Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-03-25

side of town, and papa got doctor.
He says she's very low" with chok-
ed sob, "but / reckon if she could see
these lilies it would do her some good.
She was always wanting them in
Kansas. but we lived away from
everybody, and we we're too poor to
buy flowers"
"Sick, poor, and a stranger at your
gates" Alice, as she remembered
those words. forgot the christening
font, her waiting friend, and her duties
for Easter.
"Take me to your mother" she
said. "What is your name, my
child p
"Christine-Christine Bruce. Oh
/ am so glad mother will see the
liliss," slapping her hands, and laugh
ing with delight.
Eyes, she shall have as many as
she wants."
As they walked towards the out
skirts of the town. the child told her
simple. pitiful tale. Her father had
been once in good circumstances, and
her mother, from Christmas account,
was an educated woman, whose family
in Alabama had been wealthy. Mis-
fortune came to the settlers, and pow
erty and sickness followed.
There's the wagon, and there's
papa Christine cried, suddenly,
pointing to q canvas covered emigrant
wagon, and man sitting on the
tongue, with his face buried in his
hands.
"And oh! l forgot to buy the bread
he sent me for, and he hasn't a mouth
full for breakfast. Oh, papa" run
ming to him, 81 forgot your bread, but
I'll run back for it. l was SO taken
up with some lilies this lady has
brought for mother"
"Is that you, Christine ?" the man
said, raising his head. His face was
thin and worn. and his eyes had the
vacant look of one whose thoughts
were leagues away but Alice noticed
that neither face nor voice were those
of a common laborer. His clothes, as
well as those of his daughter, were Of
coarse, homespun. but they were very
clean.
"Never mind about the bread, child,
a mouthful would choke me but
your mother wants her tea, and you'd
better make it Immediately"
"Yes, papa. right off. Papa here's
good lady come to see mother. and
oh" her eyes shining, "she's got the
beautifullest lilies in that basket, and
she's going to give some to mother"
The man rose from his seat, and
with q courteous movement took off
his hat.
"You are very kind, Miss" he
said, "I'm afraid my poor wife has
gone too far to notice flowers. If she
could have seen them a month ago!"
His voice choked. "She had sick
longing for some of the lilies from
her old home, but l could as soon
have got her the moon as lilies in the
part of the country where we lived"
"How is your wife now2" asked
Alice, kindly.
1.-THE doctor has just left here he
says she can't last many hours. o
my God p throwing up his arms,
show can / bear to give my Milly up?
Go up there, Miss /; I can't look at
her yet or I'll break down, as she's so
afraid to die! Oh, that's the worst
of all. She wanders in her mind q
good deal Of the time, and it breaks
my heart to hear her talk"
Alice climbed into the wagon. A
matrice was spread on the floor, and
on it lay a woman with white,
emaciated face, like corpse. Her
eyes were closed, but as Alice bent
over her they opened suddenly. and
the girl shrunk back. There was
something appalling in the brilliant
eyes, so like Christmas, set in that
thin face. Eyes in which seemed
concentrated all the life of a body al.
ready dead or dying.
Alice answered the unspoken ques-
ton she saw in that look-inquiriDg,
startled.
"Your little daughter met me, and
told me how i'll you were, and how
much you liked lilies. See, I've
brought you some." holding the frag-
rant blossoms to the sick woman's
face.
"Lilies !" see cried hoarsely, clutch
ing them with her hot hand. "Oh
I've dreamed of them so often, so
often, but l never expected to see one
until / went up to His garden-the
Masters garden, you know, where
there will be no sickness or sorrow.
But will they let me in, do you
think 2" Her eyes grew wild with
terror. "Oh : I'm so scared" Her
voice sank into a murmur, and she
pressed the flowers to her lips conyul-
a. II - ~