The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-03-10
Young Folks.
A story About Butterflies.


TO come in the fall, there was to be pre-
MUM for the finest collection made by any
one under fourteen. The school children
all had their butterfly nets and their boxes
of strange bugs. Every day almost they
compared their treasures, and Ally Alcot,
the half dozen rare ones an uncle had brought
her from Mexico.
OF all the workers Jane Thorn was most
earnest. Her mother was poor, and little
jamie could not go to school with the others.
She was a nurse-maid for rich lady in the
town, and her only chance to get butterflies
was when she took little Fred and Erwin in
to the large wood near Mrs. Days house.
Then, while the children sat under the trees,
she could sometimes, with her net, secure
prize. Very proud and careful was she of
those in box in her little room. Saturday
nights she could go home, and then she and
her brother Ted compared their collections.
When the summer was over the two were to
be put together, and jamie was already plan
ming TO save from her small wages enough
have on hers. As for premium they hoped
to gain, 1T had been spent twenty times over,
and jamie was not yet quite sure whether a
shawl or dress for her mother would be
the best use for her share.
o Janie's mistress had fine house, a num-
Der of servants, and many friends. AT the
end of the long, bright summer, little par
ty of friends and relations came to visit her.
The house was filed with gayly dressed peo-
pie. Evenings, sitting drowsily in the nur-
sery jamie heard sweet laughter. Through
the long summer days there were picnics
and croquet parties in the woods, and some
times, as she went on errands through the
house, she met beautiful ladies. OF them
all she liked Miss Maud the best, partly be-
cause she was prettiest of all, and partly be-
cause she always smiled and spoke to her.
Little jamie, afar off, worshiped the proud
beauty, and was only too happy when some
times, of an evening, she was called to help
Miss Maud dress.
One bright day in September jamie was
alone in the woods. The children were rid
out to count over her treasures again. They
lay on her white apron, mass of gold and
brown black and crimson, two great cecro-
pias, that Ted had, with great care, raised
from cocoons, crowning the whole. Miss
Maud, walking through the park alone, saw
her, and, thinking how pretty she looked,
came up to her.
"What have you there, little jamie ?" she
said. 80, what beauties!"
"They are mine," jamie answered, and
was too shy at first to tell what they were
for Miss Maud looked and admired, and,
won by her interest, the little girl explain
ed. But the lady hardly heard. She had
so many other things on her mind; she was
going away soon, and so much was to be
done. So after little, she walked away,
picture to jamie in her fiuttering muslin.
the sunlight iltering down through the trees
ont the bent proud head.
A week later, as jamie was leaving the
nursery for breath of cool air--the children
being asleep-Mss Maud called her to her
room. 'Ifyou're not busy, please help me, "
she said, as jamie paused shyly in the door
way. Il am late, and in a hurry" and as
she spoke she laid out the dress she was to
wear, a soft cloud of black lace, over which
jamie drew long breath of delight.
"You like it," Maud said, smiling. 'If
only had some ornaments suitable. Moth
ing but flowers, and I've worn them till Pm
tired And l wanted to put on my emer
aids tonight Open that drawer-there-
fasten this. Aren't they lovely?" She
blushed so as she opened the jewel-case that
jamie guessed her secret at once.
Haven't you any thing else ?" she asked
with sudden shy sympathy as she helped
Miss Maud into her dress.
Nothing, but it's no matter. Go and get
She shut the jewel-case slowly and turned
to her dressing.
But on the threshold jamie paused She
remembered that, as Miss Maud had admir-
ed her boarded butterflies, she had put them
in her hair and on her breast, and in her
loving heart sprang the thought OF using
them.
"Could you wear my butterflies? You
said the other day that they would be pretty
to wear"
Not till the words had passed her lips did
she think what it meant if they were taken.
They would be ruined, and the fair was the
next week. But she did not hesitate
''Your butterflies! Why, yes, | suppose
so. But you want them yourself"
"You may have them IF you like" and
jamie ran for her box and emptied its treas
ures before the beauty.
"These will be perfect" she cried, deity
picking out the largest and brightest of them
and putting them in her dark hair, on hel
breast, her shoulders, her belt. "Put some
down ON the skirt to loop it," she went on
"If l make a sensation tonight, little jamie
it will be your fault. Now this great beau
ty for my fan. | wonder if they could bC
put on my sash--or my slippers, There
thank you ever 50 much.'
As jamie retreated, with long admirini
glances at the beautiful girl, Mrs. Day en-
tered. "Ready, Maud? Where did yol
get those"
"From jamie. She has box Of them
Are they not lovelyY Fortunately I've no
to dance tonight, or my glory would sool
be gone"
"It will be now, I'm afraid. Roses wou
have been better"
''Only Pm tired of them, and there wer
none. This is something odd"
'Yes. No one but you would dare wea
them"
And with that the two ladies went dow
stairs together, leaving jamie to repen
"But shouldn't have had the premium
.4,. .--oLab1o onx, NOV, sha thouoht ga N