A LITTLE LIGHT
Stineli became more and more depressed as the days passed. The
children complained, "Stineli won't tell us any more stories and she
won't laugh with us any more."
One day the mother spoke to the father about the change in Stineli,
but all that he said was: "It is because she is growing so rapidly.
Let her rest a little and give her plenty of goat's milk to drink."
After about three weeks had passed in this way, the grandmother went
with Stineli to her room one evening and said, "I can understand,
dear, how hard you find it to forget about Rico, but I am afraid that
you are not resigning yourself to the inevitable as it should be your
duty to do for the sake of the dear ones about you."
"But, grandmother," sobbed Stineli, "you don't know how it hurts me to
think that I gave Rico the notion of going to the lake; and now that
he has been killed, I am to blame for it."
A great load seemed to fall from the grandmother as she heard these
words. She had given Rico up for lost, for she could not otherwise
account for his complete disappearance. A strong hope of his safety
now came to her.
"Tell me, child," she said, "all that you know about his going to the
lake."
Stineli told of Rico's longing to see the pretty lake he remembered,
and how she had advised him to make the trip. "I am sure," she said,
"that Rico started for the lake, but father says that he would get
killed anyway."
"We have a right to hope for something better," said the grandmother.
"Have you forgotten the song we sang the last night that Rico was with
us?
'Whatever in His care is laid
Shall have a happy end.'
Of course it was wrong of you to advise Rico without consulting your
parents, but you did it thoughtlessly and meant no harm, so you may
dare to hope that there will be a happy ending to Rico's going to the
lake. I feel satisfied now that the child is alive and that he will be
taken care of."
From that time on Stineli began to be her old self. To be sure, she
missed her friend, but she cherished a secret hope that he would
return to her. Day by day she looked up the road to see if he might
not possibly be coming down the Maloja Pass, but the seasons came and
went and nothing was heard from the missing boy.