Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-11-10

.sl bhe was lame. He was
SWIFT OF foot and OF eye and could n;lo,
her dexterously over the muddy vav
sate from horses feet or splas, a. wheais
she' The girl, was stronger OF hand
brighter Of face and OF couraoe o.
had more than once taken the haso,s,
from Jim's hand and swept away IN
'nua Tor pedestrians blithely and cheerily
20 'haI she earned more coppers for him
IN ten minutes than he knew how i
gam IN weary mornings work. Hi
hands were 30 weak and delicate. b.rs
used to activity, were positively muscu'
lar by contrast.
There was one drawback--he nave,
seemed TO comprehend about the Aow.
ers. lie would stand on one leg bv tho
or,iiiant shop window staring piteousIy
taking of his ragged cap and putting /,
on AGAIN with gesture Of perpIexitv
scratching his head sometimes for CREATE,
doubt, - ea'e'
You see. Jim," MilIy whispered 10
MN one day, II love them so-the Aow.
ers. Ihey are so beautiful, 50 verv. very
beautiful. 1t quite gives me a pain an
odd feeling here IN my throat. only ~
look at them.r
"Then l wouldn't have nothin, 20 d.
with en-, returned the boy decisively.
III they hurt you what's the goody'
ITS the hurting that brings me back
to them, somehow" starnmered MiIlv
who couldn't explain.
Jim gazed at her with his wide omen.
ed, long lashed eyes.
You are queer 'un, and no mis-,
take ne said at last. eli, look outl
you were almost right under the van
TINS time, Mill. | wish, wish was a
dock, that do-rdgive 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 tho future; 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 fash 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 a neighbours win
dow came the sweet song of captive
thrush. Some effervescence of spring
time rose and dubbed in the girls young
veins. She could not stay within her
dark and sgualid 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 to
side. No, Jim was not there; he was
nowhere in sight Well, he would soon
return, doubtless. There were few ve-
hicles 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-
one side; on the other side were posi-
lively stacked pink, red and white peo-
mics, pansies and the anemones and blue
bells of the woods, while marshmallows
and cowslips shone more golden than
the sunshine.
Milly knew no names or properties of
flowers; in her eyes there were no COM
mon ones, and the dollhouse geraniums
and cinerarias were only by color more
glorious than the penny punches of wall
flowers and field daisies and struggling
forget-me-nots that were specially pro-
vided for weary Londoners.
To her it was all a beautiful dream;
there was just hard. impossible wall
between her and such luxuries, like the
glass against which she flattened her
pale, little pinched features. She could
see through the glass, certainly, but she
could not go nearer; no, nor yet touch
or smell She could only sigh, and the
sigh Complaint like made matters
worse, for it dimmed the clearness of the
glass for moment.
Two ladies came out of the shop; one
passed on; the other, seeing the girl,
paused. The hands of both ladies were
filled with lunches of flowers; possibly
Milly's eyes were more hungrily watch
ing than she knew.
"You poor little girl!' said the lady
who stood in the doorway. She held
out bunch of something bright.
"Would YOU like these flowers? Yes,
you may take them"
She smiled; she went on her way.
Milly had said nothing; not word of
thanks, even. She only grasped the tiny
nosegay as though it were made of gold.
She stared vacantly at the ladies till they
were out of sight. Then she laughed
softly to herself. What would Jim say:
Where was Jim? Why was he still alb
sent? She must certainly come out
again in the afternoon, if only to tell
him the d delightful news. 1t was the
first time that any real live flowers had
Been given to her, had actually belonged
to herself. Why, they were quite soft,
like velvet, not grimy and gritty like