GET YOUR OWN CORNERS BRIGHT

New Zealand Tablet, 29 September 1910, Page 1597

GET YOUR OWN CORNERS BRIGHT

. Helen Cameron hurried into the house and up the stairs to Grandmother Cameron’s room. She gave her jacket a toss into the chair, and dropped down upon the couch, over which the sun shone in a beautiful, broad slant of gold. ‘I am through with the Girls’ Literary Club. The girls don’t seem to think they care for Carrie Elliott. They rather think she is well, a little above them. There was no order at all in the meeting this morning. Grace Hewitt and Sarah Jennings whispered all through my solo. It almost put me out. And when the rest of us were trying to have current events, Abbie Jordan just poked fun. I could see she was doing it. They' will get treated pretty cool by me the next time I meet them.’ Grandmother Cameron, by the east window, looked out at a robin chirping to his mate on the maple branch ** ear - . Hie sweet fragrance of lilies and apple blossoms, the taint murmur of running water, where the brook coursed near the house, the swaying leaves and the chirping birds told the story that all nature, with the return of spring, was working in harmony. don’t blame you for feeling disturbed, deary. I jv as disturbed _ myself this morning,’ said Grandmother Cameron, turning her eyes from the robin to Helen’s face. Yout Helen laughed. The very thought of Grandmother Cameron being disturbed in the way that she was feeling disturbed now seemed amusing to Helen Cameron. Well, I was, said Grandmother Cameron. ‘Jane wanted to sweep my room to-day, and I did not want my room swept to-day. I said it did not need sweeping. Mrs.. Bailey sent in Joe to know why I hadn’t brought the magazine over yesterday as I promised. Then your mother didn t consult me about making her new dress. I came up_ andxsat down in this chair as stirred up and well, as irritated as you seem to be, Helen.’ , r®!i ele £ Cameron shrugged her shoulders. Grandmother looked off at the robin, and smiled. Then she said, turning her eyes back to Helen: ‘ While I sat here thinking it over, the sun shone out, Helen. It was so warm, and bright, and cheery, coming through the window, that before I knew it I was inclined •to sing. .But looking around, what was my surprise to see in the corners dust and dirt that my eyes failed to see before. I called Jane and told her I was ready for the sweeping and dusting. We spent an hour putting the room to rights and Jane laughed when I told her it was the sunshine that showed me the dark corners and the need of the broom. ‘ When I took my place back here among my books and papers, the sun was so warm it seemed like a summer day. And my heart was just as warm. Love had begun to make its presence felt and I realised then that it was the lack of love in my heart that had left dark corners,and that dark corners generally need sweeping out. I cleared up other things beside the room. I got not only the magazine for Mrs. Bailey that I thought I “ didn’t r °jj T V; re i was” when little Joe was over here, and I added the book that Mrs. Wynn brought in and I hadn’t read yet, which I knew Mrs. Bailey was wanting to get hold of. I took them, over with a sprig of white lilac, just was And y ° U Sloll d liave Seen llow pleased Mrs. Bailey ‘ When I came back I heard Jane singing in the kitchen. She liked it that I appreciated her wish to make my , room clean. A little later your mother came up and said she had forgotten to speak to me about her dress She had changed her mind, and was not going to have it made up until she knew better how she wanted to have it. So you see, it was just, after all, the dark corners in my heart that made the trouble.’ corners Helen drew a long breath. ‘ It seems to me, grandmother, I’ve wanted to help the girls,’ she said b , , Well, never mind about helping the girls. Just see about your own corners. Make those bright, and then haps other things will brighten up, too. Be content with loving the girls. It is wonderful what love does when

as the sin is shining over you now. to it > ll S own way doing, and hearts are responsive o-lov^^TlJ 088 , and . Sphered up her hat and jacket and ranlJir" she stopped, and, placing her lips to her grandmother s soft cheek, murmured, ‘ You are a dear, g andmother, you are a dear!’ and there were tears on her t Jtly after her. PaSSetl frm ‘ he r °° m and closed the , ' she , ad Sone, Grandmother Cameron sat for a long time watching the . robins. They were building their daughter, Hefei? 16 bUllt & nGSt ° f ha PP iness for her grand+ilQThe next day, as Helen Cameron greeted here and there a member a°n the Girls’ Literary Club, her manner «as Sracious and her vyords sweet. When the club was mentioned she showed interest. There was nothing said of the subject of discord, and when two evenings later they met for a short business meeting there was nothing but nr!f VI lovin S dignity in Helen Cameron’s manner. As P‘ e n s ' deilt of the • club, she suggested, and then waited for response The , girls warmed under this new way of being met. They unfolded as buds unfold in the soft air. Looking upon Helen, they seemed to feel that she held strength , as helped to them. They began putting out of °Carrfe Elliott ° Wn ‘ T ien someone mentioned the name Oh, yes, Carrie Elliott must join the club. This was the consensus of opinion. She would help them in many ways. At the close of the meeting Grace Hewitt and Sarah Jennings lingered half shyly by Helen’s side. t, , 1 don know T why I did it, Helen,’ said Grace, her cheeks flushing. I thought it smart, but it wasn’t. It was rude. And Helen knew that she was in this fashion apologising for the way she had disturbed the harmony of the club during the latter’s singing. ‘Never mind now, Grace,’ Helen said pleasantly. ‘We all have much to learn. We can help each other.’ And Helen W6nt away wondering if there was another girl like ~ li* was at the close of the summer that Helen was sitting in grandmother’s shaded room. n- i T Ca i. u t Grandmother Cameron, how well the Girls Literary Club is getting along,’ she said. ‘We have almost doubled the number, and the girls are so interested. We seem to be so united. It is just wonder,A- smile that was beautiful passed slowly from Grandmother Cameron s lips to her eyes, and she said in her sweet voice : i ‘ And tlie secret of the change, deary, is doubtless the love-light that has shone from your heart to theirs.’ I think it is, grandmother,’ said Helen. ‘You gave me so much to think about that morning when the robins wore building their nest.’ ‘ Yes,’ said Grandmother Cameron, slowly, ‘ and you set about making your own corners bright, living your own life at its best. And the light of your bright corners helped others to see the dark corners of their own lives. Unconsciously they began measuring up to the standard you held before them.’ J ‘ Perhaps that is it. I have hardly stopped to think, i have only tried to do my own best.’ . . ‘ And in doing that you have helped others to do theiis, P@i si steel Grandmother Cameron. ‘And so you see it comes right back to “get your own corners bright” before turning to other people’s.’ ‘ Exactly,’ said Helen, nodding her head slowly,