Dais

“ A kind of daïs had been erected at the end of the Sicilian village for the accommodation of the friends of the Rector and other grandees. The distinguished visitors, although they had never seen the Rector before and had no locus standi whatever as far as Saint Agatha’s was concerned, took a bee-line to the daïs, under the direction of Lord Cheriton. But the fact is well known that a peer of the realm feels it his duty to make straight for a platform whenever and wherever he sees one. ”

“ Daisy; and pearls make you look like the Queen of Sheba. I
cannot imagine why diamonds do hot suit you."
"I do not suit them, mamma."
"Pardon me. You do not know yourself. But girls of your age never do. That is where mothers are useful, I suppose. Which is it to be, Daisy?" ”

“ There was no going to church a second time; after luncheon, which was Daisy's dinner, she had the time all to herself. She sat by her own window, or sometimes she lay down for Daisy was not very strong yet but sitting or lying, and whatever she was doing, the thought that that King was hers, and that Jesus loved her, made her happy; and the hours of the day rolled away as bright as its own sunshine.
"Well, mouse," said her mother, when Daisy came down to tea, where have you been? What a mouse you are!" ”

“ She looked for pleasant things, instead of frightful ones; and let me whisper to you, that, with fairy help or without it, we always find, in this world, what we are looking for.
The mosses seemed like a green carpet for her feet, and the pebbles like shining jewels; and the little flowers looked up at her like friends, and seemed to say, "We are smaller and weaker than you are, Daisy; but we stay out here every night, and nothing harms us." ”

“ DAISY A TEACHER.
ONE morning just after school commenced, a heavy shower came up; and when it was time for the recess, which was always given to the infant class at eleven o'clock, the ground was still so wet that the little ones were forced to find amusement within doors or upon the piazza.
"What shall we play?" asked Rosie Pierson.
"Lady Queen Fair," said Bessie Norton: "we'll go out on the piazza and play it."
[128]
"Yes," said Violet; "and Lily shall be Lady Queen Fair, and we'll dress her up a little. ”

“ DAISY was soon at home with her schoolmates, and a great favorite among them.
It was not strange that they liked and were interested in her. She was such a gentle, modest, amiable little girl; watching and joining in the games and lessons of the others with a kind of innocent wonder which amused and touched them all. For Daisy was not at all accustomed to be with children of her own age, and their ways were all new to her. ”

“ Look, what dear little flowers grow among it, and gaze up as if they were saying, 'Yes—God made us all.'"
"Who wants a house that every one else can enjoy as much as we, and a father that is not ashamed to call every dirty beggar his child?"
Daisy thought her home all the pleasanter for this, and loved her heavenly Father more, because he had room in his heart for even the meanest creature; but she could not make her sister feel as she did, nor try, as Daisy tried, to be patient, and gentle, and happy. ”

“ Through this twilight universe Daisy began to move again with the season; suddenly she was again keeping half a dozen dates a day with half a dozen men, and drowsing asleep at dawn with the beads and chiffon of an evening dress tangled among dying orchids on the floor beside her bed. And all the time something within her was crying for a decision. She wanted her life shaped now, immediately—and the decision must be made by some force—of love, of money, of unquestionable practicality—that was close at hand. ”

“ Daisy looked, a little wondering but entirely respectful; the whole aspect of Juanita commanded that.
"Does my little lady know, that the presence of the King makes a poor house fine?"
"I don't quite know what you mean," said Daisy, humbly.
"Does my little lady know that the Lord Jesus loves His people?"
"Yes," said Daisy, "I know it."
"But she know not much. When a poor heart say any time, 'Lord, I am all Thine!' then the Lord comes to that heart, and He makes it the house of a King for He comes there Himself. And where Jesus is, all is glory. Do not my little lady read that in the Bible?" ”

“ She would sit upon the mossy rocks, and [Pg 119] think how far down under the earth they had been, and how full they might be of living creatures now; and then bending over the violets that had grown in their crevices, would count their tiny veins, and find how air and sunshine had mixed with the sap to color and perfume them.
All these works of his hands made Daisy feel how near the great God was to her, and that she could never go where he had not been before, and where his eye would not follow her. ”

“ Daisy's hands were always full of flowers; and she brought some to the cabin which Susan had never seen before; for the good woman could not leave her work long enough to go in such out-of-the-way places as they chose to blossom in. ”

“ In the absolute sweet quiet, Daisy and her Bible took possession of the place. The Bible had grown a wonderful book to her now. It was the book of the commandments of the Great King whose servant she felt herself. Now every word would tell her of something she must do, or not do; all sweet to Daisy; for she felt she loved the King, and His commandments were good to her. This time she got very much interested in the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew, in the parable of the talents. But she wished she could have had Mr. Dinwiddie to tell her a little better exactly what it meant. ”

“ Daisy, her virile young self merely exhilarated, as it is with the healthy young, after the long day of muscular labor, was barren of speech but fruitful of glances out through the window, where the sunlight of the long evening laid an elbow of shadow at the root of each of the prim trees bordering Harrison's cement drive, and shone red upon the open doorway of the garage. ”

“ As she knew the truth of his small sins and honest repentance, Daisy only smiled at the mixture of love and philosophy he sent her, knowing that it was impossible for a young man to live in Germany without catching the German spirit. ”

“ But Daisy shed a good many tears during Juanita's prayer that night. I do not know if the black woman shed any; but I know that some time afterwards, and until late in the night, she knelt again by Daisy's bedside, while a whisper of prayer, too soft to arouse the child's slumbers, just chimed with the flutter and rustle of the leaves outside of the window moving in the night breeze. ”

“ Daisy gave vent to a sigh of exasperation. "When you come to talk about women's feelings, Blake, you make me tired. You will never be anything but a great big booby in that respect as long as you live."
Grange became silent. He never argued with Daisy. She had always had the upper hand. He watched her as she sat down again, her pretty face in the glow of the fire; but though fully aware of the fact, she would not look at him. ”

“ They sat on the grass beside Joseph; and Daisy found that, for all his coarse dress, he loved beautiful things as well as herself, and had sat there, day after day, watching the river and sky, and finding out the secrets of the birds, seeing the insects gather in their stores, and the rabbits burrow, and listening to the whisper of the leaves. ”

“ Daisy had an instinctive, delicate sense of the want, which she set herself to do the best her little self could to supply. "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you" that sweet and most perfect rule of high breeding was moving her now ”

“ Isaac said nothing to Daisy. He reached his easy-chair, and sank into it with a groan. Then he drew out from under his great-coat the little bag of gold pieces.
"He has that still," said Daisy.
"Yes," Mr. Roper answered; "I must leave that to you. Here is the bank-book, Daisy. It is best in your charge. Put it safely away, and I do not think your father will remember to ask you for it. He seems content with the gold."
CHAPTER XVIII. OUT OF DANGER.
"CONTENT with the gold." ”

“ I was more than ever sure that West Point was fairyland. The old spring of childish glee seemed to have come back to my nerves.
"Dinner is just ready," said Mrs. Sandford, meeting us in the hall. "Why, where have you been? And look at the colour of Daisy's face! Oh, Grant, what have you done with her?"
"Very good colour " said the doctor, peering under my hat.
"She's all flushed and sunburnt, and overheated."
"Daisy is never anything but cool;" he said, "unless when she gets hold of a principle, and somebody else gets hold of the other end. We'll look at these things after dinner, Daisy." ”

“ You can imagine he is the real old Persian king, who looked so fiercely on the beautiful Jewess when she ventured unsummoned into his presence."
"I could not stand like that," said Daisy.
"Yes, you could. That's easy. You are fainting in the arms of your attendants."
"Who will the attendants be?"
"I don't know. Who do you think?"
"I think I would rather not be in this picture,—" said Daisy.
"Yes, you will. I want you. It is too good to be given to somebody else.
It is one of the prettiest pictures we shall have, I reckon."
"Then you must be the king."
"Well—we will see," said Preston. ”

“ A highly respectable old Puritan. The lady was surprised at him and he came to his senses, but that is not in the picture. Now Daisy—take that chair—a little nearer;—you are to have your hand on your spinning wheel, you know; I have got a dear little old spinning wheel at home for you, that was used by my grandmother. You must look at Alexander a little severely, for he is doing what you did not expect of him, and you think he ought to know better. That attitude is very good. But you must look at him, Daisy! Don't let your eyes go down. ”

“ Suppose we are wiser; why can't we live as they do, mother, and think about God and heaven, instead of always ourselves?"
"I know a little girl who lives very much like them now," said Daisy's mother, kissing her. "But, my dear child, how strangely you have looked ever since you put on those old spectacles!"
[Pg 77]
"Why, am I not the same Daisy? Am I changing to a fairy, like the dame?"
"I fear not; they leave a sort of shadow on your face, and make you homely. It seems to me, Daisy, I'd throw the old things away." ”

“ Daisy came in a little behind the rest of the infant class (she had lingered for a word with her teacher) , and took her seat. Almost immediately her eye fell on the new-comers to Glenwood. Mrs. Forster saw her [217] start, flush all over, neck and face, and press her small hands tightly together, as if trying to keep back some exclamation which rose to her lips.
With a beating heart the child watched the strangers, striving in vain to get a better view of the face of the gentleman, gazing from him to the veiled lady, and then at the little girl. ”

“ Then the tears were dried at once; and the child, taking Daisy's hand, said firmly, "Wherever you lead me I will go." [Pg 132]
Daisy never knew what made her change her mind, for she had not heard the fairy's whisper; but angels in heaven knew it, and saw how, at that moment, the child unconsciously stepped into one of the golden paths that lead to the beautiful city on high.
For no good deed, no good thought or intention even, is lost. Few, perhaps, behold them here; but hosts of the heavenly people may always be looking on. ”

“ Maud would end, "I am the child, I know, of some great man; the dame has stolen me away from him, I feel sure, and then thinks I ought to be grateful because she brings me these clothes."
At this, Daisy would look up through her spectacles, and say, meekly, "It doesn't matter much who is our father here; for God, up in heaven, is the Father of us all, and gives great people their fine houses, just as he gives these flowers to you and me ”

“ The little girl laughed for joy, with the tears still glistening on her face, and soon leaving Daisy's hand, skipped about her, flying hither and thither like a butterfly, filling her hands with flowers, and then coming back, to look up curiously in the strange old face of the dame.
"You are a good soul, after all," said the fairy, when Daisy returned to her side. "See how happy you have made that little wretch!"
"Yes, and how easily, too! O, why do not all people find out what a cheap comfort it is to help each other? ”

“ And just so, seen through these magical glasses, the people changed. A man with a smiling face and pleasant words would appear dishonest and cunning, when Daisy put on her spectacles. A maiden with a proud and beautiful face looked humbled, all at once, and sad, and dying of a broken heart. People that walked about in splendid clothes, and looked down on the others, seemed suddenly poor beggars, hiding beneath their garments as if they were a mask.
The dame would never carry bundles for Maud, nor allow herself to be hurried or contradicted in any way ”

“ Daisy, her nerves thrilling like the nerves of one drunken with wine, leaned untired on the varnished window-sill; looking, with all her young vitality gathered into shine of eyes and beat of heart, for her first view of the city.
The shadow of the express, as the early sun came up, coursed like a hound along the barrow-pits of the right-of-way, and quivered, as it were, in noiseless impact against the stolid cedar fence-posts that stood still and were whipped by in the guise of staring bumpkins as the smart, swift train hummed on its way. ”

“ Daisy!—" was now called from the larger group of counsel-takers, Daisy and Nora having separated themselves for their private discourse. "Daisy! look here—come here! see what you are to be. You are to be an angel."
"You are to be an angel, Daisy," Theresa repeated,—"with wonderful wings made of gauze on a light frame of whalebone."
Daisy came near, looking very attentive; if she felt any more she did not shew it in her face.
"Daisy, you will do it delightfully," said Mrs. Sandford. "Come and look. It is this beautiful picture of the Game of Life." ”