Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1838-06-02
THE FLOWER GIRL.
ny MISS NJ. MILES.

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will you buy my Aowers?' said a
sweet voice to Mrs. Audly, as she
stepped from her carriage, and was
about entering one Of the most fashion
able mansions in the most popnlous OF
our southern cities.-Mrs. Audly stop
ped, and regarded with an eye Of won
der, child Of surprising beauty
who held forth bunch Of moss roses.
She was struck with surprise to see
ono 50 fragile and delicate, thus enga-
ged in selling in the public street.
sDo you sell your roses, in order to
support yourself, little girl?" she asked
in tone Of kindness.
NO, ma'am' she replied, dropping a
eurtesy-'but my mother is sick, and
Iwalked from the cross roads, to sell
all the roses that was on my own bush:
will you buy them, lady?' and her
deep blue eyes filled with tears.
Mrs. Audly was much interested
by the innocence and artless simp'ici-
ty Of the child; and after few more
enquiries, determined to go herself and
see the sick woman, who the child said
was stranger in B. She was
one whose purse was always open to
the calls Of charity, and taking the little
girl into the carriage, she ordered her
coachman to drive to the cross roads,
about two miles from the city. They
stopped before low humble-looking
house; and the lady entering, saw 'ex-
tended upon the bed and, apparently
dying, female upon whose counten-
ance, wasted as it was, there yet linger-
ed the remains Of great beauty. Mrs.
Audly spoke TO her in tones Of COM
passion bur she only lifted to her the
glazed and closing eye. 1t was evident
she was fast sinking to her rest. A
decent looking woman came forward,
and from her the lady learned that the
strangers name was Lorton; that she
had come there sick, and as she was
poor, she had boarded her and her child
and until the last three weeks, and
regularly received her pay; and as she
wanted some comforts, she had given
Inez the child, leave to sell the roses
sMrs. Lorton, guess, has seen better
days said the woman,in conclusion,
.sbut what l shall do with the child
when sheis gone, don't know, though
she is SO good and sweet tempered
Mrs. Audly sent her servant to pro-
cure the necessary comforts for the
night, and leaving some money with
the woman, returned home with the
promise Of visiting them the next day
The windows Of Mr.. Audly's man
sion opened on the piazza, and she sat
alone musing on the past. Time had
been, when the voice ofchildhood sent
its thrill through the mothers heart
and the sound Of mirth and gladness
resounded through her now silent
dwelling; but one by one the bright
and beautiful beings who clustered
around her hearth and board, had gone
down in their innocence to the tomb
only one remained "a son in distant
land. The lady sat in sadness. Hcl
husband entered and seeing the nelan.
choly that rested OH her brow, relating
something amusing that had occurred
during the day. She still appeared
distracted, and upon his tenderly in
quiring the cause, she related to him
the incidents Of the morning.-sTh,
child reminds me Of my departed ones,
said she, and tear fell upon the hans
her husband held. Robert, Iknov
that you seldom deny request Of mine
but still it is an important one an
about making. This poor child, in al
her beauty and sweetness, seems as j
sent to supply the place Of the dead
!, why may | not adopt her as my own
Our home will not seem SO lonely.
Mr.. Audly gladly consented to an,
4 thing that could cheer the solitude q
4 his wife, or while her from the mclan
Il choly that was undermining her health
and they concerted together TO tax
The little lncz, as soon DIS Mrs. Lorto
was dead.
The next day, when Mrs. Audly al
rived at the. cottage, she found ths
& MrM .orton had died in the nigh
without giving any sign Of conscious
ness, or discovering who she was min
iature Of ller, taken when young, an,
! set with pearls, very rich, in her trunl
sKthc only yastigge sof betterdays. An