The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-01-04


ing speech, and these people must al
ways appear ignorant and dull.
One day-it was bright Nav 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 its
cage on nail outside a neighbours win
dow came the sweet song of captive
thrush. Some effervescence of spring
time rose and dubbed in the girls young
veins. She could not stay within her
dark and sgualid 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 to
side. No, Jim was not there; he was
nowhere in sight. Well, he would soon
return, doubtless. There were few We
hicles 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 flower shop had never seem
ed SO beautiful. Bunches of lilac, labur-
mum and hawthorn were blooming on
one side; on the other side were posi-
lively stacked pink, red and white peo-
mics, pansies and the anemones and blue
bells of the woods, while marshmallows
and cowslips shone more golden than
the sunshine.
Milly knew no names or properties of
flowers; in her eyes there were no COM
mon ones, and the dollhouse geraniums
and cinerarias were only by color more
glorious than the penny punches of wall
flowers and field daisies and struggling
forget-me-nots that were specially pro-
vided for weary Londoners.
To her it was all beautiful dream;
there was just hard. impossible wall
between her and such Injuries, like the
glass against which she flattened her
pale, little pinched features. She could
see through the glass, certainly, but she
could not go nearer; no, nor yet touch
or smell. She could only sigh, and the
sigh complaint like made matters
worse, for it dimmed the clearness of the
glass for moment.
Two ladies came out of the shop; one
passed on; the other, seeing the girl,
paused. The hands of both ladies were
filled with punches Of flowers; possibly
Milly's eyes were more hungrily watch
ing than she knew.
"Yoa poor little girl!' 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.
Milly had said nothing; not a word of
thanks. even. She only grasped the tiny
nosegay as though it were made of gold.
She stared vacantly at the ladies till they
were out of sight. Then she laughed
softly to herself. What would Jim say?
Where was Jim? Why was he still alb
sent? She must certainly come out
again in the afternoon, if only to tell
him the delightful news. 1t was the
first time that any real lire flowers had
been given to her, had actually belonged
to herself. Why, they were quite soft,
like velvet, not grimy and gritty like
most things, and with perfume yes,
that must be the rleaning of the word
perfume something quite, quite bewil-
dering.
The road was free Of carts and cabs
now, surely. This was the moment
one rush forward-oh, the cramp in her
stiff leg! Forward! No, back, in haste!
A. noise of horses hoofs, with 900 voices
ringing in her ears, and, in the midst of
all, vision of Jim's face, white and set
as it had never been before-then the
earth rising up to meet her violently, as
something large and dark doomed before
her eyes, and seemed to strike her down.
"She is coming to, poor little thing"
These were the first words that Milly
heard.
"Where am I?' she asked family.
Her own voice sounded farther of
than the other voice. She was in pain
all over, q pain that would have been
fierce had it not been so stunningly 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 why;
she could not move, but that was no
wonder, for she was 80 tightly strapped
and bound up. On bed, too. "Where?
where?' she repeated, gasping.
SIN the hospital, dear child" answered
the nurse. "No, do not talk. We are
going to take great care Of you"
Milly sighed and shut her eyes for
what seemed to her but few minutes.
When she was conscious again she saw
that something lay between her fingers
twas her own precious bunch of flowers.
how quickly it had wilted, though. She
tried to lift her hand, but could not. She
was afraid she had done wrong even to
try. But no one was needing her. Two
shadowy figures were talking near her
bed.
"She was SO lame, poor dear, she could
not run. And the great dray horse
knocked her down and the wheel ran
over her."
"How terrible!"
"The little humpback boy did his best
to save her, but he ran up too late-it
was a plucky thing, anyhow"
HE seems very fond of her-it will
break his heart if she dies"
''Hush! lest she should hear you"
Milly had heard it all. 1t scarcely at
fected her, nevertheless; scarcely seemed
to concern her, in fact.
Was this MANNED, motionless thing on
the hospital bed herself, Milly, the clever
little needlewoman? Was it she who
had dwelt opposite the florists window?
She opened her eyes yet wider; it seemed
little lighter now. Was this the hos
pital? She had often wondered what a
hospital might be like. There were peo-
pie here who sighed and groaned around
her; she had not noticed them before.
1t tired her to watch them now; had
they all been run over in the street? she
marveled. What sad, sad faces! What
a room full of pain!
Clean 1T was everywhere, with tidy
white bedclothes and whitewashed walls,
and the sunshine coming in so that her
head ached; she had never been used to
much light or air. Nor to strangers,
strange faces, strange voices. All, where
was little Jim? And had he really come
TO her in her danger?
The tears began to trickle slowly down
the child's pale cheeks.
"What is it, DEAR" asked the nurse.
"Jim," said Milly, with quirering lips.
"Oh, my little Jimmy own little Jimp
"He shall come to you-presentlv-