The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1883-06-23
READS LIKE A ROMANCE.
London Telegraph

lie park had or more than one occasion
discovered that lareeneus liberties had
been taken with the newly arranged beds
of snowdrops and erocuses, and set
watch for the delinquent who was an
early morning visitor. The watcher had
noticed small girl, poor little ragged
urchin of seven or eight years old, who
/ frequently came through the park as soon
as the gates were open; but, as she
always emerged from the gate OF exit
empty handed, and her scanty skirts
showed no sign of a bullying poke, be-
meath, she was not saspicioned, but she
proved TO be the offender. It was not re-
markable, since her attire was made up
of mere makeshifts of odds and ends,
that she should wear an old bonnet many
sizes too large for her. aid it was in the
| capacious crown of this article of head
gear that the stolen flowers were be-
slowed. The gardener saw her pause ct
bed, and, after looking warily about, pro-
duce from her bosom piece of slate 1T
fer digging with, and then she knel,
down, and, taking OFF her bonnet, TO
which half dozen tiny roots were rap
idly transferred, she placed i, on her
head again and went on her way, TO be
presently stopped in a fright and ac-
oused OF the petty robbery. Il was useless
TO deny il, nor did she attempt 10 do so.
She went down on her knees, however
this time without producing a criminal.
ing piece Of slate and begged the park
keeper not to take her TO the police sta
ton, because, if her mother, who was i'll
in bed, came to hear what she had done
! - Ill IL
much more likely that the child's story
was but an artful pretense, and that prob
ably her mother had sen, her to steal
the flowers 10 be af;erwar6 converted into
bu,,on-hole boqueis for sale in the streets.
the little girl was taken before magis-
'rate and put back awhile for inquiries 10
be made. The address she gave was a,
house IN squalid back street in the
borough, least couple of miles from
the park where she had purlo;ned the
snowdrops, and il was soon discovered
that the tale the child told as TO her
mother being Ill was quite true. The poor
creature was confined 20 her bed in
dark and miserably furnished back room,
and there she had lain lyins Of con-
sumption since last winter set in. The
father was IN prison, and the sick wo-
mans only means Of support were her
two children, respectively Two and four
years older than the child in custody.
and they all earned a few pence each
daily by selling cigar lights near London
bridge. At glance ii was evident what
had become of the flowers. A piece of
board was fastened shelfwise across the
foot OF the sick womans bedstead. and
n n fkvAA -.
as many punches Of crocuses, snowdrops
and wallfiowers, each in a setting
Of green grass. The poor Invalid had
not the least suspicion ,ha, they had
been dishonesty obtained. and the per-
son lnquirng being in unetficial costume
and perceiving her condition, chari;ably
RETAINED from enligh,enng her. You
are looking AZ my garden, Sir" her white
face lightened with wan smile.
They are wild flowers. sir. so my lille
girl tells me, but she has 10 80 ever so
far 10 pick EN-. When he winter
weather went away and the sun came on:
began 10 ieel tia, craving for the sigh,
and smell of fresh flowers ;ha, couidn';
express il tried. !, IS through living
here so many weeks so dreay ana dull
and 50 many hours al BY myself. sup
pose but knew !, was no use thinking
about EN- At the prce they are when they
nrst come IN the spring, though couldn',
help talking and saying that if ! had
few felt sure they world 90 re more
good than al the physlc. And so, with
out saying word abou, i, to anybody,
my little ktty-a mere mite OF seven.
s,r-she gets up AZ five in the morning.
and before breakfas, she gets back with
as pretty bunch As ever you set eyes on
They didn't las; very long. poor things.
IN this stnify little room. and il seems
almost shame 20 brlng EN- here ogtu of
the fields where they grow. Ia, there
thousands of them there Kitty tells me.
and ! don't think those who have their
health 70 so and see them growing wou d
grudge me ius, few brough, away for
my share. : No one certainly would.
supposins the li,;le girl you speak of
comes 10 them honestly the visitor
ven.lred. No fear about that re-.
piled the sick mother. confidently. why,
happened only TO hin, something what
you INST said when she brought home the
firs, .o;, and she fell crying so that
didn't know wha; 10 do with her, So
the kindhear,ed park Official came
away with his original purpose unful-
hlled, and the magistrate being informed
efthe circumstances discharged the ter
rihed li;,le prisoner with caution
Whether she ran home and made con-
fession can not say bat unless she did
so within a week II was 100 late, for a.
The end OF no longer an interval she was
motherless. and II WAS my privilege 10
assis, in placing Kitty and her two sisters
in country home. lar removed from the
vice and temptations Of London streets.
and where wild flowers in plenty may be
had for The picking.