The examiner., 1886-02-13
GOLDENROD.


 "Alidai Alidal" sang out the con- ductor, and in bustling, important man. ner he flung the coach door w1de open, just as the 9 a. m. passenger pulled up in that western town. The pompous old gentleman with the gold-rimmed spec tacles and long linen ulster gathered up his half-dozen newspapers and walked leisure1y down the aisle, perfectly obliv1ous that nervous little woman staggering along ahead of him as rapidly as her enor- nous satchel and heavy, wide-eyed baby would permit Likewise unconscious of of that frightened country girl who has never ridden on the cars before in all her 12 or 13 years, and is not quite sure whether everything is just as it ought to be or not, and who never dreams that her old-fashioned straw hat, with it's trimming ot narrow soiled ribbon and great bunch of faded pink roses, is the cause of the merriment of those beautiful1y dressed city misses who are jostling her so rudely against the obllvious old gentleman. At length, much to the impatient conductors peace of mind, they were all safely out; nervous, tired woman, pompouss old gem tleman, frightened little girl, and giggle- ing city misses. Ruff1es and streamers disappeared only to be succeeded by those of other materials and hues, as the de- RalUAuS pCAOOSnAV16 WO1O W0AOhO0 nNd tO make room for the new ones. First came airy muslins and laces, curls and powder, blushes and smiles, as two dainty daughters of fashion Haunted and huttered by and sank upon the crimson velvet cushions, much as a pair of golden-winged butter flies might have come to rest on the vel vety petals of damask rose.
 Next-but with the next my observa- tions ceased There were others, Ithink don't remem ber-my interest was all centered in the next. A lady-I don't know whether she was old or not; she wasn't very young, and some way the odd fancy came to me that she never had been at least not young like those beautiful creatures that preceded her. There was such a sweet expression about the quiet face that one could not bring himself to imagine it as ever growing old and faded and-uglySs No, never She was very tall and slender without being in the least angular or awkward, and her dress was very rich but grave, and its graceful folds were so soft and still Her masses of hair were all wavy and fluffy and the very yellowest hair have ever seen, and her eyes were deep and clear; as for the rest of her features, they wouldn't have been very attractive if they had not been lighted up with the stillest sort of happi. ness, just as if her. heart was brimfu1 of autumn sunshine. My low exclamation of q Goldenrod!" half aroused the sleepy sharer of my seat. But was not thinking wholly of the huge mass of yellow plumes which she was clasping as tenderly as if it were in reality so much gold.
 I was glad that she took the seat just in front of me, suppose it was because there was such cheery atmosphere about those bright blossoms. They bore me HNsn Ar> the early autumn days had been as bright as their sunny plumes- was not thin, as now, an oEerworked clerk in large dry goods house, but @ round-faced, rollick- ing child at play with little Jessie in the daisy-sprinkled meadows and flower fringed lanes of the old home, which ex- isted now but in memory. was brought back suddenly from memory's haunts, where had been gathering dream daisies and goldenrod, by the fretful crying of the wan, pinched-face baby in front of ''Gold enrod." The pale, weary mother seemed too tired to heed its worrisome crying, and, after trying several worn out amuse- ments, ceased from very discouragement.- One of those human butterflies fluttered her silken fan more vigorously, and, turn ing up her celestial" nose, exclaimed, contem ptuously: 'Spiteful little ratp' 'tHorrid, isn't it?" drawled her companion, 4OOhAuS AduSuAu4y d1 Guo pOOI OUJcCL O1 discussion.
 "Well, should think sol If there is one thing more trying than another it is for woman to take Wretched, crying baby out where other people must listen to it's heavenly musicp' and the silken fan sent all the cunning little curls dancing about her rosy, dimpled face, and the contempt nous turn of the bright upper lip changed into an affected smile as her brown eyes caught the admiring, sympathizing gaze of lackadaisical spoony- across the aisle.
 The weary mother, however, did not smile. The sunken cheeks flushed pain fully at these heartless words and she her vain efforts to still the cry ing baby. And ''Goldenrod" didn't smile. either. Ah, yes, she did too-she smiled q hopeful, winsome smile at the dis couraged little mother, and held up the bright blossoms to the fretful baby's view. and said something low and coaxing that no one but the baby heard He stopped to wouldn't? and he held out his little scrawny hands for the patch of living 1t was done so quickly, the little suffering creature, with his pale, pinched face and great black eyes, was transferred from the mothers aching arms to those of 'Golden- rod" With hands full of gold-God's
 
 throughout the country far and near the baby cooed and smiled a pitiful wan smile up into her true, clear eyes, and she, the wealthy lady of culture and refine ment kissed him, a washerwoman's baby.
 And her kiss was tender, loving kiss, and the-poor mother idently knewit was no sham, for tears we lied up in her hollow eyes and g1istened on her sunken cheeks for moment. It was strange that sHGo1denrod" did not see her tears, but I don't think she did, for she began to talk to her about the flowers, and tell her all about the broad, sunny fields where they had grown. I could only catch snatches Of her conversation now and then. It was all about very pleasant month she had been spending the country, and wished so much that Inight have heard it all. It was very beautiful know. for the tired eyes grew bright and she smiled and nodded, and very soon began to tell of her own country home, the home of her girlhood. She had not been in the sweet. fresh country that she loved so well @ss4#- s@aas aaa A-5 zzSa @z-aaG %esi