Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-02-13

linen SINKING Ddck on neT CHAIR, sne TeStcu
her chin on her hand once more, and thought
"Ah, if only I could make enough to buy
pair of shoes" And after awhile a tear
rolled down her cheek and fell On the laven-
der sticks
But at this moment the click OF the latch
on the garden gate made Tulita spring to her
feet With quick movement she swept the
lavender sticks into drawer, and when the
new conner entered the room, Tulita was be-
fore the mirror singing to herself, while she
braided her long hair, which had fallen as
suddenly as a southern night
''Is it thou, madrey" she said.
Eyes, it is AL that is left OF me-" said
the lady who had entered, woman whose
still handsome face was lined by grief and
trouble. "Sainted Mother but it is warm in
the sum-" she continued, tanning herself with
that indolent, graceful sweep of the wrist pc
culiar to women of the south. Then, patising
a moment, she elevated her head and said:
"What is that odor in the house, like sage
brushf'
"Perhaps it is this bit Of lavender said
Tulita, hiding her guilty face behind her
hair.
"Paughn said her mother. ''It is too
strong Throw 1t away"
And as she obeyed, Tulitas heart went
down into her ragged boots at this unexpect-
ed disparagement of the odor Of lavender.
''Sage brush, indeed" 1t disheartened her
so that the idea of attempting to derive o
comfortable income from the manufacture
and sale of lavender sticks was at once dis
missed in scorn. Even the possibility Of new
shoes grew very faint.
But with the next mornings sun the hope
and high spirits OF youth returned, and when
Tulta started to walk in to San Diego to
make some purchases for her mother, the
lavender sticks were hidden beneath her
shabby little black mantle. Last night, after
she had gone to bed, she had lain awake for
at least TN hour deciding where to offer them
for sale. SIENNA & squills' drug store was
the favored place. II was on the principal
street, and had fine large windows full Of
fancy goods. 1t would he vcry simple mat
ter to walk IN and ask them to sell the sticks
for her, OF course she would pay them some
thing for their trouble Then too, she had
heard chat very morning there an un-
usual number Of eastern tourists in town, and
She hurried her steps so as not to lose any
chances
But when Tulita came in sight of SIENNA &
Squils' establishment her enthusiasm ebhed.
She chided herself for wu.kin, so rapidly and
ktAAtus bcdtsh put VI bItUlb W hdb
would the people in the store think of herr
Slower and slower grew her pace, until, ar
irving in front of her dcs,iuiton she stopped
and looked at the dispay oi fancy goods in
the window. The comparison was not favor
able to her lavender sticks.
Perhaps, after all" thought Tulita, 1.-The
idea OF anybody wanting to buy such things
is absurd" Suppose SIENNA & Squlls should
laugh at herr She concluded to think about
it little more ard walked On.
The further Tulita went, however, the
more her courage returned, until, telling
herself she was behaving ridiculously she
resolutely retraced her steps until the store
was once more reached But again she paused
irresolutey before the window. Then she
crossed the street to look in the window Of a
book store that might perhaps be better
adapted to her purpose. Deciding against
the book store, she returned to the drug
store Then the dreadful thought occurred
to her than her movements must be attract
ing attention. The policeman on the corner
had certainly looked at her very hard.
What if he should speak to her This idea
was so appalling that Tulita hurriedly
walked on down the street, without looking
to the right or left 1t was not until she had
turned the first corner she came to that she
recovered her equanimity. Then scolding her
self severely for this panic, she continued on
slowly around the block, until once more she
found herself in front Of SIENNA s. Squills'
establishment Bracing up her treacherous
courage with great effort she walked in
One of the clerks observing the hesitation
Of young and pretty customer advanced
toward her, and, in his suavest manner, said:
what can do for you today, missf'
ssTs--a-is Mr. Stamina inf faltorod Tulifa
Mr.. SIENNA, miss!" exclaimed the young
man, with look of surprise, "Mr. SIENNA is
dead
oh" murmured Tulita, II am very
sorry.n
And, with burning cheeks, she found her.
self in the street once moro. How far or
where she walked after that Tulita was never
quite sure. When her thoughts were suffi-
GENTLY collected she discovered that she was
in front Of one OF the principal hotels She
saw . news stand near the main entrance.
On the impulse Of the moment she stopped,
and, opening her bundle Of lavender sticks,
abe showed them to the proprietor and asked
him IL he would try to sell them for her. He
was an elderly man, and while not enthusi-
astic over the prospects of a brisk business in
lavender sticks, he was very kind to the girl
and readily agreed to do all in his power to
advance her little venture
Rid Of her bundle Of lavender, which she
had begun to hate, Tulita turned her steps
homsward in high spirits. How easy it had
been to arrange the matter, and what little
fool she was to have worried herself So
After all, though, il was much better that
she had not left the sticks with SIENNA &
Squilis. This news stand was by far the best
place, being right in the hotel, where the
eastern tourists would be sure to see them
And Tulita fell to wondering whether the
man would sell any that day, and how many,
and how long it would be before they were
al sold. And when she passed shoe store
she stopped and looked at the display in the
window to sec what kind Of shoes she should
buy-although, to Be sure the variety Of
shoes to Be had for 8 was not great
Meantime the newsdealer bad sold all Of
TulitAs lavender stickA Not that they had
filed ono Of the puhlics long felt wants, for
they bad al been bought BY one person, that
person being Mr.. Brown, Of PhilAdelphiA.
Mr. Brown, while leaning idly against the
news stand, bad sean Tulita come up, and on
getting asight Of her face bad said to himsek
in surprise, by Jovei That d TIE pretty