The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-12-15

place to live in, and shall never hear
you sing, birdie; nor have my flow ers,
nor my kittens. Oh, me Oh, mep
She sobbed little, then shook off
her April tears, and then fell to think
ing in earnest. If they only had some
money, What if she could get some
She puckered her brow into frown.
Just then some market carts rolled by,
laden with produce, on their way to the
neighboring little town. On the front
seat of one sat an old woman, with a
basket of flowers on her knees. A sud-
den thought flashed on Dossy, and the
puckered little brow cleared mp. Why
couldn't she sell flowers? Her garden
was full OF them, especially of pansies,
such pansies as were not often seen.
She jumped from the swing so quickly
that she landed headforemost into the
grasses below. But, nothing daunted,
she regained her feet and began picking
off the golden hearted pansies and
English daisies by handfuls. She
would do it; yes, indeed, she would
and make ever SO much money, and
they wouldn't have to leave the mill,
and grandpa and sissie wouldn't cry any
more. She fell to work arranging her
bouquets for the morrow, her eyes
fairly dancing with delight. She put
them together quite tastefully, and by
the time the summer moon stood over
the pines she had long row set up
amid the evergreens, that the dew
might keep them fresh. In the morn
ing, as soon as breakfast was over, she
would set out.
Dear, innocent D0ssyl She had not
the least doubt that she would succeed,
and she slept but little that night in her
excitement. Over and over she rose
from her little bed and stole on tiptoe
to the window to look down on her
treasures.
The morrow dawned cloudlessly.
Breakfast over, Dossy ran down to the
garden, crammed her posies into Liz.
zie's market basket, and taking it on
her chubby arm trudged away, fortu-
nately unnoticed. On she sped, past
the long, long line of fences, and down
into the very heart of the town. Her
checks were crimson, her breath came
in gasps, she almost stumbled with IA
tigue, but at last she reached the mar
ket-place and stopped in little corner
where the shadows fell cool, and where
an old blind woman vas selling laces.
Here, feeling a sense of safety and
compauionship from the old blind crea-
ture, she sat down and began with deft
hands to arrange her posies in front of
her. What picture she made in her
white frock, with its short, puffed
sleeves; her eyes ablaze, her amber
ringlets blown about by the morning
breeze, framed, as it were, by border
of yellow daisies and golden hearted
rRnsies. At the silvery call of her
sweet bird-voice, piping: Who'll buy
~ pansies!" one and another pedes-
tYian looked back, few smiled, and
some stopped and purchased. Pres
entity farme!, who had just such lit
tie one at home, bought one of her
nosegays, ard paid for it wisn half
dollar. Dossy was in raptures. Then
another gentleman came along, this
time a comparatively young one, but
tall and dark, and with a bronzed face.
| Won't Won buy bunch of pausies,
sir, please?' said little Dossy,
The stranger, who had not noticed
her before. stopped and looked for the
little piping voice.
"Please, sir" said Dossy, holding up
a posy, "only twenty-five cents"
The young man fiasheda keen glance
at Dossy, and drew near, smiling.
"To be sure WILL" he said, pleas
antly, if only for the sake of your
bright eyes. Twenty-Five cents you
said, 1 think" and he drew out his
purse.
"Yes," said Dossy, spologetically,
imagining he thought the price too
high. "You see have to ask good
DEAL" and she shook her curly head
with grave, important air, "for Liz
zie must have the money by Saturday,
or we shall be turned out of our pretty
home" As she finished she rendered
to her auditor the prettiest of her posies,
which she had just selected for him out
OF her store.
The stranger, all this time, had been
looking curiously at her. The color
went and came on his face, his lips
trembled, and he showed other signs of
emotion.
"Tell me-" he cried, earnestly, "my
dear, what is your name?"
He drew close to Dossy as he spoke,
and seemed to be looking in her face,
as if for some half-remembered, half
fancied likeness.
"Dossy," she answered." Dossy Du-
pont."
His answer was to catch her in his
arms and kiss her again and again, his
voice trembling with excitement as he
cried, Glossy! my little pet Dossy,
don't you know who amp"
But Dossy struggled from his EN-.
brace, smoothed her curls, and answered
haughtily:
"I asked you to buy my pansies, sir,
and not to kiss me-"
The stranger broGe into a joyous
laugh. "and 1 will buy them" he
replied, "every one of them. But don't
you really know me, DossyP lam Ross
Devereaux. Why, you have sat on my
knee many and many time"
Dossy at this stared at him curiously.
Then she uttered gleeful little shout
and sprang into his arms.
ooh, 1 know" she cried. 81 re-.
member you. Won't Lizzie be glad ?
Won't she stop crying now?"
Ross Devereaux's swart cheek Grim
soned. "Take me to your home" he
said, "to your sister. Is she here ?"
"No," answered Dossy, "we live at
grandpa's, at the old mill out of town,
you know"
"Let us go at once then. No need
to sell pansies any longer" cried Ross