h a precision that spoke an unusual joy within the heart of the
housewife.

And through it all she hummed a lullaby that haunted her from the
memories of a happy childhood.

Breakfast over, the kitten fed, the birds given their bath, their sand
and seed, she couldn't stop until the whole place had been thoroughly
cleaned and dusted. Exactly why she had done this on Thursday morning it
was impossible to say. Some hidden force within had impelled her.

Then back into the dream world her mind flew on joyous wings. It was a
sign from God in answer to prayer. Why not? The Bible was full of such
revelations in ancient times. God was not dead because the world was
modern and we had steam and electricity. The routine of school was no
longer dull. Around each commonplace child hung a halo of romance. They
were love-children today. She wove a dream of tenderness, of chivalry,
and heroic deeds about them all. She searched each face for some line
of beauty caught in the vision of her own baby who had looked into her
heart from the mists of eternity.

Three days passed in a sort of trance. Never had she felt surer of life
and the full fruition of every hope and faith. Just how this marvelous
blossoming would come, she could not guess. Her chances of meeting
her Fate were no better than at any moment of the past years of drab
disillusionment, and yet, for some reason, her foolish heart kept
singing.

Why?

There could be but one answer. The event was impending. Such things
could be felt--not reasoned out.

She applied herself to her teaching with a new energy and thoroughness.
She must do this work well and carry into the real life that must soon
begin the consciousness of every duty faithfully performed.

A boy asked her a question about a little flower which grew in a warm
crevice of the stone wall on which the iron fence of the school yard
rested. She blushed at her failure to enlighten him and promised to tell
him on Monday.

Botany was not one of her tasks but she felt the tribute to her
personality in his question, and she would take pains to make her answer
full and interesting.

Saturday afternoon she hurried to the Public Library, on Fifth Avenue
and Forty-second Street, to look up every reference to this flower.

The boulevard of the Metropolis was thronged with eager thousands.
Handsome men and beautifully dressed women passed each other in endless
procession on its crowded pavements. The cabs and automobiles