isa-normaladvance-1913-00143

Description:	THE NORMAL ADVANCE143Cbnas PisctuteFREDERICK SCHAUFFLER (Grade 8)MOTHER had gone away from home fora short vacation and Sister Edna hadthe responsibility of the house. The firstmorning she tried to make biscuits, but it wasan entirely new field for her. She hurrieddown stairs and into the kitchen and soonthere arose the customary clatter of dishes andpans. Father smiled and thought of the biscuits. We waited until seven oclock .hadpassed yet no breakfast. Father got impatient.Eight oclock came, and in came Edna withher cheery smile, I hope you are not late,brother, I forgot to put the baking powder inmy biscuits, and I had to make them again.We went out and saw her second attempt. Wecould hardly suppress our laughter. The poorbiscuits seemed to be bottom and top, for therewas no center. We gulped a few of themdown, but said nothing. Then we arose fromthe table and looked at the clock. It was nineoclock. Father remarked, You may as wellstay at home today, son, there is no train tothe factory until twelve.Poor Edna gathered up the rest of her biscuits and fed them to the cat. We did not feelit was safe for us to stay any longer, so wewent to the barn to spend the morning. Thiswas Ednas last attempt at baking biscuits.a Jflextcan Heltgtoug g^ertotceLEO SWISHERFINALLY the morning of the Day of Healing came. The pure white cross of theShrine of Mary, far up on the highest point ofthe ragged rocky coast, gleamed and glistenedin the gray morning light, as it stood guardover the desolate ocean shore and the littleMexican village in the distance almost hiddenby the palm trees. A hot stifling breeze camefrom over the seemingly endless stretch of restless waters, whose waves continually rolled upagainst the rocks and then returned into thewrithing, murmuring ocean. Great flocks ofblack, white, and brilliantly plumaged birdscalled and chattered as they flitted and fluttered about, circling in the sky and occasionally dipping down to the water, walked sedatelyalong the beach, or perched themselves daintilyon the rocks of the Shrine.As the great, golden sun rose out of the east,the sounds of cathedral bells came from thevillage. Soon the chanting of the Ave Mariacould be heard faintly in the distance, and asit grew more and more distinct, we saw abouttwenty white-robed Mexican men and women,led by a gorgeously attired priest, marchingslowly, single file, out of the village and towardthe shrine. As the singers came nearer andnearer, their heads bowed low and holdingtheir crosses in front of them, the birds nervously fluttered about, and when the devout little band burst loudly into an acclamation, thestartled creatures rose with a great swoop andscattered all over the coast.The worshipers silently and slowly climbedthe pile of rocks and knelt around the priestin front of the Shrine, as he opened the closed
Source:	http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/isuarchive/id/34588
Collection:	Indiana State University Archives

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