The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-02-29
WILD ASTERS.

1t wa % very charming little shop
ping bag, and Sadie had wanted such
an II for a long time. When she dis
covered it on her dressing table her
birthday morning, it pleased her more
than all her other presents combined,
though some were far more valuable.
Later in the day she said to her
mother:
Now, mother, you know-and if
you don't, I do-that the very first
time l carry this bag I'll leave it some
where, as sure as sin"
"Yes; but, Sadie, you're old enough
to be more CAREFUL +
very true, mother, but then I'm
not; and [ never shall be, I very much
fear"
Perhaps if you lose this it will be a
lesson you Will remember"
"But l don't intend to lose it, even if
l do leave it; for I mean to have my
full address engraved on this silver
plate, instead of simply initials"
She had it engraved that afternoon,
and displaying it in triumph, said.
"There, mother! see that! Now he
who runs may read: Sadie NJ. Farm
ham, Pleasantville, Maine"
eyes, perhaps somebody will read it
whom you won't wish to-" responded
the mother sagely.
go, 1 shall keep that side toward me
when / carry it,"
The last of September she went to
visit her most intimate friend, Laura
McOuisten, lately married, and living
in Ohio. Laura's former home had
been in Sadie's own village; and know
ing Laura's fondness for the Wild Pur-
pie Aster which bordered all their road
sides, Nesting beside the G%olden-rod,
she gathered @ large bunch of them to
carry to her friend, with but one gor-
geous spray of Golden rod in their
midst.
Her brother Harry found a pleasant
seat for her in the car, and handing her
the bag and flowers. he said.
s"There! these are almost equal to a
big box, little box, bandbox and bun-
die"
"Now Harry! you know father says
I'm q finished traveller. Inever burden
myself or any one else with luggage" !
you'll get sick enough of those
flowers before you get there; they'll be
all withered, any way"
mo, they won't; for / shall put fresh
water on the cotton every little while"
Here are your tickets. Take care
of yourself, and don't get into any
scrapes. Goodbye little sis; remem
Der me to Laura"
The car was empty a for q few
passengers behind Sadie, whose faces
she could not see. She loved dearly to
study faces, herself unobserved, and
began to wish the car would fill up.
It did with a rush at the next station,
every seat Dol being full. just as she
was wondering who would occupy the
seat with her. n rather elderly
lady, with a slightly troubled
expression, entered the car and
looked a%nxiously up and down the rows
of seats. She approached Sadie
what timidly, but Sadie lifted the flow
ers from the seat beside her and said
brightly, "Iou can sit here if You like,
madam" The lady-that she was a
lady was written MI over her, though
evidently unused to travelling alone
thanked her with a very relieved face
and sat down beside her. The lady's
eyes fell at once to the flowers and lin
gered there. Sadie, who was watching
her new travelling companion, saw from
the half-tender smile which curved her
lips, and the distracted, dreamy look on
her face, that she was far away from
her present surroundings and busy with
memories which the Asters and Golden
rod had stirred. AS she looked up with
a half sigh, Sadie said: 'sYou love flow
ers?'
so very much! Wild ones paticu-
larry. 1 used to gather such as those
when I was a little girl. 1 used to trim
my sun-hat with them, and up by the
old school house on the hill my girl
hoods friend and I had a plot of them
walled round with stones, I haven't
seen them in years before, my home
having been in the far West"
f" l am taking these to a friend whose
f~avorite flowers they used to be; but
you must please accept half of them"
The lady thanked her but declined
the gift, saying she could not rob her of
them"
"You will not rob her, for I can send
her a box full" separating the flowers
as she spoke.
The ]ady's lips quivered, and her
eyes grew moist as she gratefully ac-
cepted them. She told Sadie that she
was on her way back to her home in
the west, having made a hurried trip to
the east to see her son who had been
quite i'll, but was now convalescent.
Her Immediate presence was required
at home and she was obliged to return
alone, the friend with whom she had
come not returning for some weeks. II
, an so unused to travelling alone that I
am quite timid," she said with a depre-
eating look and smile.
Sadie did all In her power to make
her comfortable as far as their ways
lay together, and enjoyed her compan-
ionship, since she was very intelligent
and cultured, as further conversation