The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1891-12-16
IN A STREET CAR.
BY DOROTHY EASTWOOD.

1t was a little girl on street car Co-
ing up-towh. She was pretty child in
broad brmmed, picturesque hat, loaded
with ostrich plumes. She sat beside her
mother, sweet-faced woman with kind.
ly, patient eyes.
The little one carried big bunch of
flowers. "lt's most as big as bushel
basket" she said laughingly to her
father, rs be bought them down town
for her at the flower show. There were
royal chrysanthemums, reses with fair,
pallid faces, and others burning with
hectic color. There was also tall spikes
of gladiolii, each one as stiff as il it had
swallowed a ramrod, gorgeous dahlias,
In Haunting rosettes of red and yellow,
and towering above all, a high and
mighty {orchid, full of airs, but looking
as MUCH like vegetable lobster as any.
thing else. The child clutched them SO
closely that her neat little kid glove was
Jusg ready to split. You see there were
so(many of the glorious blossoms, that
her tiny hand could hardly hold them
pll. 81 am just thinking, mamma" she
said in happy little whisper, chow
q
tonight, when papa comes home!"
There was only one vacant seat in the
car, and that was Just beside the little
girl. Pretty soon the conductor rang
up another fare, and tall, ,ungainly man
slid into the place. He looked like
consumptive, and had evidently been
drinking. Only little, though Per.
haps just enough to brace him up against
some trouble, and make the poor fellow
feel little bit sociable. His hand
trembled slightly, and he looked kindly
down at the child and her flowers.
"Myl sis, amt them pretty posies
Why them's just the sort my old grand
mother used to have in her garden,
when l was little shaverl Them's the
real garden roses. | can tell them by
the smell, " he said in voice that had a
good deal of pathos in it. The man S
manner was friendliness itself, and his
face was as honest as the day is long,
but the timid little one edged along the
seat closer TO her mother.
"Say, sIsl whaL'l you take for your
fowers" he resumed pleasantly: "Come
now Let's make bargain. How much
for the hull lotl l want to buy 'em.
Here he drew o shining silver half dollar
from his pocket and held it in his ex-
tended palm.
The child took no notice of the coin
but looked appealingly at her mother.
She thought the man a crank and was a
little afraid of him.
"Sho." he blurted out again, good
naturedly. ''Not enough, eh, for that
big posyl Well, want 'em, and want
'em bad. So I'll go you dollar, and
here's the .dust. You can buy candy
enough with it to last you month"
Here the little ,girl became so embar-
rassed that her mother felt compelled to
say to her in a sotto voce tone, "Don't
be afraid, dear. Tell the gentleman
that you do not wish TO sell your dow
crs."
The man heard aud so it was unneces-
sary for the child to speak. He raised
his battered hat respectfully and hands
still trembling, he turned to the child
and continued, "No, sissy, don't be
afearcd, / wouldn't harm you 'or hurt
your ieelns for all the gold in America.
think heap of little gals like you.
didn't mean no harm in tryin' to make
a deal with YOU for the flowers.
wanted 'em and l want 'em yet, if you
are willin to sell 'em to me.
The mother smiled pleasantly, the
child dismissed her fears and seeing
that no offence was given, the man con
tinued.
"You see I've got little niece ur
town about as big as you. She looks
like you some, too, only her cheeks amt
red aud plump like yourn, cause she's
always been puny like. But she's smart,
though! Tell you what, she's way up
in 'rithmetic. She can write letter
same as a parson, and Lord how that lit
tie one can sing! got a letter from her
mother 'jes now, and I'm going up thefe.
The poor little thing has been sick all
her life with hip disease, and now she's
dyin'. Can't live till mornin' nohow, the
doctor says. She loves flowers and
when II got on the cars and seen
you with that big bunch o. yourn,
though how it might cheer her up a
bit to Nd 'em in her poor little thin
white ND at the last"
The ~ NJ was crying softly now, the
tears we ,Nalling right into the faces OF
her chen Ned flowers. The mothers
eyes gre brighter than their wont
while the b went on, his hands still
tremblingss
"Yes, pSs \ little Rosy took hel
and her mas Y IN the country, way VI