A Little Mother to the Others | Page 8

the dead-house," said Iris, "and sew them up and put
the poor innocent inside, and then take your spade and dig a hole in the
cemetery. We can't have a public funeral. I--I don't feel up to it," she
added, her lips trembling for the first time.
Diana nestled close up to Iris.
"You need not look sad, Iris," she said; "there's no cause, is there? I
don't believe that story 'bout mother, and if it is not true there'll be
nothing wrong in my laughing, will there?"
"You may laugh if you like, darling," answered Iris.
They all entered the arbor now, and Iris seated herself in the little chair
which mother had seen father make, and round which the beautiful
flowers of the iris had been carved.
"Laugh, Di," she said again; "I know mother won't mind."
For a full moment Diana stood silent, staring at her sister; then her big
black eyes, which had been full of the deepest gloom, brightened. A
butterfly passed the entrance to the summer-house, and Diana flew after
it, chasing it with a loud shout and a gay, hearty fit of laughter.
Apollo came back with the stray cat, whose name was "Trust," in his
arms.
"She looks miserable, poor thing," he said. "I don't believe she has had
anything to eat to-day. She must have her breakfast, as usual; must she
not, Iris?"
"Yes; we must feed all the pets," said Iris, making a great effort to
brighten up. "Let us go regularly to work, all of us. Apollo, will you
take the birds? You may as well clean out their cages--they are sure to
want it. I will collect flies for the green frogs, and Orion, you may pick
mulberry leaves for the silk-worms."
For the next hour the children were busily employed. No one missed

them in the house. The house was full of shade, but the garden,
although mother had left it forever, was quite bright; the sun shone as
brilliantly as it did every other day; a great many fresh flowers had
come out; there was a very sweet smell from the opening roses, and in
especial the Scotch roses, white and red, made a waft of delicious
perfume as the children ran up and down.
"I'm awfully hungry," said Diana suddenly.
"But we won't go into the house for lunch to-day," said Iris. "Let us
have a fruit lunch--I think mother would like us to have a fruit lunch
just for to-day. Please, Apollo, go into the other garden and pick some
of the ripest strawberries. There were a great many ripe yesterday, and
there are sure to be more to-day. Bring a big leaf full, and we can eat
them in the summer-house."
Apollo ran off at once. He brought back a good large leaf of
strawberries, and Iris divided them into four portions. Diana and Orion,
seated on their little chairs, ate theirs with much gusto, and just as
happily as if mother had not gone away; but as to Iris, notwithstanding
her brave words and her determination not to think of herself, the
strawberries tasted like wood in her mouth. There was also a great lump
in her throat, and a feeling of depression was making itself felt more
and more, moment by moment.
Apollo sat down beside his sister, and glanced from time to time into
her face.
"I cannot think why I don't really care for the strawberries to-day," he
said suddenly. "I--" His lips trembled. "Iris," he said, gazing harder
than ever at his sister, "you have got such a queer look on your face.
"Don't notice it, please, Apollo," answered Iris.
"I wish you would cry," said the boy. "When Fortune came in and told
us the--the dreadful news, we all cried and we kissed her, and she cried
and she said she was sorry she had ever been unkind to us; but I
remember, Iris, you did not shed one tear, and you--you always seemed

to love mother the best of us all."
"And I love her still the best," said Iris, in a soft voice; "but, Apollo, I
have something else to do." And then she added, lowering her tones,
"You know, I can't be sorry about mother herself. I can only be glad
about her."
"Glad about mother! Glad that she is dead!" said the boy.
"Oh, I don't think about that part," said Iris. "She is not dead--not really.
She is only away up above the stars and the blue sky, and she will
never have any more suffering, and she will always be as happy as
happy can be, and sometime or other, Apollo, I think she will be able to
come back; and, if she can, I am sure she will. Yes, I am quite