Page:Cheery and the chum (IA cheerychum00yate).pdf/27



and she held out her clasped hands, with her forefingers pointed together for the "steeple," and Mr. Mouse poking his nose out from between the front doors.

Aunt Beth touched the tiny pink steeple and the little gold ring on Cheery's finger. "It's a pretty pink and gold church, isn't it?" she said. "Not a bit gloomy and sombre. No wonder he's so contented there."

"Our church is white and gold inside," said Cheery, "and it's so bright and cheerful!—why, it just seems as if the sunshine stays in there all the time and makes everybody all warm and clean. I suppose it is love that makes it seem that way—but somehow love and sunshine always seem a good deal alike to me, don't they to you?"

In her earnestness Cheery opened her hands a little wider than she knew, and suddenly out popped Mr. Mouse, scratching