Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1890-01-16

others, new comers-new, graceful, fairy
things-were displayed where the old
friends had slowly dropped or had been
hastily removed. That was the way Of
the world, doubtless, but there are some
people who never get used to the ways
of the world. Milly was haply one Of
these.
She had one friend-though should
rather say one acquaintance, for he was
scarcely more-and that was the little
crossing sweeper, the poor boy Jim.
Their misfortunes were bond between
them, perhaps; they were both crippled,
though slightly, from infancy. He was
humpbacked; she was lame. He was
swift of foot and of eye and could pilot
her dexterously over the muddy 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 Bosom
from Jim's hand and swept away the
mud for pedestrians blithely and cheerily,
SO that she earned more coppers for him
in ten minutes than he knew how to
gain in a weary mornings work. His
..
used to activity. were positively muscu-
lar by contrast.
There was one drawback-he never
seemed to comprehend about the flow
ers. He would stand on one leg by the
brilliant shop window staring piteously,
taking off his ragged cap and putting it
on again with gesture of perplexity,
scratching his head sometimes for greater
doubt,
"You see, JIM" Milly whispered to
him one day, 81 love them so-the flow
ers. They are so beautiful, so very, very
beautiful, 1t quite gives me pain, an
odd feeling here in my throat, only to
look at them
Then l wouldn't have nothin' to do
with EN-" returned the boy decisively.
eff they hurt you what's the good?"
Its the hurting that brings me back
to them, somehow" stammered Milly,
who couldn't explain.
Jim gazed at her with his wide open
ed, long dashed eyes.
you are a queer 'un, and no mis-
take" he said at last eli, look out!
you We're almost right under the van
this time, Mill. I wish, | wish I was a
dock, that do-Td give you flowers and
grand things every day; wouldn't |
justr
''Thank you, Jim, dear; oh, thank
you. That makes it just the same as if
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, to whom definitions seemed
almost the greatest difficulties of life.
There are some people who have so lit
tie to say that they spend their days in
trying to make the scanty substance
more: meanwhile the thoughts of others
surge tempestuously against their fetter-
ing 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 TIL" lture; 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 neiohh0rs Win
dow came the sweet sonG 81 q captive
thrush. Some effervescence cf spring
time rose and bubbled in the girls young
veins. She could not say within 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 tc
side. No, Jim was not there; he was
nowhere in sight, Well, he would soor
return, doubtless. There We're few We
hicIes 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
effort The flower shop had never seem
ed SO beautiful. Bunches of lilac, labur
mum and hawthorn were blooming OF
| one side: Oh the other side were posi-
lively stacked pink, red and white PEG
MES, pansies and the anemoDes and blue
] DC1IS OI Ullc " OOGlo, W lillC IllCtA
| and cowslips shone more golden thai
the sunshine.
Milly knew no names or properties O.
/ flowers; in her eyes there were no com
mon ones and the dollhouse geranium
and cineraras were only by color NOR,
! glorious than the penny lunches of wal
| 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 wal
between her and such luxuries, like tn
glass against which she flattened he
pale, little pinched features. She coulc
see through the glass, certainly, but sh
could not go nearer; no, nor yet toucl
or smell. She could only sigh, and tn
sigh complaint like) made matter
worse. for it dimmed the clearness of tn
| glass for moment.
Two ladies came out of the shop; on
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