they were saying how fresh and green it was. Some looked up at the sky;
they were saying how blue it was. Some looked at one another keenly;
they were discussing some agreeable matter, being happy to get back to
it now after the service. Not one of them looked across at the hospital.
Not a soul of them seemed to be even aware of its existence. Not a soul
of them!

Particularly her eyes became riveted upon two middle-aged ladies in
black who came out through a side door of the cathedral--slow-paced
women, bereft, full of pity. As they crossed the yard, a gray squirrel
came jumping along in front of them on its way to the park. One stooped
and coaxed it and tried to pet it: it became a vital matter with both of
them to pour out upon the little creature which had no need of it their
pent-up, ungratified affection. With not a glance to the window where
she stood, with her mortal need of them, her need of all mothers, of
everybody--her mortal need of everybody! Why were they not there at his
bedside? Why had they not heard? Why had not all of them heard? Why had
anything else been talked of that day? Why were they not all massed
around the hospital doors, tearful with their sympathies? How could they
hold services in the cathedral--the usual services? Why was it not
crowded to the doors with the clergy of all faiths and the laymen of
every land, lifting one outcry against such destruction? Why did they
not stop building temples to God, to the God of life, to the God who
gave little children, until they had stopped the massacre of children,
His children in the streets!

Yes; everybody had been kind. Even his little rivals who had fought with
him over the sale of papers had given up some of their pennies and had
bought flowers for him, and one of them had brought their gift to the
main hospital entrance. Every day a shy group of them had gathered on