Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-12-06

opposite seemed to flash more brightly than
usual the sun was strong aud hot the
three cornered piece of sky overhead was
positively blue From it., cage ON nail
outside "A neighhor's window came the
sweet song of a captive thrush. Some ef
icryescence of springtime rose and hub
BLEED iu the girls Young veins She could
not stay within her dark aud squalid room.
she rose to her feet in lmpatence
a moment later she had reached the
street She stood outside the door at
the house, gazing nquiringly from side to
side No; Jim was not there he was no
where ia sight Well. he would soon re
turn, doubtless There were few vehicles
to be seen she might cross safely Now
the deed was done Jim should presently
hear of her proves.
And surely the reward was worth the ef
fort The flower shop had never seemed
so beautiful. Bunches Of lilac, lahurnum.
aud hawthorne were blooming ou one side
ON the other side were positively stacked
pink red, and white peonies pansie,, and
the anemone, and blue bells of the wood,,
while marsh malloW- and coN9hps -hune
more golden than the sunshine.
Milly knew no names or properties ut
flowers in her eyes there were TO com
mon ones, and the hot house geruniums and
cinerarias were only 10y color more glori
Gus than the penny huuche. Of wnlilowers
and field daisies aud struggling forget me
nots that were specially provided for weary
Londoners
To her it was all beautiful dream
there was Just hard impossible wall be
tween her and such luxuries, like the glass
against which she hattened her pale little
pinched features She could see through
the glass, certainly, but she could get NO
nearer no. nor vet touch or smell She
could only sigh. aud the sigh complaint
like made matters worse, for il dlmmed
the cearness Of the glass for moment
Two ladies' came ont Of the shop one
passed ON the other, seeing the girl
paused The hands of both ladies' were
filed with lunches of flowers possibly
MIlly's eyes were more hungriy watching
than she knew.
"You poor little girl 9" said the lady who
stood in the doorway. She held out
bunch of something bright.
Would you like these flowers Yes,
you may take them
She smiled she went ON her way Mly
had said nothing not word of thanks,
even. She only grasped the tiny nosegay
as though 1t were made of gold. She stared
vacantly at the ladies till they were out Of
sight Then she laughed softly to herself
What ,couH Jim say Where was Jim
Why was he still absent She must Ger
tainlv come out again in the afternoon If
only tp tell the delightful news 1t was the
first time that any real live flowers had
been given To- her. had actually belonged
to herself. Why. they were quite soft.
like velvet not grimv and gritty like most
things. and with perfume that must
be the meaning of the word perfume. some.
thing quite. quite bewidpring
The road wa, free Of cart, and cabs nov.
surely. This was the moment one rush
forward oh. the cramp in her stiff leg
Forward No. back. in haste 4 noise
of horses, hoofs. with thousand voices
ringing i'm her ears. and. I'm the MIDST Of all.
vision of .Jim's face. white and set as it
had never been before then the earth ri,
inn. uu To meet her violently. as something
large and dark Io,med before her eve, and
seemed to strike her down
She /, cnmin., tn. Door little thing"
These were the first words that Milly
heard
Where am 2" She asked. family.
Her own voice sounded further off than
the otbar voice She was i'm main alI over.
a pain that would have been fierce had it
not been 50 stunninrly dull. and. above all.
so universal. Even her little finger ached.
She thought and that thought made her
half inclined To laugh She could not see.
She knew not ,,bv she could not move.
but that was mo- wonder. for she was So
tightly strained and hound up ON a bed.
too "Where. where :" she repeated gasp
inc
I'm the hn.uitsl. dear child" answered
the mrs. "No douot tolk We nre Going
| IN take .1reat care Of Won
Nilly sighed and shut her eyes for what
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