The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-06-17
Wednesday, June II, 1879 l.
Only q Bunch Of Roses.
nv ERNEST GILMORE.

The roses were fresh with dew and
sweet with fragrance as Madge Burton
gathered them hastily that fair sum.
mer morning. Pinning them quickly
to her girdle, she entered the carriage
that was waiting for her, and was
driven to the station, where she took
the train for a city fifty miles distant.
Money was not plentiful with the
Burtons, 50 the young girl contented
herself with riding in the ordinary
car. She made q very sweet picture IN
the dusty car, and do not think there
was one person present who did not
admire it. He bright, sunny face, her
dignified yet gentle bearing, her win
some smile upon tired and fretful chill
dren, who had travelled many weary
mile, her tasteful, neat attire, with the
bunch Of roses in her girdle, were all
noticed in quiet way.
In the seat in front of her was a
crippled child,-and sadlooking, thin
girl, whose earthly life was destined to
be very short. She looked over her
shoulder a number of times at Madge,
and finally she said wistfully, with
some hesitation
"Would you mind if I should sit by
YOU lust little while?"
"Not at all. / should be happy to
have you do so," was the ready an
swer, given as courteously as if speak
ing to young princess.
The child, leaning upon her
crutches, took her place beside Madge.
"You don't look bit tired" was
her first observation.
Madge smiled into the questioning
II am tired" she said,' ~ have
lust begun my day."
"I am not tired. I've come long
way,-'way from Denver. couldn't
sleep last night, my knees panied me
so. What beautiful roses you've got
We used to have roses in our garden
before we went to Denver. We're
going to the town where we used to
iiye,0pa and 7. Pas in the smoking
car"
"Isn't your mother with you:"
MAS dead" was the reply; and
the thin lips quivered: 1--WE had to
bury her away out in Colorado"
''You poor dear child!" said Madge,
not wondering that the lonely little
girl had begged to sit beside her.
She unfastened the rosebuds from
her girdle, and, taking out half of
them, gave them to the child, whose
pale face grew jubilant with surprise.
She held them to her cheek, and
pressed them to her lips; and very
soon, with the flowers held close to her
braost che foil aslean
Madge put an arm about her gently,
and drew her head to her shoulder.
The child slept peacefully for half an
hour; then, as the cars stopped at
small town, a man came in hurriedly.
1t was the cripple's father. A mist
crept over his eyes at sight OF the
sleeping child; and as he stopped and
gathered her in his strong arms, he
said in a low voice, full of feeling:
@"I'm not prayin' man, miss, but
NAV the Lords blessin' rest on We for
ever for your kindness to me poor
mitherless bairn ~
The travellers from Colorado had
reached their destination. The sleep
ing child, who had suffered all through
the previous night, did not thoroughly
awaken, only arousing little as she
was carried through the car, murmur-
ing: -,
"I've-been-in-heaven,- pa live
-got-some-roses."
The mist in the fathers eyes seemed
to have spread through the car. No
word was spoken aloud concerning
the little scene just over, but in many
a heart there was heard the Voice
divinewhlspering: "Inasmuch as ye
have done it unto the least of these, We
have done it unto me-"