Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1875-04-08

too p The mother smiled, understand
ingly, when / said, mo, thank you,
you dear, generous little girl; don'i
care about oranges"
At noon we had tedious interval OF
waiting at dreary station. We sat fo1
two hours ON narrow platform, which
the sun had scorched till it smelt of heat.
The elder boy-the little lover-held the
youngest child, and talked to her, while
the tired mother closed her eyes and
rested. Now and then he looked over
at her, and then back to the baby; and al
last he said confidentially to me (for we
had become fast friends by this time),
"Isn't it funny to think that | was ever
so small as this baby and papa says that
then mamma was almost little girl her
SELF
The other two children were toiling up
and down the railroad track, picking
oxeyes, daisies, buttercups and sorrel.
They worked like beavers, and soon the
punches were almost too bigfo their little
hands. Then they came running to give
them to their mother. "Oh, dear, v
thought /, show that poor, tired woman
viii hate to open her eyes! and she
never can take those great punches of
common, fading flowers, in addition to
all her bundles and bags" was mis-
taken.
"Oh, thank you, my darlingsl How
kind you were Poor, hot, tired, little
flowers, how thirsty they look If they
will only try to keep alive till we get
home, we will make them very happy in
some water, won't We? And you shall
put one bunch on papa's plate, and the
other one by mine.
Sweet and happy the weary and flushed
little children stood looking UP into her
face while she talked, their. hearts thrill
ing with compassion for the dropping
flowers and with delight in the giving of
their gift. Then she took great trouble
to get string and tie up the flowers, and
then the train came, and we were whirl-
ing along again. Soon it grew dark and
little Annie's head nodded. Then /
heard the mother say to the elder boy,
Dear, are you too tired to let little
Annie put her head on your shoulder and
take nap! We shall get home in much
better care to see papa if we can manage
to give her little sleep" How many
boys of twelve hear such words as those
from tired, helpless, overburdened
mothers!
Soon came the city, the final station,
with its hustle and noise. fingered to
watch my happy family, hoping to see
the father. why, papa isn't there -
exclaimed one disappointed little voice
after another 'sNever mind" said the
mother, with a still deeper disappoint-
ment in her own tone; perhaps he had
to go to see some poor body who was
sick" In the hurry of picking up the
parcels and the sleepy babies, the poor
daisies and buttercups were left forgot
ten in the corner of the rack. / won
dered if the mother had not intended
this May be forgiven for AN injustice I!
A few fhinutes after / passed the little
group, standing still just outside the sta
ton, and heard the mother say, sob,
my darlings, have forgotten your pref
ty boquets. / am so sorry. / wonder if
could find them if went back. Will
you all stand still and not move from this
spot If go for them!"
"Oh, mamma, don't go, don't go.
We will get you some more. Don't go, ~
cried all the children.
"Here are your flowers, madam, said
1. 81 saw that you had forgotten them,
and l took them SIS mementoes of you
and your sweet children" She blushed
and looked disconnected. She was evi
IDENTIFY unused to people, and shy with
all but her children. However, she
thanked me sweetly, and said:
81 was very sorry about them. The
children took such trouble to get them
and think they viii revive in water.
They cannot be quite dead"
"They will merer diel' said 1, with
an emphasis that went from my heart to
hers. Then all her shyness fed. She
knew me, and we shook hands and
smiled into each others eyes with the
smile of kindred as we parted.
AS 1 followed on, 7 heard the two
children, who were walking behind, say
ing to each other, Wouldn't that have
been too bada Mamma liked them sc
much, and we never could have got SC
many all at once again"
eyes, we could, too, next summer, y
said the boy, sturdily.