Smyrna times., 1881-08-03
" Roots and Seeds"

The speaker was sailor, middle aged
sun Drowned man.
In his arms, nestled against his broad
chest, her eyes full of tears, her lips quiv-
ering, her little figure shaking with sobs,
was Il tiny, tairy-like child of six Sum-
mers, Il golden haired, blue eyed darling,
whose baby heart was given to this stall
wart son of the sea.
"Oh, don't go away" she sobbed. Il
had rather have you stay than have all
the pretty things in your house."
Which speech was as certainly as COM
plimentary as she was sincere, since the
collection of foreign treasures in Ben
Daly's cottage represented to little Ann
the wealth of the world, the art museum
of all those far away lands of which he so
often talked to her.
4 must go, pretty one" he said, fondly
stroking her sunny curls, "but will bring
you something from over the seas. What
shall it be?"
"Somc flowers" she answered; "some
of the red and blue flowers we don't have
here, that grow where the parrots and
monkeys live"
For AIMS imagination had been capti-
waited by Ben's descriptions of the gorg-
eOus tropical plants he had so often adj
mired in his travels.
Flowcrsw he said; so l will bring
you flowers. We will plant roots and
seeds in mothers garden, and you shall
have all the flowers"
''All for my own!"
Yes, lassie. All the flowers Ben brings
back shall be yonr own"
An hour later Ben had hidden his
mother farewell, had shaken hands with
all the friends and neighbors he met as he
walked down the wide street of the little
village of LertOn, and had taken the train
| for where he was to ship as able seaman
aboard the Laughing Mollie, for South
| America.
+
Sixteen years had come and gone, bring
ing the Summers heat and Winters cold,
| when one morning young woman toiled
slowly up the stairs of house, carrying
on one arm heavy bundle and on the
other pale, dropping babe of less than
| two Summers
Hunger had pinched the pale cheeks,
had made hollow lines around the large
blue eyes, and given a quiver to the sensi-
tive lips.
Mamie hot!'' the baby walled as the
sitting air of the close house wrapped her
in its venomOus folds
The mother only pressed her own pale
lips close upon the little face, but did not
speak
In her heart was the unspOken cry:
Must they die, both my loved ones.
for want of pure air and nourishment?"
Toiling painfully up flight after flight of
the steep, narrow staircase, she reached at
last the door of her own room under the
the roof
Here she forced her lips to smile, and
entered with a lighter step.
The room was poorly furnished, hut
cleanly, and upon the bed lay a man
whose .bandaged arm and white face told
of some accident that had prostrated him.
81 have some more work, David" said
his brave little wife, speaking in CHEEKY
tone; land Mr.. Watson paid me for the
last. want to leave Mamie and the bum
die, and then run out to get something for
dinner"
David made no reply.
What could he say that had not been
repeated over and over in the four weary
months he had lain idle and helpless, both
legs and one arm crushed by the fall of a
great beam upon him as he strove to save
something from the shop that was his sole
property, and had burned to ashes while
he was being carried away from his vain
endeavor to rescue his papers.
Only four years before he had married
pretty Ann, who was working at milIin-
er's, and who thought herself richer than
a princess when David Laine gave her his
love.
And now in their sorrow and poverty
what true love dictated, what brave,
wOmaHly heart could accomplish, Ann
strove faithfully to do.
But as she went down the stairs once
more to tempt David's failing appetite.
she was sickeningly aware that her own
strength was failing, and that her dear
ones We're wasting under her eyes.
Just at the foot of the stairs stood q
gentleman holding card in his hand,
who lifted his hat as Ann came down and
asked:
Can you tell me If Mrs. David I4aine
| lives in this house?n
81 am Mrs. David Laine," Ann said,
wondering If any new misfortune was in
store for her.
"You were going out, the gentleman
said, land perhaps you can spare me a
little time. I have questions / would like
to ask you, and it may be some good news
to impart to you. My Office is only q
short distance from here, and if you will
accompany me there, viii not detain
you long"
! Ann looked into the mans face-a kind