Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-10-10
THE GIRLS FLOWER GARDEN.

THE GIRLS FLOWER GARDEN.
''If she amt at it again ~ exclaimed
Miss Nancy Pollard, as she peered out from
behind her blinds at the little brown house
across the street.
AT WHAT" asked Nancy's niece, looking
up from her sewing.
Why, it's that Susie Ross the lawyers
daughter, you know" explained Miss
Nancy biting off her basting thread with
a severe expression of countenance. She's
forever and forever puttering over those
flowers of hers. | never did see nothin'
like it. Now, if she'd put her mind to
somethin' useful stead of wastin' all her
shinin' hours out in that front yard,
'twould be a sight more sensible accordin'
to my way of thinkin', and Miss Nancy
stitched on with a determined look on her
face that seemed 10 say that her way of
thinking was the only right way, and no
one with any sense would dare gainsay it.
Pm sure it looks very pretty over there"
said the niece, turning a wistful look from
Miss Nancys bare yard toward the roses
and honeysuckle that blossomed so luXuri-
antly across the way.
Humph ~ calculated Miss Nancy.
Folks had better be dom somethen to
earn their own bread and butter | reckon
if the Lord wanted flowers to grow he'd
make em, and folks haint no call to med
die with such things"
All this time Susie Ross, utterly uncon-
sciouS of the unfavorable remark that were
being made upon her conduct, was busting
about the pretty front yard, cutting great
punches of rinks, sweet peas and scarlet
geraniums. Susie always did love flowers,
and her little beds of pansies and violets,
her lilies and fuchsias, were great source
of happiness to her.
But why was she cutting so many of
them? Well, it was Wednesday afternoon
Just the time when Susie always cut
great number of her flowers, for tomorrow
was Thursday, and Thursday was the day
when the Young Ladies Flower Mission
had their meeting in the neighboring city,
to tie up the flowers sent by interested
friends, and 10 carry them around to the
poor sick people in the hospitals, where
no flowers doomed, and children hardly
knew what they were, unless they had
seen pictures of them or heard them de-
scribed by their parents.
Susie had to be UP by o'clock Thurs
day, and hurry down TO the little station
with her mission basket. There the ex-
pressman took it. and before an hour had
passed it was safely landed in the Mission
Room. That was one good thing that came
| out of Susie's garden. Then there were
| sick people scattered all through the town
! she lived in, who were always glad to have
| Susie come bringing a lovely little bouquet
/ from that same garden; and Saturdays
there were always flowers to be fixed for
| the church. Surely there were enough
! places for Susie's flowers, to say nothing OF
wreaths and crosses and crowns and stars
| for funerals and weddings. So Susie really
| felt that she was doing a little good in the
/ 81, a,
| trained them up SO carefully.
A month or two went by, and the doctor
was called to see Miss Nancy's niece. She
had sewed too much and was run clean
down. Miss Nancy said. For good many
weeks Ruth was so sick that no one
thought she would ever be well again.
But at last she commenced to rally {
little, and Miss Nancy began to hope once
more.
One pleasant day Susie Ross came ovel
and knocked gently at the front door
Can | see Ruth" she asked. docs she
feel well enough to let me come in, do you
think ?"
Miss Nancy looked rather grim at first
| but, after asking Ruth, she concluded that
Susie would do her no harm, and invited
her up stairs to Ruth's room.
Don't you like pansies ?" asked Susie
after the first greetings We're over, ant
| Ruth lay back quietly in bed with a tree
look in her face. Il brought over little
! bunch for you; there are 50 many differ
ent kinds Of them that l thought maybe
it would amuse you to look at them, anC
| besides, it won't tire you to hold them
the way big bouquet of flowers would
So saying, she laid the bunch of pansies OF
the white coverlet near where Ruth coulC
reach them.
| 3. l. to1- |,
up very carefully, " I'm glad of anythin;
new to look at, lying here so long"
Susie glanced at the brown carpet, th,
! blank walls, and three prim chairs, an(
thought she could see why Ruth was ST
tired of looking at the same things
There was quite a variety Of the panses
some almost white, others nearly black
some blue, with yellow blotches, other
purple with orange borders one kini
was bright copper-color one white, witt
red stripes and there was pure yellow
one that Ruth took the most fancy to be
cause she said that they were the kind tina
she used to find on the hillside near to he
old country home. That set her to talking
about old days and altogether Susie stayer
longer than she meant to; but Ruth SAT-
that it did not hurt her bit, and that sh
wishe d she would come again.
Il never saw anything like it." SAT-
Miss Nancy, two or three weeks afte
Susie's first visit. 1t did beat all hoy
those blue and yellow little flowers cheer
ed the child up. Why, she held then
and looked at them half that afternoon
Mebbe l was leetle wrong about wastir
time CROWN posies; anyhow, Susie Ros
brings over a big bunch every day, and
they do other sick folks as much good q
they do Ruth, l rather guess Susie'd bette
keep on CROWN flowers"
NJ. E. BAMFoRD.