had heard it often--but now their
hearts, long irritated by selfish pride and hate, yielded to this
sweet-voiced appeal, so softly yet so compellingly beating on these
fast-crumbling barriers.

The song was ended. For a moment there was hushed silence. Then
Jeoffrey, then Herman Grey Lane, Miss Hetty, Robert Grey--everyone
arose, and the minister stood before them with tears streaming from his
eyes and falteringly yet fervently pronounced upon them the benediction.

After the doxology had been sung with more fervor than melody, things
happened so fast that Pearl and Periwinkle never could get them
straightened out. Very little was said, but people smiled at one another
through tears and clasped hands silently. And strangest of all Mr. Grey
and Aunt Hetty were leaving church together, and seemed to have actually
forgotten their existence. But she turned at the door, and they heard
her say softly:

"The children, Robert, the dear children!" and she came back and kissed
them as she had never done before.

"Peri shall go to college in a few years," said Mr. Grey, "and Pearl
shall study music." Then he kissed them also and Miss Hetty with a
pretty blush called him their Uncle Robert.

The last candle on the tree twinkled and went out. Pearl, borne aloft in
Uncle Robert's arms, had grown very tired and sleepy. It was Peri who
told her the next day how the minister had come up just as they were
leaving and had spoken some words that sounded very much like a
benediction.

FINIS

* * * * *

Transcriber's Notes:

Obvious punctuation errors repaired.

Page 21, "particulary" changed to "particularly". (particularly
impressed them)

Page 23, "though" changed to "thought". (always thought herself)

Page 25, "kow" changed to "know". (person, I know)

Page 29, "Joeffrey" changed to "Jeoffrey". (Jeoffrey Maise was)

Page 32, "Kity" changed to "Kitty". (Kitty was quite)

Page 43, "billards" changed to "billiards". (never play billiards)

Page 50, "to to" changed to "to". (rooted to the)

Page 53, "walzing" changed to "waltzing". (waltzing his table)

Page 58, "a a" changed to "a". (her a silver mirror)

Page 60, "immeasureable" changed to "immeasurable". (of immeasurable
love)

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Pearl and Periwinkle, by Anna Graetz

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PEARL AND PERIWINKLE ***

***** This file should be named 20314.txt or 20314.z