, 1890-01-23
"Ilusnl lest she should hear YOU"

"tlushl lest she should hear YOU
Mllly had heard II all. IL scarcely Of,
fcctod her nevertheless scarcely steIhcu
to concern her, in fact.
Was this maimod, motionloss thing on
the hospital bed herself, Mtlly, the
clever littlc neodewoman2 vast shc
who had dwclt opposite the tortsts VIII
dow2 She opened her eyes yet WIDER "
seemed a little light now. was thls
the hoSpital2 She had often wondered
what the hospltal might be like, There
were people here who sighed anu groaheu
around her; she had not noticed them
/ before IL tired her to watc!. them now
. had they all been ran over in the street
| she marvoled What sad, sad hcesl
/ What u room full of pain 49,.
Clean II was everywhere, with tldy
! white bclclothcs and whiiewashcd walls,
and the sunshine coming in so that her
| head uched she had mover been used To
much light or air. Nor to strangers,
strange faces, strange voices. An "hero
was little Jiin2 And had he really come
/ to her In her danger2 -.
/ Tuctcars began u trickle slowly down
/ the clild's pale cheeks.
Jim" said Milly, with quiyering
lips, "oh, my little Jimmy own little
| JimI"
"lIc shall come TO you-presently
yes, very soon. | will give the order
now
Tho nurse murmurcd something to
another nurse, ,
cot course; there Is no time 10 lose
was the answer.
But Milly heard not this.
The nurse returned,
''Shali read to ypng she asked. "Arc
you IN too much pain to listenH
NO, read, snll Milly gently. "Only
let II be about ilower'"
| al. IAugf=a " rgfmFnlt the
child drcamingly. Are there flowers
In hoayen2'
Surely. And we know that 1t Is
| Gods garden. lie garners them there -
even tho poorest Child-tiowers OF this
earth"
Then there was q cry.
"Oh, Milly, Milly oh you viii not
diet Oh, promise mo that youll not
diOn
IL was Iim-Jim who had pressed close
To the bed, who was subhing rs II his
heart must burst. lie stretched out his
/ little wan hands The ductor held him
back and sought to quiet him. The
weary occupants OF 'ther bcus RAISED
! themselves up and tried TO see the two
children.
Milly moved as much a. she was able.
| A gray shadow had passed. over her
| face, making IL almost unrcrognllablC,
and sharp anguish distorted her features.
Was TINS dCAthf Shc knew not-shc
| had no time To think. only for him
only for Jim, the poor homeless, friend
| less little crossing sweeper, ho who had
| tiskcd his own life for her Milly'S
very temples thrubbed with tumultuous
| thoughts.
"Oh, Milly, spcakN' cried the hoy, in
/ agony, "Why couldn't die for y0u2'
/ II am glad murmurcd MGlly.s lips
I trcmulOusly,
But am not. Oh, it's cruel of you
to be glad when I'm So sorry oh, |
/ hate, hate. hate myself that I couldn't
! save you. If had only been stronger.
Hush, hush, said tho doctor and the
| nurse.
''Ilushw seemed to say an invisible
presence.
The young girls head had fallen back
upon the pillows; tho pain was passing
out of hc- face. She turned yct moro
tOwartl her little friend.
"Oh, JIM" she gusped, dear Jim
and then, more mlnt,F still THE
flowers iowers-tmnk, Jim, in
heaven the flowers meyer diel'
They let the little ragged boy hing
| himself upon her now. Nothing could
hurt her now, any more than IL could
cure her or bring her back TO thought
amt II aoch and love Nor could any
l thing alter or mar the tender radiance
/ Of the cead girls face.