Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-07-22
sEI.ECTED sTCRy
THE FLOWER-GIRL OF FLOR
ENCE.
FROM cAssELL's MAGAZINE.

'Adleu, panlcrs, vcndagcs sont taltes, Ii
the pretty, mournful refrain Of Provence
song It might be sung now in the City O
Florence, which has now streets and squares
and public promenades and four tains
and banks, and shops, but, alas
there are no more flower girls In the
Cascine and cafes are now rarely, if ever,
aeen those dainty figures, sojauntily dressed
all possessed of the beauty of youth, and
some rejoicing in loneliness of nobler
and rarcr type, carrying basketfuls Of the
choicest flowers, which they used to proffer
with the artless yet graceful courtesy Of their
country TO the passers-by. At tho end Of
the season a sum OF money was given for
these flowers, 50 that all the ugly part Of
the transaction. the buying and selling, was
hidden from view The bouquets were Civ
en- and received with smiles, and cordial
words and merry farewells 'suntil tomor-
row" were exchanged, and that was ALL
About ten years ago, one of these flower
girls was a great favorite, and especially adj
mired by the foreigners, English. American
German, who stopped to hear the band in
the Piazzone of the Cascine.
oh, auntie, look what pretty girl p
said Maud Halifax, herself very pretty
girl, to the lady who was with her. They
had stopped to hear the music on one warm
April afternoon, Maud had been leaning
back, tired and exhausted for she was in
very bad health when this lovely vision Of a
girl of her own age stood beside the carriage
and reused her.
She is very pretty said Miss Halifax,
'but, what is very strange, she is very like
you
ooh, aunt how you fatter ?
It was the fact. however; the English
young lady and the Italian girl were as like
as sisters. Both had dark eyes, slightly
aquiline noses, broad, low foreheads, and
beautiful mouths; but the Italian was as
blooming as her own flowers. Maud was
thin, pale and languid.
DO you not think am right 2 said Miss
Halifax, in French, to young Hungarian
officer who now came up.
He assented hastily but not before both
the faces he had glanced at blushed to the
roots of the hair, worn by both in the same
way, drawn back in simple waves from the
forehead.
The flower girl hastily threw some roses
into the carriage and vanished.
I am tired let me 60 home, said Maud
Shall we see you this evening ? said Miss
Halifax to the officer.
4 do not know. Yes, yes; I will coma,
The IIalifaxes went home.
The young officer followed the flower girl
She held out her basket to him.
i told YOU said he, with an air Of au-
thority, that you were never to 60 near that
carriage
Why?
Never mind; Ihave my reasons, Droda-
ta.'
Shall l ever know them ?
No, perhaps not
He turned on his heel, and was gone
The girl looked after him thong htfully. 1
wish knew she murmured.
"What do you wish to know said a
young Italian artist who came up. i can
tell you great many things. Count Lin
dau, for instance, that young man who has
just been buying your flowers. is engaged tc
be married to the rich English girl at the
Hotel de la Vile, who is so i'll. If she lives
to be married, he will be rich man: for il
is said her father has settled fifty thousand
francs year on her husband. What is the
matter, Drodata 2
I must 60 home The poo girls lips
were white.
Come, I will take YOU he said for she
was trembling too much to be able to walk
They stepped aside from the busy crowd
The music was pouring forth its peals OF gay
melody, the sky was bright, and the flowers
Drodata carried seemed laughing up in sci
fish mockery in her face but she thought o
nothing, heard nothing but the dreadtn
words Carlo &lalaspina had spoken; sCoun
Lindau is going to be married.
Why, then, had he for the last six months
told her he loved her, and loved her only
| Why had he said that he was glad be was
German, for that, as soon as she haa mar
lied him, he would take her from EloreDee
and at Prague no one would look down up
on her, for they would not know whether
she had been flower girl or countess
Why? why? Alas! there was no reply,
Carlo was well known to her. Lie had al
ways been kind to her mother and to her
self She called it kindness but IN truth
it was sincere and devoted love wnlcn n'
felt for her. But there is often this terrible
disparity and inequality in lov e., one sla'
fire, and on the other frost The one loves
tie other is loved and between the actlv'
and passive of that verb, what world 0
difference.
Ia oLa WAS an infant q