter a long talk, she told her pupil that she was going to take her plant to the chapel tthat afteriioon, as the teachers had Uecided to arrange the plants before the anorrow. The lily eeemed to be Thriviug, the medicine liad workcd likep, charm, and the bud had become ïi large, white roll. "It will be out by anorning," Huid Miss Lake, "but. I hope you will jiot worry too inueh about llie prize. I Rhail come down to see you after Bunday (school and bring soine of tlie girls with me. üood-by." Easter moriiing was cold and blustering. Bome biiow had fallen during "the aüght, and a niantle of white eovered everything out of doors. Whcn Prederika awoke she feit very happy. Her broken leg was very Vasy and comfortable, and she thought that the doctor would be satisfied if he could eee her before the long day Khould tire her out. Her iather read to her for two Iiours, and then after dinner the doctor came Sn, in a hurry, as usual, ■but lie re-maLned long enough to lifi liis patiënt upon the lounge. He thrust lüs hand into tlic deep pocket of 3iis overcoat, and brought out a timy dog, which he handed to Frederi ka, saying that it was the only Easter present lic could find for her. "But where is my other patiënt, the lily ?" he asked. Frederika explained that it was at '.Sunday school. "Well, my dear," he said, "you are getting 'on bravely, be as good to the puppy as you have been to the plant, and that Is all the prescription I shall Jeave to-day." If one ïiad been acqualnted witb the language oí flowers, he would have been amused at the conversat-ion that took place between neveral of tlie plante at the chapel before the opening of the school. 'Look at me !" said a large scarlet geranium, tong her head proudly a bout, "my gorgeoue eolow wil! g-ive me the jn-ize over all of you. I urn taller than the rest of my family tind wrar more blossoms than any of you !" "Do not be bo gure about it," interrupted a dai.sy, "I shall not concede any claim so easily. The prize anay not belong to me, but there are ti good many of ue little fellows who iwlll not be itnposed upou and Bet aside in any sucïi way." "That's -vhat I think," said a panYou raust agree that I am the anost iragrant," put in the rosebush. "Juist see li ow delicate the perfume is, my beven sisters and two cousins have isked me to speak for us all." Now the lily had said nothiug. It had been Blowly nniolding during the niglu, and even as the rose was talktaig, made a last attempt, and appeared perfect before ihem all. The red geranium Heenied a little üispleaeed iieu it gazed at the lily. but the latter ooncluded that it would not do to be timid, and ko made tliis short speech: 'I -vi.sh 10 teil you my liistory. I belong to Frederika, the little girl ho broke her leg. She has been ,ill for a loi time, and miffering great pain, but she bas never forgotten to smUe at jne each day, aml the last two weeks I have sat be her bedslde. I have been doing my best to repay her for her kind care and attention. You all see'whiit a fine attire I wear to-day, how pure it is. Can any of you show such lea ves as mine ?" Nobody spolae for a few minutes. Finally a small white flower fug?ested that it would be well to vote 011 the question. There was some liscussion among the different plants, but the voting showed that the lilly íad a anajority, and was entitled to the prize. "I thank you," said the lily, "not or jnyself, but for Frederika." "You must stand in the middle," aid the pansy, "so that the superintendent will not make any mistake. Step on this hymn book, then he cannot miiss you !" And so it proved. The superintendent looked at them all, aml when he aane to the pansy, that plant gave ïiim a bit of a wlok towiirds the lily. The latter feit rather shy in being so ■prominent, but it could not blush, uul if it had, its cheeks would never ïave shown the color. The superintendent told the seholars about Fredferika and the lily, and that he should iecide in their favor in awarding the prize. "All the plants look well," said he, 'but do you not see that the lily s elevated above the others, as if comrades knew that it was entitled to the first place?" It was iiearly five o'clock Avhen Miss Lake and the íour glrls of her class irrived at Frederika's. The latter knew by their faces that the lily had von, 'and own cheeks Klowed with pleasure ivhen t-Jie book, full of picures, was put into her hands. The ily ge.ntly bowed its green leaves as ts owner tetro'ked them, and said to tself: , "I wi,H bry ten times as hard aniilirr yoar." But the expectatloo and the long iay had made Frederlka rather weary. ier tax:her and the girle kissed her and departed, the little dog curled liiimself oip by the stovo, whUe the Hly was imoved iar away from the draughts, into a ivarm corner. After Froderika was back in her bed, ehe offered a little prayer of thanksgiving ■or the happy day, and Boon after feil tisleop. But. the dream which came to lier that night was etrange intloed; lor in her sleep Bhe scemed .to be wa-teliing the lily, but instead of the lower she saw the peaceful loving ace of Him who roso on Easter day. ■- Ohristia.n at Work.