The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-11-24

my hull future"
Tell re ab,ut it, NJ. Taft" said
J-cd with a seIse OF having escaped
from imminent re:i.
"Wa'al, l don't know as I've told a
person about Mary rose in years, and
eli any body had told me five minutes
ago that d ha been telling it to you,
| d ha' just laughed at EN-, t would
seemed that ridikerlous. But SEEM them
applet ossoms has brought it all back
mighty strong, and feel sorter drawn
70 you, Jack Dorset, SEEM you with
EN-"
Jack felt almost as if he ought to
make some disclaimer; yet surely he
deserved some credit for turning from
temptation. After few moments the
Deccoa began:
Il was boy about fourteenth s'pose
you think old Deacon Taft has been
country born and bred; but at that
time I'd never seen the country; never
seen grass could tromp on; never seen
birds 'cept in cages; never seen any
thing---l was goin' to say but misery,
dirt and poverty. But then, that would
mt be true, for there was one lovely
thing before my eyes, night and mcrn-
Ing, aad that was my sister Mary. She
was a beautiful girl, hut she'd been sick
Tor long time, and so, though she did
all she could, she couldn't do much
more than keep herself sweet and clean.
Mother had died when was a baby, and
l suppose it was the hard work and
fathers drinking that had sickened the
roor girl. But / was tellin' you about
that day. 1t was a hot June day.
Father had been special hard on ia, and
the last thing he'd done was to get me
place in a drinkingsaloon, where
there was lot OF gambling goin' or,
| too. BY boy, you're an innocent, we'll
brought-up young fellow" Jack lifted
the mass of blossoms to his face, and
their delicate pink seemed reflected in
his cheeks, bur if you ever knew what
know of the wickedness that cards
AID liquor may lead to, you'd not Won
der at the old deacon's narrow
ness Well, as l was a-sayin', my
father d found me the place, and I'd
been al it FOR just week. That Fri
day evenin' l WAS to be paid, and had
great plaa in my head. Mary was
just crazy over flowers. A missionary
lady had brought her a bun ch once and
again, and the way she dotted on 'em
was just surrrisia'. Dear, dear. how
often I've thought of Mary when l sec
the youngsters pullin' flowers and
THROWN 'em awayr'
The deacon paused a moment. Jack
broke off q bit of the blossoms, ana,
with the gentleness of woman, fas-
tened 1t in the old farmers coat.
"Thankee thankee never could pick
fruit blossoms myself, but don't know
but flowers is as much needed as fruit.
We'll, as was a-sayin', l had plan. l
had seen lovely rose bush in pot at
the corner grocery, end meant to buy
that for Mary. Ipriccd it; twas just
twenty-five cents; and I'd watched
every day and no one had bought it.
Now, this morning meant to buy It
and keep it in the saloon till Id get
of, late at night. But when l got &c
the grocery the rose-bu'h war.'t there!
i've had a good many dis p int
ments one way ald another, lut ! don't
I knows ever l felt one wuss. The
croccryman was talkia' to a big rough
!ookin' fellow, bui was that ;er
couldn't wait, All ju't rUshed up and
sail: 'You amt sod that rose bushl'
81 guess l looked mighty airnest, for
.hcy 10th looked at me. and thea the
ma said: Yes, buo5y, sold it
yesterday afternoon But there's other
fowcrs-thi' mans just bargaining for
re to buy some of his T.
"Are you so fond of fowerS, sonnyT
said the strange man.
II told him | wanted tho rose for nv
sister, who was sick, and then l said l
had told Mary how pretty the rose was,
and, though she diln't know was to
get it, I'd meant to buy it'd Dor
rowcd the money from Tom cause l
wouldn't be paid of TIL midnight.
.Miinirhti 4 little fellow like