Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1890-01-08

way, safe from horses feet or splash OF
wheels; she, the girl, was stronger OF
hand, brighter of face and of courage.
She had more than once taken the broom
from Jim's hand and swept away the
mud for pedestrians blithely and cheer.
lily, so that she earned more coppers for
him in ten minutes than he knew how to
gain in a weary mornings work. His
hands were so weak and delicate; hers,
used to activity, were positively mus
cular by contrast.
There was one drawback-he never
seemed to comprehend about the flowers.
He would stand on one leg by the brill
liant shop-window staring piteously, TAX
ing off his ragged cap and putting it on
again with gesture of perplexity,
scratching his head some times for greater
doubt.
''You see, Jim," Milly whispered to
him one day, II love them so-the flow
ers. They are so beautiful, 50 very, very
beautiful. 1t quite gives me pain, an
odd feeling here in my throat, only to
look at them
''Then wouldn't have nothink to do
with 'em," returned the boy, decisively.
''1f they hurt you, what's the good?"
cts the hurting that brings me back
to them, somehow" stammered Milly,
who couldn't explain.
long-lashed eyes.
You are a queer 'un, and no mistake, F."
he said, at last. Hi, look out! you were
almost right under the van this time,
Mill. wish, wish was Dock, that
l do-I'd give you flowers and grand
things every day; wouldn't just!''
''Thank you, Jim, dear; oh, thank
you. That makes it just the same as il
you did,
''Why, how can that be?" asked the
boy, leaning on his broom and staring
at her harder than ever.
''Of course it does. Don't you see?''
asked Milly, towhom definitions seemed
almost the greatest difficulties of life.
There are some people who have 50
little to say that they spend their days
in trying to make scanty substance
more; meanwhile, the thoughts of others
surge tempestuously against their fet-
tering speech, and These people must al
ways appear ignorant and dull.
One day-it was bright May morn
ing-Milly had come to an end of all
her commissioned work. Nor had she any
| ideas for the future; she was tired, over
| done perchance-she had been working
both early and late this last week. The
colors of the many-petaled flowers in
! the shop opposite seemed to flash more
| brightly than usual; the sun was strong
and hot; the three-cornered piece of sky
overhead was positively blue. From it's
cage on nail outside neighbours win.
dow came the sweet song of a captive
thrush. Some effervescence of spring
time rose and dubbed in the girls
young veins. She could not stay with.
in her dark and squalid room; she rose
to her feet in Impotence.
A moment later she had reached the
street. She stood outside the door of the
house, gazing inquiringly from side tx
side. No; Jim was not there; he was
nowhere in sight. Well, he would soo1
return doubtless. There were few vehi
cles to be seen; she might cross safely
Now the deed was done; jim should
presently hear of her prowess.
And surely the reward was worth the
effort. The fower-shop had never
seemed 50 beautiful. Bunches of lilac
| laburnum and hawthorn were blooming
| on one side; on the other were positive
| ly stacked pink, red, and white peonies
pansies, and the anemones and blue
| ho11o If tho 1ur6S Ia
and cowslips shone more golden than
| the sunshine.
| Milly knew no names or propertie!
of flowers; in her eyes there were ne
common ones, and the dollhouse gera
NUNS and cinerarias were only by colo,
more glorious than the penny bunche
of wallfowers and field daisies ant
struggling forget-me-nots that were spe
cially provided for by weary Londoners
To her it was all a beautiful dream
there was just hard, impossible wal
between her and such luxuries, like the
glass against which she fattened he
pale little pinched features. She coult
see through the glass, certainly, but sh,
could get no nearer; no, nor yet touch
or smell. She could only sigh, and tn,
sigh (complaint-like) made matter
worse, for it dimmed the clearness o
the glass for moment.
Two ladies came out of the shop: ont
passed on; the other, seeing the girl
paused. The hands of both ladies wer,
filled with punches of flowers; possibl,
Milly's eyes were more hungrily watch
! ing than she knew.
"You poor little girl!'' said the lady
who stood in the doorway. She held GU
a bunch of something bright.
"Would you like these flowers? Yes
you may take them"
She smiled; she went on her way
Milly had said nothing; not word O
thanks, even. She ouly ~grasped thu
tiny nosegay as though it were made O
gold. She stared vacantly at the ladies
till they were out of sight. Then she
laughed softly to herself. What 100 lid jim
say? Where was Jim? Why was ht
still absent? She must certainly come
out again in the afternoon, if only tx
tell him the delightful news. It wa
the first time that any real live Aowe
had been given to her; had actually bs