The dark night

by Lucy Ellen Guernsey

"I know what I would do with the money," said Elsie. "I would build a chapel or a school-house, and somewhere about it, I would put up Miss Lilla's name, so it should be a kind of monument to her."

"What a girl you are, Elsie!" said Hetty. "I don't believe anybody else would have thought of such a thing."

"Oh yes, it has been often done," returned Alice Brown. "I have seen a beautiful church which was built in that way. A gentleman had two twin babies to whom somebody left a great fortune, and when the babies died, he took the money which had belonged to them, and built this church."

"I think that was lovely," exclaimed Elsie. "Do you know any more such stories, Alice?"

"Yes, but I haven't time to tell them now, for there comes Miss Hilliard."

"I wonder if she wouldn't let out school early this afternoon, if we were to ask her?" said Osric.

"Thee can try, but I don't believe she will. Thee knows, Osric, she never does dismiss school in any such way without asking the trustees, and we had an extra holiday only last week."

"I mean to ask her, anyhow;" said Osric, who did not like to give up any chance of a show, even though it were a funeral.

As Alice Brown had predicted, Miss Hilliard decidedly refused to dismiss the school. She didn't wish the children to miss their lessons and be unsettled by another holiday, and, moreover, she thought it would be disagreeable to the mourning family to have them crowding round and staring. She said "No" so decidedly that Osric did not venture to ask her again, but nevertheless, he did not give up the idea of seeing the funeral.

Miss Hilliard knew Miss Lila Parmalee very well, and after she had opened the school with reading the story of the raising of Lazarus, she told the children something about the dead young lady: how she had always loved her Saviour ever since she was a little child, and how desirous she had always been to use the little strength she had to his glory, and for the good of those for whom he had died; how kind and thoughtful she had been to those around her, never saying anything wilfully to hurt any one's feelings, and never missing the chance of doing a kind action; how she had taught in the Sunday-school as long as she could go to church, and afterwards had the children meet at her room as long as she was able to talk with them. Miss Hilliard had to stop two or three times to wipe away her tears as she was speaking, for she loved Miss Lilla dearly.