The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-06-16
Blind Lottcben aud the vioIets.
BIZ LESLIE THORN

Blind Lottchen was sitting in the sun
shine on the step of the old stone mill.
A little solemn-iaced girl, with eyelashes
so long and dropping that you would scarcely
have suspected that there was no sight in the
dark-blue orbs below, a brown stuff frock, and
small feet clad in thick-soled shoes with nails
n the heels, she sat there, thinking and lis
ening.
For Blind Lottchen had overheard a
neighbor and her mother talking about hard
times and little work, and how difficult it
was to get along and feed all the tiny mouths
AMI keep all the little backs comfortably
clothed.
"And you with blind child. too" said
the neighbOr. ''Why don't you send her to
an Asylum?"
al couldn't spare Lottchen," said the
mother, hurriedly. "Lottchen is one of the
greatest comforts l have"
'But she eats and she drinks" said the
neighbor. "And it takes money to clothe
her."
''No matter for that" said the mother. al
couldn't get along without LOttchen"
But all these things sank into the girls
heart, as she sat there in the Sunshine of the
spring morning.
Presently along came lazy Hans driving
his flock of geese Lottchen knew quite
well who it was, although there was no sight
in her eyes, Her sense of hearing was very
acute, and she would distinguish any foot
step on the mountain side. Lazy Hans had
Il shuttle as he walked, as if it were too much
trouble to lift his shoes out of the dust-and
besides there was the hiss and the cackle of
the geese as they scudded along in front.
Lazy Hans stopped short when he saw
Blind LOttchen sitting by herself. He was
slIvx loh fnfa to-
"Little Lottchen," said he, ''what are you
thinking about?"
Hans" said Lottchen, abruptly, show
do people get rch?'
''How do they get rich?" said Hans, star
ing.
ayes, said Lottchen, with an impatient
nod of the head "How?''
Hans paused to consider the matter, with
a bite half taken out of his slice of bread
Sometimes folks dies and leaves 'em
money" said he. ''Like the grand Baron in
his Castle on the hill"
"How else?" said Lottchen. For she
knew quite well there was no one to die and
leave her money.
Once more Hans was compelled to stop
and consider.
''They finds diamond mines" said he. "Or
they goes to the gold fields and makes their
fortunes"
Il don't mean that, said Blind Lottchen.
Il mean how could little girl like me get
richT'
But that was what Hans could not tell her
exactly.
They goes out to service sometimes"
said he. "Or they minds little children. Or
they sells flowers. Or"
II might sell flowers" said Blind LOttchen,
with gasp. "There are flowers and flowers
growing down by the edge of the brook.
can smell them every time go there for a
pitcher of water
So the next morning, before daybreak had
fairly begun to redden the skies, Blind
Lottchen and her sister Lizzie went to gather
the flowers. They had to start thus early,
because Lizzie went out to weed onion-beds
by the day, and her day commenced at six
O'Clock in the morning.
Now be sure you pick only the blue ones, >
said Lottchen. "And those that smell
sweet"
"You must mean the violets, said Lizzie
i suppose do" said Lottchen. EVERY
one must like violets.'
SO Lottchen put her little blue clusters
into willow basket, and went and sat on
the stone bridge, near where the coach from
the market town passed every day. And
basket and cried, "Violets! violetsl who'll
buy my sweet violets?"
The coach always stopped at the bottom
of the hill, for the horses to rest little be-
fore they commenced their steep ascent. Two
young girls, of thirteen or fourteen years old,
sat at the two windows. One pushed Lott
chens basket so rudely back that the poor
blind child lost her balance, and the blue
punches fell into the dust
"Do not thrust your paltry wares into peo-
pies faces, childr' said she, haughtily.
80 Henrica, how can your" cried the other
girl-and she sprang lightly out and began
gathering up the scattered treasures.
"Let her pick them up herself" grumbled
Henrica, sourly.
"Don't you see that she is blind? Here,
little girl" cried the sweet-voiced stranger,
chow much are your howersp
Almost choked with tears. Blind Lottchen
named their price-and Lena Won Marnim
bought them all
"They are very sweet and fragrant" said
she.
And the coach rolled on
You did not want those common flowers
after they had been rolled in the dusty roads, y
said Henrica
81 wanted to help the poor blind child,
said Lena, gently.
Blind Lottchen fastened back to the stone
mill, her heart beating high with delight and
rapture.
IL have sold my violets," she cried, ''to q
sweet, sweet lady. And have real silver
piece in my pocket"
And as the coach rolled slowly up the hill
Henrisa Won Marnim fell fast asleep, and
dreamed dream
She thought she was dead. Well, that
wasn't so very strange, especially AS she had
been very, very i'll, and was, even now, going