A Little Mother to the Others

Greek legends, who was supposed to be Hera's chief messenger, and whenever a rainbow appeared in the sky it was said that Iris was bringing down a message from Hera. The Iris

supposed at one time to belong to the most beautiful boy in the world.

ed a savor of those far-off beings after whom their mother had called them. They were, in short, very unworldly children-that does not mean that they were specially religious-but they did not care for fine clothes, nor the ordinary amusements which ordinary children delight in. They loved fl

at in comparison with the garden. Here, when possible, they even had their lessons; here they played all their wonderful and remarkable games; here they went through their brief sorrows, and tasted their sweetest joys. But I must hasten to describe the garden itself. In the first place, it was old-fashioned, having very high brick walls covered all over with fruit trees. These fruit trees had grown slowly, and were now in the perfection of their prime. Never were such peaches to be seen, n

etty arbor growing into shape, she used to lean on Iris' arm and talk to her now and then in her soft, low voice about the flowers and the animals, and the happy life which the little people were leading. At these moments a look would often come into her mother's gentle eyes which caused Iris' heart to beat fast, and made her tighten her clasp on the slender arm. Then, when the arbor was quite finished, Mr. Delaney put little seats into it, a rus

The children were very proud of their chairs, and often talked of them to one another, and Iris, who was the story-teller of

he smell of these roses in the summer was quite enough to ravish you. Iris in particular

gooseberries. Here were to be found the great beds of strawberries; here, by-and-by, ripened the plums and the many sorts of apples and pears; here, too, were the great glass ho

en the sun was at its hottest. Here Iris would lie full length on her face and hands, and dream dreams to any extent. Now and then also she would wake up with a start and tell marvelous stories to her brothers an

st gentle and the most thoughtful. She took most after her beautiful mother, and thoug

who had been in the house for some time, came slowly out, swinging her large m

oice, "and not a moment too soon. I have just found a poor inn

s, the gloom left Iri

ed. "I hope you did no

he is only a puppy and always up to mischief. He took the poor innocent

Iris solemnly. "Bring it into the arbor, and le

dead-house at on

r will do for

e, she seated herself on her rustic chair and waited until Diana arrived with the poor innocent. This was a somewhat unsightly object, being nothi

s; "we can have a funeral whe

worth a great deal of trouble; and I do hope, Iris," he added eagerly, "that you will not expect me to be present, for I have got some most importan

at him with v

n eyes. He sat down submissively on his own chair. Orion and Diana dropped on their knees by Iris' side. "I think," sa

the entrance door of the pretty summer-house. An elde

rs. Delaney is awake and

nocent must wait," she said. "Put it in the dead-house with the other creatures. I w

had just come from

t the message had already disappeared down the long straight walk. Iris took to her heel

ell you. Please don't hold on to my hand, miss.

but she withdrew a lit

with her. When they reached the house, the w

s, and into the room," she said. "You need

little wee bit better?" asked Iris again. There

quick; don't keep her waiting. It is bad for

ll go to her this ver

any quarters; odd stairs climbed up in several directions; towers and turrets were added to the roof; passages, some narrow, some broad, connected the new buildings with the old. The whole made an incongruous and yet beautiful effect,

ing a green baize door, ran down a narrow passage. At the end of the passage she turned to the left and went down another passage, and then wended her way up some narrow stairs, which curled round and round as if they were going up a tower. This, as a matter of fact, was the case. Presently Iris pushed aside a curtain, and found herself in an octagon room nearly at the top of a somewhat

d looked almost too young to be the mother of a child as big as Iris. She had one of the most beautiful faces God ever gave to anybody. It was not so much that her features were perfect, but they were fu

her were quite beyond any words to express.

ris," said

ud lips; they met the equal

you not?" said the child, in an

s. Delaney. "I told Fortune to call you. Father is away for

most delightful thing in all the w

tune will bring in tea in a moment, and you can pour it o

t and seldom spoke a great deal. In the garden with the other children Iris was the one who chattered most, but with her mother her words were always few. She felt herself then to be

and laid it on a small table near Mrs. Delaney. Then Iris got up, and with an

me to time at her little daughter. When she di

like anybody else, and that is why-why she wears that wonderful, almost holy expressi

s was quite full. She scarcely touched

gh tea, mother?" s

ide, and then come up very near to me. I want to hol

er-you are surely

sense, y

ide, and then, drawing up her small cha

clear voice. "I am the mother of four children. I don't think there are any other children like you four in the wide world. I have thought a

?" interrupted Iris

u. But now, when I see it must be done, that I must undertake this very long journe

ht between us, mother," said Ir

the time when I w

was a very long time, and sometimes, mother, sometimes Fortune was a little cross, an

I think matters will be differently arranged, as far as Miss Stevenson is c

oing back to A

istance just now. I have not time for many words, nor very much stre

to be, not only in his face, but in his mind, mother, and how brave and how clever. I have told him that he must try to have a beautiful s

ife; you have just had the dear old garden and the run of the house, and you have seen your father or me every day. But afterwards, when I have gone, you will doubtless have to go into the world; and, my darling, my darling, the cold world does not always understand the meaning of names like yours, the meaning

something like her mother's in expression.

understand, my darling, that from first to last, to the end of life, it is all a fight. 'The road winds uphill all the way.' If you will remember that you will not think things half as hard, and you w

frogs, the poor innocents, as the children called worms-but in addition to these, all creatures that suffered in the animal kingdom, all flowers that were about to fade, all sad things that seemed to need care and comfort. But up to the present she had never thought of the other children except as her equals. Apollo was onl

d her mother gazed solemnly at

longing in mother's eyes is the first thing

y, "I will, mother; I will

me,

s round her mother's neck; th

I am satisfied with your

stay very quietly with you? Can y

no one is by. Ring the bell for Fortune as you go. She

have not told me yet when y

xed, Iris, although it i

you are going, mother. I sh

closed her eyes, and