with wardrobe. There was a pho nograph with records. And it wasn’t long before Kay learned how to play it. “ But just you wait till you see what the postman will bring you, maybe next week,” burst out Nan cy, unable to keep the secret. The Bible on records And next week the expected package came. “ From the American Bible So ciety,” read N ancy triumphantly. Then with eager hands the records were opened, and the beautiful Bi ble stories began to unfold to them from the little gray and red box. The children listened with delight. The days that followed were happy ones and the next few months seemed to fly by. Low lights burned in the living room on a late winter afternoon when Daddy Dale came home from his office. N ancy and Kay were sitting cross- legged on the floor in front of Kay’ s record player. Th ey were listening to a favorite Bible story and did not hear their father come in. “ Oh Daddy,” cried Nancy, catch ing sight o f her father, “ I didn’t know the Bible could be so inter esting.” “ I don’t know when I’ve been so happy,” M a ry said. “ A ll day as I work I listen to Kay’s Bible rec ords. M y thoughts used to go round and round in w orry circles. Now they run along on the W ord of God. And it brings new life to me. Even the gang has changed toward Kay,” she added joy fu lly. “ Follow ing N ancy’s lead they are so thoughtful of her.” * * * * * The w in ter days had gone and spring had com e w ith its new leaves and flow ers. One warm Sunday a ft ernoon the children w ere on the porch and through th e open door M ary and her husband could hear their happy voices. M a ry thought then about Ruth L ee whose w hole life belonged to God. That was w h y H e could use just a few m inutes o f it to change this hom e from a sad one to such a happy one. A tide o f warm , sw eet jo y flooded her heart. She and her little fam ily had learned to trust the Lord and together w ith H im fa ce the fu tu re happy and unafraid.
“ She has gone to spend a few days with Aunt Katherine,” her mother replied and went to the kitchen to get dinner. There was a great deal o f con fusion at dinner that night because of the cloth glasses. It seemed to Nancy that the unhappy evening would never end. But later when M a ry held her close while the tears ran down her own cheeks she said, “ 1 think none of us have under stood Kay’s problem, dear. But we are going to now .” The next day everyone wore the glasses. The evening meal had been planned by M a ry to be so easy to prepare that she would not make any serious mistakes. Dinner with all its funny upsets was followed b y a very clumsy dishwashing epi sode. M a ry was amazed to find how difficult even very simple things became. On Friday N ancy hurried home from school and found her mother ready to take her on a shopping trip. M r. Dale met them after his work was over and they came home together with large and small pack ages in their arms, laughing and feeling as though it was Christmas time. A busy Saturday followed. The fam ily could hardly wait until Kay returned on Sunday afternoon. W hen she came Nancy took her by the hand and hurried her into the kitchen. “ See here, Kay,” she cried, “ Daddy put up this shelf just for you. See what’s on it.’.’ Kay moved her hand carefully and picked up one brightly colored dish after another. She held them close to her face and smiled as she called out the colors. “ And they won ’t break,” said Nancy! The lit tle girl clapped her hands and laughed happily. “ But come in here,” added her older sister. “ It’s just like Christ mas and all for you .” There were several gifts in the living room. There was a new doll complete
Lee. She had seen what was going to happen, and with no thought of her own danger she had leaped forward and caught the little girl as she fell with a scream of panic over the edge of the curb. A few minutes later on the shady porch, all three laughed and chat ted though M a ry ’s hands and heart still trembled as she brought glaiss- es of cold milk and a plate of gin ger cookies for them all. Kay soon curled up in the porch swing and went to sleep. The two women talked out the problem and heart ache M a ry felt. Then a whistle blew far down the valley. It was the warning that the train would he at the station in 10 minutes. There were swift, lov ing goodbyes, and the new friend was gone. But her advice was not forgotten. Her faith in the Lord and her day-by-day, moment-by- moment trust in H im impressed Mary. Also her mention of how to obtain Bible records put an idea in M a ry ’s mind. It was very late that afternoon when Nancy, looking guilty and unhappy, walked into the living room where her mother sat sewing. The scolding she was expecting did not begin. Her mother didn’t even look up from her work. Nancy moved restlessly around the room, then came up to her mother and asked, “ W hat is that queer thing you ’re making?” White glasses for Nancy ■ “ You’ll soon find out,” answered M a ry briefly. “ There, that’s ready. Come here and kneel down.” Nan cy obeyed and her mother slipped over her head what seemed like large, white glasses made of very thin cloth. A n elastic band held it in place on her head. “ You are to keep these on until bedtime,” said M a ry firm ly, “ and,” she added sternly, “ you are not to lift them up to look at anything, unless you are in danger of fall ing.” “ But Mother,” N ancy’s Vo i ce rose in a wail. “ I can hardly see.” “ Neither can Kay and it’s time you found out what it’s like for her.” The tone in which M a ry spoke made Nancy hang her head. After awhile, she asked in a low voice, “ Where is Kay?”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mrs. Frances Phair’s stories have appeared on Junior King’s Business pages from time to time. And although it’s rather difficult, Mrs. Phair still man ages to type her own manu scripts even though she is slowly losing sight of both eyes.
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