A SYLVAN EASTER 61 



dark frock, as plain as that of the little ever- 

 green tree near by. 



**I will keep church in the woods/' she said, 

 smiling; *^but when you come back, Portia, 

 you must tell us what Easter means." 



Then Portia and Pearl and their pretty 

 mamma, like bright flowers looking forth from 

 the dark winter bud, nodded to Polly as they 

 wheeled away. 



But at the gate the mother said, ^^Stop, and 

 let us take Polly, too.'' 



*'She is not dressed for church," sighed 

 Pearl. 



The mother replied, '* Polly, not Polly's 

 dress, would see and hear and enjoy." 



But Polly did not answer their call ; she was 

 huddled behind the fir tree, so like herself in 

 its shabby green; though when she could no 

 longer hear the lively wheels, down she tum- 

 bled in a little heap upon the ground and hid 

 her face in the grass. Then, swallowing some- 

 thing very like a lump, she rubbed her blue 

 eyes red, looked up, and saw 



Yes, it was Spring, though Polly never 



