The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1863-07-25
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Il IOWA, sATURsD,AY,

.
another womaniwho wake By with her
basket and . doaehnut and her apple
makes her wholesome lunch for the daY.
Not once has she risen from her, box
Now o cake is handed TO boy who, with
a tin cup which has been hid away III her
basket, bounds away and soon returns
with water SruEn the neighhoring foun-
tain, ~. - = ..
Her head droops against aahe lf3tcora1er,
her face turned toward her cakes and mn
ward toward the clear blue sky glowing
with ths mid day ssaI. . 1.s,t - e sHa
@t Her eyes close, and the red slip lies
quietiy beneath heF HansisB She is asIeep
---the first falling footstsp near her eva
kens her. So she doses Tor half an hear.
and then, busy % ever, pursues her task.
Two o'clock, more customers, rThe tired
and hungry goers TO and fro pause and
take refreshment. She lays by her work
tor o httaeA- changes two cakes for an
orange, and by-and-by three or four for
two large apples presently d candy deal
er leaves bright red and white twist in
the place Of a,cream cake, and all these
new acquisitions are laid in corner by
themselves. >-..z- rrs>s}i. S-..... .sf4v 2sn.
Herstock 10 getting low, and the sun
is sending long slopes of shadow eastward
Now she holds up the little dress by The
sleeve, surveys it with loving looks, and
lays it across her lap, and leaning forward.
looks wistfully down the street. *,.. III
The sun sinks lower the high walls Of
commerce and trade are darkening the
shadows there, and still her eyes peer
wistfuliy among the crowd, as if some be-
loved object was expected. 80 ,..-.j
Ha how her face brightens what ra-
diance of joy CLEANS on every featIre !
Up goes the little red slip, held In both
hands; and In less time than have taken
TO write the words, an old woman, who
evidently bears upon her broad shoulders
the weight Of threescore years and ten,
drops into the extended arms of the pa
tient, waiting worker, beautiful child,
who clasps her neck and nestles in her
bosom, almost speaking his delight in
half-cry, and half-lsughter. There is NO
delay the maternal fountain is given to
his use. And then old deaf Granny is
told of the results Of the day. and treated
to the last of the remnants upon the
stand. That big apple was for her; that
orange was for her. Now little Rosy
cheeks lifts up his head, bound with gol-
den curls. and claims that braid Of candy.
How he laughs and crows, and for every
demonstration of JOY he is clasped to his
mothers breast and smothered with
kisses .-.s. ..'.' ...>.
Hundreds have passed this humble
group, yet not one has seen this exhibit
ton of filial and maternal love. The
words mother" and granny" reach me
up to the second story, as the cake-selIer
tries to make the deaf old woman hear :
and know, by the full, round, musical
tone, that love, true and pure, lies sweet.
ly sleeping in the hearts of the two.
/. Whose eyes see that little red slip put
upon that baby boy? who sees that moth
er's heartfelt satisfaction at the fit ? who
sees the proud Growing of the bright
faced darling, with his pouting mouth
made all the sweeter by daubs of candy 7
Who sees that proud old grandmother
leading her pet away, his little bare feet
pattering along the hard pavement, and
his merry laughter keeping time to the
pattering? a.
The cake-seller's work is done for the
day. She rises up and straightens with
difficulty her cram ped and crippled limbs.
The remnant of cakes are laid in the
basket, the white cloth folded and laid
over them, the board lifted upon her
head, the old nail keg hoisted above, the
box and basket taken in the two hands,
and clump, clump she passes down the
street in the dim twilight, her days work
of love and duty done. - "a~j
all this long. long day had been
waiting for telegram to tell ME the fate
of one most dear, and that humble erea'
ture, crippled: yet earnest faithful, and
loving, helped me to groR stronger foE
the fate that awaited me. ##<-f
And when at last that fearful dispatch
came that crushed my hopes, and trans
ferred my loves from earth to heaven,
know was able to say with more per.
feet resignation, My Father; thy will
not mine. be done, because of the. pa
tient work and cheerful smile of the cake
seller of Beekman street.