Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1890-01-16
erfume-somethine 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 legl Forward No, back, in haste!
A noise of horses hoofs, with 1 900 voices
ringing in her ears, and, in the midst Of
all, a 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 II" she asked family.
Her own voice sounded farther off
than the other voice. She was in pain
all over, a 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 SO tightly strapped
and bound up. On bed, too. "Where?
where?" she repeated, gasping.
SIN the hospital, dear child" answered
the nurse. mo, do not talk. We are
going to take great care of YOU"
Milly sighed and shut her eyes for
what seemed to her but a few minutes.
When she was conscious again she saw
that something lay between her fingers
it was 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."
Chow terrible."
1.-THE little humpback boy did his best
to save her, but he ran up too late-it
was plucky thing, anyhow"
He seems very fond of her-it will
break his heart if she dies.
"Hush! lest she should hear you"
NIilly had heard it all. 1t scarcely af-
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
a 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 it 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 quivering lips.
sob, my little Jimmy own little Jim!'
'.He shall come to presently
yes, very soon. I will give the order
now.
The nurse murmured something to an
other nurse
''Of course: there is no time to lose
was the answer.
But Milly heard not this.
The nurse returned.
"ShaH read to your" she asked. care
you in too much pain to listen?"
"No, read" said DLilly, gently. "only
let it be about flowers"
'About flowers, dear?'
"Yes-about flowers" returned the
child, dreamingly. care there flowers
in heaven?"
Surely. And we know that it is Gods
! garden. He gamers them there-even
the poorest child flowers of this earth
Then there was cry.
| "Oh, Milly, Milly! Oh! you will not
| der Oh, promise me that you'll not dier'
1t was Jim-Jim who had pressed close
to the bed, who was sobbing as if his
heart must burst. He stretched out his
| little wan hands. The doctor held hin,
back and sought to quiet him. The
weary occupants of other beds raised
themselves up and tried to see the two
| children.
Milly moved as much as she was able
/ A gray shadow had passed over her face
making it almost unacceptable, and
sharp anguish distorted her features
Was this death? She knew not-she hao
no time to think. Only for him-only
for Jim, the poor, homeless, friendless
little crossing sweeper, he who had riskeC
his own life for her-Millys very temples
throbbed with tumultuous thoughts.
''Oh, Milly, speakr' cried the boy in
agony. "Why couldn't die for you?"
Il am glad murmured Milly's lips
TREMENDOUSLY.
But I'm not. Oh. it's cruel of you te
be glad when I'm SO sorry! Oh, hate
hate, hate myself, that | couldn't save
you. If I had only been stronger
''Hush, hush.'' said the doctor and the
nurse.
"Hush!" seemed to say an invisible