They were arranging the holly to trim the parlors for Christmas.
“Mamma, may I put a big bunch over Floy’s picture?” asked Eloise.
“Certainly, my dear, I was just thinking about it myself.”
The mother’s eyes filled with tears as she spoke. Eloise climbed the
step-ladder carefully and placed a beautiful branch of holly over the
picture. Then she sat down on the top of the ladder. She could not visit
with Floy, for Floy had gone to heaven. This picture was so like her
that to sit near it was something like sitting by Floy herself. She
imagined Floy’s smile grew sweeter and sweeter.
“I’m very lonely without you,” she said to the picture. “I haven’t any
little sister to play with now. I wish you could put your arms around my
neck and hug me as you used to. I wish you could come down from heaven
once in a while any way, so we could have some more good times together;
so we could play with our dolls, or look at our picture books, or romp.
Your Cinderella is just where you left her. She doesn’t have anybody to
play with. I don’t play with her much because it makes me cry. I don’t
play with my Maleen much neither. I let her sit beside Cinderella to
comfort her. Jennie came over the other day to play and broke one of
your dishes. It made me cry, and Mamma too, so I put your dishes all
away in a box. Mamma has put all your clothes away too. She is going to
give them to some poor woman who has a little girl about as big as you,
because you’ll never need them any more. I suppose you have wings now.
Do you ever fly down to earth, and can you see me? I can’t see you; I
wish I could.”
[Illustration: ELOISE.]
“Eloise, I want the ladder!” shouted Carl.
Eloise laid her face against the picture and said, “Good night, little
sister, I wish you could kiss me. You won’t forget to love me, will
you?”
The picture seemed to smile sweeter than ever. Eloise climbed down the
ladder, feeling that heaven could not be far away as dear little Floy
seemed so near.
[Illustration]