Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1892-01-08
IN A STREET CAR.
BY DOROTHY EASTWOOD.

1t was a little girl on street car go
ing uptown. She was pretty child in
broad brimmed, picturesque hat, loaded
with ostrich plumes. She sat beside her
mother, a sweet faced woman with kind.
ly, patient eyes.
The little one carried big bunch of
flowers. "It's most as big as a bushel
basket" she said laughlngly to her
father, as he bought them down town
for her at the flower show. There were
royal chrysanthemums, reses with fair,
pall:d faces, and others burning with
hectic color. There was also tall spikes
of gladiolii, each one as stiff as if it had
swallowed ramrod, gorgeous dahlias,
in Haunting Iosettes of red aud yellow,
and towering above all, high and
mighty orchid, full of airs, but looking
as much like a vegetable lobster as any
thing else. The child clutched them so
closely that her neat little kid glove was
just ready to split. You see there were
so many OF the glorious blossoms, that
her tiny hand could hardly hold them
all. 81 am just thinking, mamma" she
said in happy little whisper, chow
lovely they will look ON the dinner table,
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 a tall, uugainly 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.
"NIy! sis, amt them pretty posies 2
Why them's just the sort my old grand
mother used to have in her garden,
when l was little shaver! Them's the
real garden roses. l can tell them by
the smell. P" he said in voice that had a
good deal of pathos in it. The man IS
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, Sis! what'll you take for your
flowers" he resumed pleasantly: "Come
now! Let's make bargain. How much
for the hull lota l want to buy 'em.
Here he drew a 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 crank and was a
little afraid of him.
"Sho" he blurted out again, good
naturedly. ''Not enough, eh, for that
big posya 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 rgirl became so embar.
rassed that her mother felt compelled to
say to her in sotto voce tone, "Don't
be afraid, dear. Tell the gentleman
that you do not wish to sell your flow
ers.n
The man heard and 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
ana continued, mo, sissy, don't be
afeared, wouldn't harm you or hurt
your feelins for all the gold in America
l think a heap of little gals like you.
/ didn't mean no harm in tryin' to make
deal with YOU for the flowers.
wanted 'em and / 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 offencs was given, the man con,
tinued.
"You see I've got a little niece ur
town about as big as you. She looks
like you some, too, only her cheeks ain't
red and plump like yourn, cause she's
always been puny like. But she's smart
though! Tell you what, she's way VI
in 'rithmetic. She can write letter
same as parson, and Lord, how that lit
tie one can sing! got letter from he'
mother 'jes now, and Pm going up there
The poor little thing has been sick al
her life with hip disease, and now She