The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1874-12-25
). THE CHRISTMAS ROSE 5!
BY BEsPERUs.;

>
The short winter day was fast draw.
ing to = close, the rays Of sunshine
faded in the paiing sky, the grey
clouds ,darkened down till the diamond
sentinels of heaven twinkled above in
the frosty sky; down below the warm
radiance Of tho gas.lit windows flashed
forth on the snowy streets. Oh, how
cold it was! The men 1T the peanut
stands swung their arms with oil their
might, spread their hands over their
little stoves, stamped their feet on the
pavement, and could scarcely make
change when q customer wanted pen
mics. Jack Frost was king, and had
bound the world in letters Of ice.
Every body who was abroad buried their
chins in their warm fnrs and hurried
home, laden with gifts for their loved
ones, as fast as ever they could go.
They glanced in at the glistening
windows, latticed with network Of
wire, and then sped along. for it was
too cold to wait and look at all the
pretty thing IS displayed. behind the
transparent barrier. The biting wind
whistled round the corners, whirled the
fresh fallen snow.cry stalls in circling
wreaths, and went through and through
the thin, scanty garments Of poor little
Sally as she stood shivering before Tif-
fany's big store. Nobody had time to
buy her flowers, her tiny, dirty hands
could scarcely hold her basket, and the
tear drops that rolled out from her
bright blue eyes CONCEALED as they ran
down her thin checks. She watched
the people as they came out with smil'
ing faces, laden with Christmas gifts,
and remembered the time gone past
when she hung her stocking in the old
homestead for Santa Claus to fill, and
woke up to find it stuffed with goodies
and candies and dolls and toys. =.
Sally had not always sold flowers in
the streets of New York. There had
been a happy time when she lived away
in the country with papa and mamma.
when she picked flowers and wove
chains and garlands out of them; but
somehow things had not gone right,
and then she had come to the great city,
and papa had gone away, and mamma
had cried great deal and waited a long
time for him to come back, but he had
never come. Then mamma took sick
and had gone to the hospital, and the
old woman with whom Sally lived sent
her out with the other girls to sell dow
ers. Sally did not like tho old woman,
She was not bold.faced and impudent
like many Of her companions, and
she brought her basket back with
many bouquets left, and then
the old woman scolded her and sent he,
to bed supperlcss. To-day flowers were
very dear, and she had sold none. What
would she do? She had been down te
the hospital that morning to ask how
her mother was, and the gruff porte,
had talked very kindly to her; his voice
was husky when he told her to come
right early on Christmas Day and sht
should spend all day with her mother
Hr had called her back as she patteret
away, and given her ten cent stamp
and muttered something and then told
her to come right early. Yes, sh.
would not 60 back to Greenwich stree,
tonight, she would 90 down to the gate
and be there as soon as ever he opened
it in the morning.
She ran along until she was al out o
breath, and when she got to the corne,
Of the red walls, waited for an instant
Suddenly a strange faintness come owe,
her and she sank down on = drift o
snow gathered in tho corner. 1t fel
soft and nice and she rested there. ant
when she had lain there few instant
she thought she would not like to move
no, she would stay there, she was 81
sleepy, and it would be SO good if sh'
only had some supper. What coul<
she get? She had no money, she hat
spent all in flowers, fol
they were very dear that day
and she had sold none. She took q
bunch Of lilies and violets up in he,
slender fingers and smelt at it, then
it touched her lips and in an instan
the pearly teeth bit one Of the leaves
How good it tasted! and what was still
more wonderful, as she munched it VI
the gas lamps vanished, the cold nigh
air ceased to nip, and the whole seem
changed to the brook that ran past tn
foot of the garden in her old home
Yes, she could see the bank of blue be
low where the old stump stood-ther'
was the gnarled root. and there whit
lilies nodded over the ripping water
She crammcd the last lilly into he
mouth, and stretched out her hand t,
gather more, but the vision faded, ant
she found herself all alone in the cruel
ditiless night.
She caught up camelia, and as sh'
crushed the waxen petals to 4 shape
less pulp, she heard the piano playing
as it did when she gave party las
Christmas. The room was full of al
her companions, and there she coult
see where supper was laid in the dinin,
room. She dropped the camellia- t.
hurry in, but her hand only met tn
cold rough wall.
But whot was this flower? Where dit
it come from? All! yes; that must b.
the ugly big bud that the man hat
thrown to her when she paid him. Nov
it was no ugly bud, but a beautiful full
blown blossom, with broad. smooth
leaves glowing like FURNISHED gold; O.
she gazed at it All ineffable perfume ex
hailed from its bosom, the scent waftet
forth from the expanded petals and fill
cd the night with an atmosphere sh
had never breathed before. A mis-
wavercd before her eyes; out Of tn
mist an angel form, featured like he
dead mother, figured forth; it bent dow,
to her darling with outstretched arms
little Sally held the flower firm, IN,
.strove to grasp her mother in lovin
embrace; her weary head sank anon
tho waves Of soft brown hair and thel
a strain Of wondrous music pealed forth
the strange scent grew stronger an
stronger, and she seemed to rise up to
wards the quiet stars borne aloft in in
afFn h1o Hiss