Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-11-26
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On the Monday Jacob passed her a,
usual on his homcward route, and with
his old palroni ing bow, aud with
stca licr stare ut hor, too, rs X no long
or afraid to face her. Is Polly looked
the other way and would not see him
Tell into the habit of hiding from him.
G eli and ON the following Saturday
would also have eluded him, had he not
come up the reverse way of the street,
and taken her unawares by q flank
movement.
"Let mo have u good bunch to-day
a two-penny BUNCH" he said. In quite
business-likc manner.
Polly Baxter was surprised; but she
gave him the flowers he required. and
ne dropped the money into her basket
"But you don't want them now; do
you?" she murmured.
Eyes, of course i do. That was
good thought of yours, child. last week.
And l took the flowers to her"
''Oh! / seer' calculated Polly.
"And shall do so every week, max
ing believe, as you say, that she's wait.
ing for them. It's not bad thought at
all" he muttered. .'She was so fond
OF flowers. ;"
"How old was shep" asked Polly.
about your age, 1 should say"
"And ailing always. was shep"
"For the last three or four years, yes.
Good-d day."
And then Jacob hurried away. and
this time she did not attempt to follow
him.
IL was from this time that Jacob con-
trived to be as regular customer to
Polly Baxter as he had ever been; and
had any one had the curiosity to fol-
low the movements of the old man, he
or she would have seen him every
Sunday, In fair weather or foul, plod-
ding on to footing Cemetery to lay his
little offering on the grave OF tho
daughter who had been always fond
of flowers. When the winter time
came on. and flowers grew very scarce
and dear, and Polly was compelled to
raise her prices, the old man looked
very pale and pinched with cold, and
did not move along with his CUSTOM
airy alacrity; on the contrary. limped
painfully at times with the rheumatism
which had seized him.
One very cold Saturday she said to
him. suddenly:
"fou amt wellp"
swell, not quite as we'll as I might
be, perhaps" he answered. cautiously.
81 don't mind your paying for these
some other time, you know" she
added, hurriedly. if
III whatp" he asked, as she came to
full stop.
IF you're hard up. 1t won't make
much difference to me; and she might
miss en-, ton"
"Thankee," he said. gently, and he
looked very hard at her from under his
tangled, why eyebrows. That's O
kind thought, child. What did you say
your name WASP"
Il didn't say" she answered, sur
prised in her turn, Its Polly Baxter. "
Living where, nowp"
est. James Row." she answered,
Eat the back there. But whyp"
GOOD day."
That was tho last time that Polly
Baxter met Jacob Cattley in the London
streets; for Jacob disappeared again,
and Lombard street and the flower girl
on Ludgate Hill missed him altogether.
"He must be dead this time, poor old
chap!' thought Polly.
But Polly was again deceived. One
morning short, red-faced woman,
with a market basket on her arm and a
key in her hand, looked hard at her,
and stopped.
"ls your name Baxtcrp'
yes"
"Polly Baxter?'
Eyes; that's it. "
YOU'RE wanted In George street,
Gravel Lane, Nc. 20. My ledger, the
old man who used to buy flowers Of
you. wants to see you precious bad"
"He amt dead, then" cried Polly.
"Well, ] am glad"
Don't soc what you've got 10 be
glad about" said tho woman, sharply.
'But no; he amt dead yet; he's going,
though"
"Oh! Is hep Obi hope he ain'tr'
"Can you find your wayp'
eyes. Trust me for that
Polly Baxter trudged away 81 once
TO George street, and TO No. 20, where
on the top floor she found poor Jacob
Cattley, very much down in the world,
and with very little life left in him.
The rheumatios had got an iron grip OF
him at last and fever had followed, and
| this was very nearly the last of him, rs
tho red faced woman had prophesed.
As Polly entered the room he quite
smiled ut her, as at an old friend.
polly" he said, speaking with great
difficulty, 81 wish to put you in mind
of an old offer to me"
whats that, sirp"
al want you TO open credit account
with me-"
"a whatP" cried Polly.
Its term we have in Lombard
street." he explained. 40 trust me,
mean, for little while for few flow
ers."
ITO be sure!' cried Polly.
"l'll pay you soon; and want YOU
to do more than that-much more"
Polly waited and wondered till h,
took time to recover his breath; ther
no ad led;
II want you on Sunday afternoon Il
take them to her and Law them on hel
grave. DO you mind very muchp"
"Not at ALL" said Polly. "I'n *
every Sunday directly after chapel, /
you'll tell the how to find it."
"Oh! you go to chapel, thene"
Eyes, sir; rcg'lar
GOOD girl Keep that up"
mo fear, sir
"And come and tell mo regularly
what they tell gou there; will you
child? should like to know"
40 he sure will, SIR"
"When you come back from her."
Then he gave his directions. which
Polly Baxter carried out faithfully, un
til the end came, and Jacob Cattley
was buried with his daughter,
After his death, Polly Baxter wen
regularly to the cemetery just the sam,
and laid her little bunch OF flowers OF
tho grave Of him who had said kint
words to her in lifo. TThhi,s was the enc
OF him, and of the story. she thought
until one day, week or two afterward
q prim little gentleman in black called
upon her and asked her many CUES
tions, and made perfectly sure that sh,
was the genuine and only Polly Baxter
flower vender, before he surprised hel
with his news.