The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-01-25
BY r. A mitchell.
tcopgriaat--oH Rt0ats Reserued.o

won 1 10y 11f !. alE On " Ia =. ~ " is&sS.
i had strolled into the park to pass
time that hung heavy on my hands. On
the morrow was to take part in what
was. at least to me and one other, an inn
portant affair; and nothing is more try
ing than waiting for a crisis. | was a
student at German university. Not
German student or an English student
al American. / sat idly tapping my
boot with my stick; before me the mke.
the boats ski1nining its surface, the pa
CODA, carriages passing and repassing;
all flashing In the sunlight.
On a grass plot not far from where
lounged couple of French bonnes were
gossiping, while the children they
watched chased each other over the
green sward. Icould occasionally catch
words as the little ones shouted to each
other, and knew they were English
at least they spoke tho English tongue.
One Of them, little girl Of perhaps or
years, had dashed by me several times,
with flying ringlets. In her sash was
that which plainly showed she had dis
regarded the instructions posted every
where: IFS list NIGHT erlaubt Blumen
abzupfucken cit is not permitted to
pluck tho flowers" In one of her flights
stopped her.
s.Don't you see, I said, pointing with
my stick to one of those notices; .'they
won't let any one pick the dowers"
She locked from me to the notice, them
at her flowers; then fixed her eyes
straight on mine. But her mind was
not easily made up to such an informal
introduction, and she soon dropped her
eyes again to the flowers.
Suppose a policeman should come
along, I went on. land find these flow
ers IN your girdles'
Her brow knit in q frown, but still
she did not deign to answer.
Never mind; III try to get him to
let you off if he comes"
ssBut If you can't" said a little voice.
It was so little and SO timid that I
scarcely heard it.
II can try. Won't you give me one Of
the fiowers?"
In . twinlzling she forgot her fears. A
new question came up to drive the first
right out Of her Httle brain She began
to pick over the flowers, hunting for one
worthy Of q gift.
On the roadway at the foot Of the
slope one of the guardians Of the park
was lettering in the sun, his hands
clasped behind him. his saber swinging
like the pendulum Of a clock as he walk
ed with his head thrown back, that he
might eee from under his helmet. He
would move to the extremity of his beat,
stop and look while at the picture of
park scenery before him, then turn and
walk idly back. His eyes were evidently
on the maids with the group of children.
Presently, instead Of stopping when he
came to the end of his beat, he kept on
and around curve in the road, disap-
pearing for o few moments behind q
clunp of trees.
ssThe policeman exclaimed to the
child. Hes coming"
aWhereY' Her cheek whitened.
ssDown there, behind the trees"
She looked anxiously in the direction
pointed
ssCaive me the flowers" said. "Heu
think took them"
sNo."
eyes. quick"
'sNo, no.. she cried. impatiently
stamping her diminutiYe foot.
ssWhy not"
s.You didn't take them"
ssWell, come and sit by me. I won't
let him hurt you"
She came and climbed upon the seat
beside me- The policeman came on,
professedly looking at the flower beds
or the trees, or up at the sky, but really
ct the maids. As he came near where
we were sitting | could hear my pro-
tegs's little heart beating like a toy
drunstick. When he came opposite us
what was my establishment to see her
take the flowers from her girdle and
hold them toward him, and call out:
II took your flowers, Mr.. P'hceman.
Are you going to take me to PRISON.?
Fortunately she spoke in English, and
not till q moment after he had passed.
He kept on without noticing us, around
the road, which bent in an ellipse about
the sward
Then my little girl buried her face
against my shoulder and burst into tears.
This conflict between physical tinid-
ity and moral strength wae.a novelty to
me. My only idea Of courage thus far
was that which is attended by brute
force. There was something to me very
touching in the child's conquest of her
self; her subsection of her fear of pun
ishment to her sense Of right. For a
few minutes to passerby there would
have been presented the singular spec
tacle Of young man with sprouting
beard, in tasseled high top boots, a
tight fitting jacket, and students cap,
playing the uncouth part of masculine
nurse in comforting child.
Never mind, little one; he shouldn't
have troubled you; I'd have spitted him
on his own steel first"
Ia another moment there was transit
rion Undriea tears stood on her cheek,
but every other vestige of distress had
disappeared. She stepped down off the
scat.
Are you going to leave mel" ! asked.
ssEAky