The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-08-18


ance led me to believe he could deal
himself an extra card, or turn u trump
from the bottom of the deck. After all,
had seen him in different surround
ings and in different company, might
have been us favorably impressed with
him as when was young and
thoughtless blossom" for whom he
used to wait ut the drug store on the
opposite corner to the saloon. do not
know how they became acquainted, but
have always doubted if they were for
mally introduced to one another. Be it
as it may, there came time when the
manly young mechanic walked alone
once more. There were many other girls
gong and coming, but he did not seem
to notice them. His eyes were usually
wandering toward the girl with the
pink checks and pink dress and rib
bons, whom he often saw strolling
homewnrd with the young man who
wore the diamonds and fine clothes.
BY and by there was q wedding up the
street somewhere; ut the home of
widow lady, l suspected, for Blossom"
had never been accompanied by any.
one whom thought was father, or
brother, or sister; but had on several
occasions seen her with lady who ap-
pearcd to be almost IN invalid, and
whom guessed might be her mother.
Ono morning fine carriage drove by,
and Blossom" wearing a strikingiy
large hat covered with white plumes,
occupied scat beside the young man
whom had seen sitting in the shade of
the maple tree ut the side of the sa-
loon. Later IN express wagon passed
In which wero trunks thought might
have belonged to Blossom"
In the same old humdrum work a.
day manner men went and came, but
Blossoms" pink checks and bright
eyes were not to be seen. The street
for O time seemed cheerlcss without
her; and 1, wondered if the world
missed her us l did, and as felt sure
the palo woman did whom had seen
walking with her. The leaves on the
maple tree, through which the sum-
mer sunshine and harvest moonbeams
had splintered and siftcd, lost their
bright green hue. BY and by the
blighting kiss of the frost fell upon
them and in q cream and scarlet
blush Of mingled death and glory they
fell to the earth and were swept into
ter. The snow-shrouded season
stalked slowly past The bare limbs
of tho maple seemed like upliftcd
sun and tho south wind.
One morning robin perched in the
branches of the maple, sounded the
first note of tho coming spring, nnd, be-
fore scarcely realized it, nature had
thrown blanket of glossiest green
over the lawns and fastened it down
with thousand golden dandclions.
And the summer with her voluptuous
attendants came again, and Joy ran
riot through the hearts of men. But
blossom" tripped along the street no
more; neither did the young mechanic
pass that way as he once did. Under
my window I heard some one say he
had studied ont an invention for simpli-
| tying some process of manufacturing
and that he had become rich. In the
afternoon men sat in the shade OF the
maple tree, but the young man with
the diamonds was not among them
only the pale woman remained, and
saw Der pass but once in q long time,
and then She was always alone and APP
peared to be in melancholy study But
one day, however, She did not come
alone She carried 4 child in her arms,
and beside her walked woman dressed
| In black. 1t was blossom" The pink
! dress, the pink ribbons and the pink
checks were gone. After the two
women had passed beneath the branches
| of the maple tree and were well down
the street heard one of the men sitting
in tho shade say: "IIe was shot l
always expected lie would get it some
| time"
A year had elapsed. during which
time blossom" sober matron
dressed in mourning, had passed nv
window but three times when the
| cloud that had watched her through
lifted little and the golden sunshine
of hope was sprinllled across her path
way, and brought me JOY rs we'll.
Grateful am l that / one day saw
another carriage dash past my window,
in which were "Blossom's- mother.
blossoms" baby and Blossoms"
own fair sclf-pinll dress, pink rib
bons and. better still, pink checks
and beside her was the young me-
| chanic. l have never seen any of them
since that day, but l am sure they are
all happier, though do not know
| where in this wide. strange world they
may be. And who from my invalid's
chair sec the spring sunshine once
more sitting through the maple leaves,
and hear the tramp of hundreds of toll
ers going to and from their work, have
n kindlier thought for the fatcs that
| gave my Blossom" zone more change"
to procure the happiness that might
have been forever denied to her.
And would that we all might be as
nsnninIiSIxr 70