Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-06-25

three that were violet colored. The pansy
boxes already made a brilliant show, apd
every one said how they frightened up
the ROOM Bessie was in an ecstacv, and
fairly kissed the little laughing pansy
faces
Hetty was happy, too, but not yet salts
fed. When would the sky-blue pansies,
the desire of her heart, blossom cut? How
eagerly she watched every plant that had
not yet shown it's color. But every day
as some Powered out the chances lessened.
Bessie counted up the colors they already
had e1
"They are all here, even to the mahog-
any color" she said, "all but the sky-bl
ones"
"Are you watching for sky-blue ones,
too?" asked Hetty.
"Why, yes, | think they'll be lovely,
don't you?''
II had rather have a sky-blue one
than all the rest put together!' said
Hetty, despairingly for she was now be-
ginning to think that there had been none
of those precious seeds in the packet after
all
But on the very next afternoon while
Bessie was out on an Grand, Hetty stood
by the boxes alone, and just as she had
sadly concluded that her last plant was
going to blossom white she cast careless
glance at Bessie's box, and what did she
see? There was, there was certainly bit
of sky-blue visible in an opening bud.
90, you beautyp' cried Hetty The
plant was full of buds, and she looked at
it with a pang. 3 +
cit is too bad it is too bad!' she
thought. "The boxes were all mine, and
the seeds were all mine, and then [ had to
give her half, and she has got the very one
| wanted most of ALP
Hetty pouted and frowned, and almost
let a tear fall Then her face darkened
81 didn't mean to give her that =" she
said again to herself "It's mine, for [
didn't mean to give it away, and I'm
going to have it!' lsTa
The thought that flashed into her mind
was to transplant the sky-blue pansy into
her own box, and to put her white one in
its place. But just as she was pulling at
the fbrous roots, she heard Bessie OPEN
ing the front door, and she started away
in terror, not wishing to be found there
She went into the tea-rOom, and finding
that tea was ready, she began ringing the
bell, as if she had never thought of a
pansy, and presently Bessie came running
in.
81 wonder if she stopped to look at the
pansies!' thought Hetty, expecting every
moment to hear her exclaim that there was
a sky-blue one.
But if Bessie had stopped at the box,
she had apparently not had time to notice
anything, for she said not a word about
pansies, but talked very fast of the places
she had been to, and Of how hungry she
was. aa
'She didn't notice!" thought Hetty with
a secret, guilty satisfaction; and after tea
she proposed jumping rope in the court,
so as to keep Bessie away from the sit
ting-room, for she still meant to carry out
her plan.
Bessie seemed very willing to 90 out
and they played in the court until it was
fairly dark. When they came In, Hetty
said:
Don't let's go in the sitting-room, it's
so warm
Suppose we go right up to bed" said
Bessie. "I'm sure we're tired enou ghn
! So to bed they went and were soon
still, for neither had as much as usual to
say.
ut is bright moonlight" thought Hetty
81 am going to keep awake, and as soon
as everyone in the house has gone to bed
I'm going down softly to the pansy
boxes"
She lay awake long time waiting.
Pretty soon Bessie breatied SO regularly
she knew she must be asleep. She heard
her mother come upstairs, and then while
she was waiting to hear the last sounds
she fell asleep herself.
But the moon woke her up presently,
for it was shining full on her face. She
did not know what o'clock it was, nor
how long she had slept, but the house
was perfectly still.
Pm going down!' she silently de-
termined, and slipped very softly out of
side, for fear Of waking her. She stole
out Of the room, and her little bare feet
crept noiselessly down the stairs. How
bright the moonlight shone over every
thing-it would be light as day in the
sitting-room. What was she about to do?
Was it wrong? Was it stealing? It seemed
a great deal worse to think of it, standing
alone at the foot of the stairs in the night,
than 1t did before she went to bed A
tremor passed over her, a child's terror of
night stole into her heart; what if she
should lind an angel standing by the
pansles! The door into the sitting-room
was open; she slipped along few steps
. and peeped in. She almost screamed, for
there was somebody there, somebody by
the broad window seat, little figure all
IN white bending over the pansies in the
clear moonlight
80, if can only get back up stairs!"
thought Hetty in panic of alright, and
she turned noiselessly away as quick as
she could she sped up the stairs, and
crept softly into her room, and softly into
bed. There she lay and Tembled; at last,
for company's sake, she reached out a
hand to touch Bessie, but Bessie was not
there
"Was she down stairs9" thought Hetty.
thoroughly bewildered and even as the
thought crossed her, the little figure in
white appeared in the door, and came
over the floor very softly indeed.
"lt IS Bessier' thought Hetty, pretend
ing to be asleep, 50 as not to betray her.
self, but long after Bessie had crept into
bed, she lay awake, wondering and dis
| turbed.
The next morning Bessie sprang out of
bed first, and seemed in very high spirits
as she dressed herself, and tried to hurry