6 The Acorn An Easter Lily "How are you going to celebrate Easter, Rose?" asked Mary Stanley of her friend, as they were walking home from the village school one Friday afternoon with a crowd of girls and boys. "O, I don't know," answered Rose tossing back her brown curls impatiently, "I suppose I'll have to go to church with mother and little Jack." "Why Rose, aren't you going Eastering with the crowd, Sunday?", asked Edgar St. Clair in surprised tones, "You know that we boys have planned to take you girls up to Waterfall canyon, where we intend to have a jolly time fishing, hunting flowers and-" "Eating eggs cooked over a camp-fire," finished Ned Stanley laughing, "Won't it be glorious? Mother says Mary and I may have at least a dozen eggs apiece. Just think of it. Why I can hardly wait. Surely none of you can think of staying home now." And Ned glanced quickly at Rose, who replied tartly: "Well you know my folks are so religious. Papa says I will just to go to Sunday school and meeting. Mama says I must go after meeting to see poor Belle Durant, who is very sick. Why not go Eastering on Saturday? O, I wish I could run away and go with you!" "Why don't you?", asked Ed quickly, "I'm sure I wouldn't mind everything your folks say. They forget that they were ever young, and they want us to be as old and quiet as they are. For my part I am getting tired of being scolded and lectured about every little thing I do. After this I intend to do just as I please. Don't you, boys? If I want to go anywhere on Sunday, I will go, no matter what mother says about keeping the Sabbath day holy." "Yes, that is just what I think," said Ned laying his hand on Ed's shoulder, "Now what is the use of celebrating a day, unless we can do it at the right time? Saturday is not the day, so if you want to go with our crowd, you will all have to go on Sunday. It won't hurt to miss one Sunday School, now will it, when we are willing to attend all the rest of the year? All that are going, be up to the school house Sunday morning at nine o'clock, good-night." And Ned opened the gate, and ran ahead of his sister Mary to tell his parents about his plans. When Rose Ryder reached home, she found her mother sewing, and The Acorn 7 not in a mood to listen to her daughter's pleading. In answer to Rose's question, "Can't I go mama?" she answered wearily, "Don't bother me now. Go out and find Jack, for I fear he will get into the creek." Rose hunted for Jack, and found him wading in the water, but when she tried to make him get out, he splashed water on her, and told her he was plaving leap-frog. This made Rose very angry, and telling Jack that she hoped he would drown, she ran to the house, and upstairs into her own room, where she sat until it was almost dark. There her father found her and asked her what she was crying about. Receiving no answer, he continued, "Come Rose and see what I have bought for you and mama and Jack." Here her curiosity got the better of her, and she allowed her father to lead her downstairs into the dining-room where her mother and Jack were. On the table in a large vase were three lilies not yet in full bloom. Rose was so delighted at the sight of them that she forgot her own troubles, and said excitedly, "O, papa are they for me?" "One is for you, one for your mama, and one is for little Jack," said Mr. Ryder smiling at his child's excited manner, "You know why I--" "But papa, where is yours?", interrupted Rose, "Surely you must have one." "You are all my lilies," explained Mr. Ryder kindly, "See here Rose, look at this lily and see how white it is. It is an emblem of heavenly purity. It reminds us of our Christ's ressurection and tells us that Christ will provide for us in the manner that He did for the lily; for doesn't the bible say that the lily neither toils nor spins and yet its glory is greater even than Solomon's? Now my child I want you to be like the lily, living a pure spotless life, a life that will bring joy and happiness to others. Be humble and unselfish, and you will always be provided for." "O, papa I am too mean to ever do what you ask," said Rose slowly, her thoughts going back to a few minutes ago, when she had almost decided to run away to join the Easter-party, "I wanted to go so much with the girls and boys Sunday I thought-." "But Rose, interrupted her father, laying his hand gently on her head, "Why can't you go Saturday? Surely none of the boys and girls would think of missing Sunday School." "Yes, we all did. I thought it would be such fun," said Rose quickly, "But papa if I could only get them to go to-morrow, would I be like the lily?" "You most certainly would," said Mr. Ryder eagerly, "I only wish you would." Here he glanced at his watch and said he would have to go, as there were some sick people that he desired to visit.