Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-04-10
The Mystery or the Flowers.

The Mystery OF the Flowers.
For several mornings last summer re-
porter of the World found it necessary to
cross the Desbrosses street ferry, from .Jer-
sey City to New York, at an early hour.
Upon each of these occasions he observed
short broad -shouldered young man, with
round, good -humored face, clear grey eyes
and curly yellow hair seated carelessly on
the railing of the boat near the bow, upon
the side sacred to gentlemen who smoke,
putting away contentedly at short briar-
wood pipe. blackened with long service.
But it was not the pipe nor the man who
smoked it that first attracted the reporters
attention. 1t was Il huge bouquet of bright
but cheap flowers. which the young man
invariably carried in his right hand He
did not seem to be particularly fond of
flowers either. lie was never observed to
look at them with amy especial admiration,
he never smelled Of them and he carried
the flowers in an awkward way, head
downwarls, as though the bunch was q
heavy headed club. As soon as the boat
struck the landing, and the intricate iron
gate had been shut up like Il fan, he would
leap lightly down from his perilous perch
on the rail and walk briskly up one of the
crosS-town streets.
What young man, who was evidently
going to his daily work, wanted of bou-
quet of flowers as large us cabbage, and
which he carried rs one would naturally
that useful but uninteresting vegetable, by
the stalk, puzzled the reporter. One morn
ing he leaned carelcssly over the rail of
the ferryboat. next to the unconscious
cause of all his unsatisfied curiosity, and
inhaled the mingled perfume of his pipe
and flowers. When the boat hal made
her landing the Flower Bearer, as he had
been dubbed in default of any other name,
walked rapidly away in his accustomed
manner, and the reporter followed him at
Il safe distance for observation. Soon IL
region given up to malodorous and forbid
ding tenement houses was reached, and
before half a block had been traversed,
bare-legged little girl, guiltless of any
head covering save her tangled hair, who
stood at the next corner and seemed to be
II sentinel on duty, sent up u shrill shout
and ran rapidly towards the young man,
crying ut the top of her voice:
"Year'e comes; year comes the man
with the flowers" " and at her call appear
ed innumerable children. Ragged and
dirty little urchns they were, rising from
damp areas. rushing round corners, scram-
bling from dark alleys. tumbling out of
dark Railways, and all scampering like
mad to be first to meet the Flower Bearer.
"Oh, mister" said the bare-legged,
little girl who had acted
sentinel, gimme the purtiest flower we
got, cause seen ye furst. Please won't
you mister?
The young man had stopped by this
time, and WAS surrounded by n motley
throng of scrambling children of all ages
from twelve years down to q little chap
who ioddled around the outskirts of the
crowd upon his little bow legs. reaching
up II pudgy, grimy fist and petilioning for
II " lowa;" while his big sister, who had
deserted him. stood in the center of the
press and called for her flowers with all
the importantly of an Arab demanding
backsheesh.
"Now, young 'uns," said the young
man, with II broad smile on his good ma
tured face, play fair, and don't snatch.
Don't one of you snatch"
oh, no, sir; we won't, sir" chorus.
ed the children.
Here, Goliah," said he, with laugh,
to the toddler who owned the pudgy fist,
" you shall have the first one, because if |
don't give you one right off you'll Just let
your strength out and rob some of these
little girls" Goliah shut his diminutive
fist tightly about the stem of the flower,
and if he did not appreciate the joke he
did the gift.
Nov, Nan good for nothing, us You
saw me first, I'll give you the second how-
er,' said he, handing the tow headed SEN
tinel flaming sword of gladiolus.
THANK 'ee, sir,' said Nan, marching
ont Of the crowd with her sword at her
shoulder.
And, Nose, YOU can take this" said
he, handing II flower 10 II sturdy red
shirted little fellow.
And Jennie this, and Charlie this, and
Mollie this" continued he, evidently in
venting names us he went along until all
the ragged crowd was supplied. When
he had finished he had still ons large,
bright flower in his hand, which he ap.
peared to have reserved carefully to the
last He cast quick glance over the
ha ,vanIod :. Whsrn's ,bo Iittlo I'm 81,
'slod ho NJ 1,st
"Sha,S S;,.t ,ir. hor b,ol,s tool, worso -
.oi1 Nan
lis inllv f,c, clou,lel al saved this
aownr C,, bar ), s,iL h.,
" p,nnso eli. III t,ka If to hor if rou'l]
Ia, ,,a ~ s.'i5 Nh ,.nrnrly
:. Vas yn,, n,,v saij ho soborIv "J
Ln,w Sh. would mise il And teiI her 7
hl'no sLo ,yirl b., rnIl onornb to COMA anJ
'rot :, C,r harsnIr noxt MnnI,y n,orninr
Cnod hr" w ), '''''''
" CnHJ'bva sirn and .,rh,nk ve cir -
ohornSad S tbSo rbi,iren nc he nnsse3 y, on ''''
' Tha rannrtor ioinnd hin, ~ tha nnxt
b,oct AMI T snnke of what he hnd seen
% an ,ba,,t nothing sir,' was the blnsh.
iro rnn,v Thn Aowers kind of nlrascs
S '"a, 'Ip,s ,m3 Lnow am snre I don,I Low
vhT ", ,hpv w should never cared much ror
hnHora,S rntS ",rSaIr ," WV
''1 ..i1Inw i;j yn,, b,nuar ,o think of oivino
~ M ,hS nl,ilIran then }"
"'I,1 :, oana w W. ahnrt % rorv n,tnral cir Ono
, ,"i.0 na ,aIU ,.JUo no 'o .ionm , IN hin brrrv
H"y = Wa i;,t" 1a,a f",. 0, NV ~ ,uort whom M
800 n handson,a [ T woman r droSsed hnamti.
S'm c'm,. - 'I nU oo,',.,,;n "oI hnnob nf nrot,r
's, a"n'rs """ ;',st ahanJ Of ma l;ttla airI
u""u's, J"st I" o,,1od " Ma Nan tha s, Gnod % Gn