Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1885-12-03
BLUE BELLS.

OHo uUc uOIuiuk, DIS l. was lciSuiciy
walking down Main street, with no
particular object In view, my attention
was attracted to little bootblack.
Some tone in passing had dropped, or
carelessly thrown away small bunch
OF blue bells. My attention was first
attracted TO the little fellow by his
stooping to pick them up. but what
was my amusement to see him tender.
ly kiss them anu then carefully fasten
them i'm the button hole of his faded
jacket. My curiosity was aroused.
made up my mind 30 quiz the boy, so
walked up to him and asked him for a
shine. I looked at the boy carefully,
he was very small and very poorly
dressed, he was pale and thin, and the
large blue eyes looked as if they were
full of unSped tears.
"Half.a.dime, he said, when he had
put final polish on my shoes,
took out quarter, and said, as
balanced it on my forelinger, "lere
Is ten cents for the shine and fifteen
cents for the flowers" pointing to the
bells iu his button hole.
He put his small hand over the flow
ers quickly. and gave quick gasp.
"No, sir; can't sell them; il was
starving wouldn't sell blue.bell."
Aud why not, my little man ?'
inquired.
He looked at me so piteously that I
was almost sorry had asked him. I
put my hand on his head and said:
Excuse me for asking, you need
not tell me unless you wish to, and you
can keep the quarter besides.''
He locked up at me a moment and
then said /:
II like you, and il you care to listen
I'll tell you."
''Of course 1 am anxious to hear why
you love the biue-bells."
81 will commence at the first and
tell it all to you, hut first let us 60 down
there and sit down." pointing to some
dry goods boxes not far from where we
stood.
We went, and after seating ourselves
on q small box behind some larger ones
where we would not be observed, he
took the blue-bell bouquet and holding
1t in his hand. began by saying:
SIT is just year ago this month and
it has been such long year thought
the blue bells would never come," and
then he stopped and put his hands over
his eyes as If trying to shut out some
horrid sight +; did not interrupt his
reverie. Presently he took down his
hand. and said abruptly:
'My father was drunkard We
once owned some fine property, I've
heard mother say, but that was before
Twas born, for we have always been
poor as far back as I can remember.
Mother says that father drank up the
farm, the oxen, horses, sheep. cows,
hogs, furbiture and everything else.
We got so poor mother had to go out
and wash by the day to get food for
Bess and me to eat. We lived in llt-
tie log house, a quarter of mile from
any one it was about half mile to
town. Mother used to walk to town
every day, except Saturday, to wash
for somebody. On Saturday she wash
ed for ourselves and ironed on Sunday.
"Sunday is the Lords day. Your
mother certainly didn't work on the
Sabbath 70
Eyes, sir; she had to. Mother said
the Lord made six days for the saloon.
keeper and one for Himself, but He for
got to make day for the drunkard's
wife. She said the saloon keepers had
confscated the Lords day, but she had
hoped the Lord would consider her cir
eumstances and forgive her for work
ing on the Sabbath. She said il there
were no saloons she would not have to
work on Sunday. There were just four
of US, father, mother, Baby Bess and
Willie, that is me-"
$50 your name is Willie, is it ? bui
% on with your story"
swell, as said. mother was away all
day. and sometimes she would not get
home until after dark; she was not very
strong, and sometimes she had big
washings. and sometimes we didn't
have much to eat, because the ladies
mother washed for, didn't have thu
right change, or they would forget tc
ask their husbands for it. Mother al
ways hated to ask for money after sht
had earned it, she said it did seem as i
they ought to know that she needed tht
money, or she would not wash for it
and it generally happened that when
one didn't have the change none o
them did, so sometimes we got awfu
hungry while we were waiting for folk
to pay u.s."
"Why didn't your mother ask TO
her money; it was hers after she earn
ed it ?''
s.She was afraid to, for sometime
tbeu vo,,ld oat mad and saw she didn'