The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-10-03

4
"Well, you can jest walk. old gentle
man, and no mistake" she said
What. do you want with me?" he
asked, testify now. 'sWhat-what is
| it2n
II only want to say I'm sorry like,"
she blurtcd forth. II didn't think, all
at once, about the flowers, and that you
wanted them for her, of course, who's
gone now, and who was fond of flowers
1 see; see. You won't mind what I
said; will you, now"
Jacob Cattley stared at her; but he
croaked forth very hoarsely:
"No."
"pll never AK you again; I'll never
look your way again; but take this,
please, for this once; won't your
And Polly held out his usual-sized
bunch of flowers, at which the old man
shrank back as though it had been a
pistol ieyeled at him.
at isn't for the money!" said Polly,
excited now herself. II don't want
any money. Ketch old. Please do.
Jest to make believe you're taking them
to her the same rs ever, SIR
The old man stretched out trem-
bling hand toward the flowers at this
suggestion, and Polly thrust them into
his grasp and fairly ran away across
the bridge again, leaving him looking
after her open-mouthed, and with some
salt tears trimming over his blinking
eyeids and making their way down the
deep burrows in his cheeks.
On the Monday Jacob passed her a'
usual on his homeward route, and with
his old patronizing bow, and with Il
steaiier stare at her, too, as il no long
er afraid to face her. Bet Polly looked
the other way and would not see him
fell into the habit of hiding from him.
eyen-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 flank
movement.
..Let me have /: good bunch to-day
a two-penny bunch" he said, in quite a
business-like manner.
Folly Baxter was surprised: but she
gave him the flowers he required. and
ne dropped the money into her basket.
..Eut you don't want them now; do
.yuu"' she murmured.
'Yes, of course i do. That was 4
good thought of yours, child. last week.
And / took the flowers TO her.
..'Oh: | sce!" 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. s'She was so fond
OF flowers"
..How old was she?" asked Polly.
about your age. should say"
..And ailing always. was she?"
'.For the last three or four years, yes.
Good-dav.
And then Jacob hurried away, and
this time she did not attempt to follow
him.
1t was from this time that Jacob con-
trived to be as regular a customer to
Polly Baxter rs 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 fonl, plod-
ding on to footing Cemetery to lay his
little offering on the grave OF the
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 ut times with the rheumatism
which had seized him.
One very cold Saturday she said to
him, suddenly:
"You amt well?"
"Well, not quite as well as 1 might
be, perhaps" he answered, cautiously.
81 don't mind your paying for these
some other time, you know" she
added, hurriedly, III
.'lf what?" be asked, as she came to
a full stop.
If you're hard up. 1t won't make
much difference to me; and she might
miss 'em, too"
'.Thankee," he said, gently, and he
looked very hard at her from under his
tangled, wiry eyebrows. That's
kind thought, child. What did you say
your name WASP"
Il didn't say,' she answered, sur
prised liz her turn, "it's Polly Baxter"
Living where. now?'
''St. James Row." she answered.
cat the back there. But why?"
Good day
That was the last time that Polly
baxter met JACOB Cattley in the London
streets; for Jacob disappeared agar,
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. Ono
morning short, red-faced woman,
with market basket on her arm and
key in her hand, looked hard at her,
and stopped.
sis your name Baxter?'
Yes"
Polly Baxter?"
''Yes; that's it."
you're wanted in George street,
Gravel Lane. Nc. 20. NV lodger, 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 see what you've got to be
glad about" said the woman, sharply.
''But no: he amt dead yet; he's going,
though"
"Oh! Is he? Oh! l hope he sin'tn'
Gan you find your way?'
"Yes. Trust me for that"
Polly Baxter trudged away at 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 rheumatics had got an iron grip of
him at last and fever had followed, and
this was very nearly the last of him, as