Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-08-17

szo BUSINESS corners and all about Is an
air of arrested growth that for some
shadowy reason seems to be sadly sat
isfed with the present state of things.
All the people who go by my window
do not possess bright, happy and intel
hgent faces. always watched for
blossoms" coming. Her presence was
refreshing and reminded ne of sweet
rose growing among the palmer grasses.
Her step was elastic, her manner
sprightly. fancied she had recently
come from a home in the country,
where the odor of apple-blooms and the
songs of birds filled the air. One morn
ing 1 saw her going toward the sub
urban station, carrying lunch-box;
then knew she was a member of the
great company of toilers. Thereafter
she went and came regularly. By-and-
by sturdy young mechanic, whom
had often seen pass my window alone,
walked beside Blossom one evening
on her way home. He had a frank,
manly face, but his working clothes
were soiled and worn and his hands
were rough. After that 1 saw them
pass by together quite often. He seemed
to be very happy in her society, but
Blossom, with her pretty pink dresses
and pink ribbons, often looked far
away as though she were trying to dis
cover some one whose appearance was
more in harmony with her ideal.
Near the walk at the side of the
saloon that stood at the corner was a
large maple tree. Men used to bring
chairs from the saloon and sit in the
shade of the tree during the long June
afternoons and smoke, and chat, and
laugh boisterously. Some of the men
who used to meet there became familiar
figures to my eye. Among the number
was a young man who dressed SPLEEN
didly, though somewhat fashily. From
my window across the street, l could
see the sparkle of his diamonds set
i'll his rings and pins. He wore a heavy
gold chain and an elaborate charm, and
carried massive gold-headed cane and
umbrella l should have guessed that
he had plenty of money, but I would
not have dared to commend his method
of getting it. Something in his appear
ance led me to believe he could deal
himself an extra card, or turn trump
from the bottom of the deck. After all,
had l seen him in different surround
ings and in different company, l might
have been as favorably impressed with
him as when I was a young and
thoughtless blossom for whom he
used to wait at the drug store on the
opposite corner to the saloon. l 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 a 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 cheeks and pink dress and rib
| bons, whom he often saw strolling
| homeward with the young man who
! wore the diamonds and fine clothes.
! By and by there was wedding up the
| street somewhere; at the home of q
| widow lacy, suspected, for Blossom
| had never been accompanied by any
one whom 1 thought was father, or
brother, or sister; but had on several
1 occasions seen her with a lady who ap
peared to be almost an invalid, and
whom guessed might be her mother.
| One morning a fine carriage drove by,
and Blossom" wearing a strikingly
| large hat covered with white plumes,
occupied seat beside the young man
| whom had seen sitting in the shade OF
| the maple tree at the side of the sa
loon. Later an express wagon passed
| in which were trunks thought might
have belonged to Blossom"
! In the same old humdrum work-a'
| day manner men went and came, but
Blossoms" pink cheeks and bright
| eyes were not to re seen. The street
for time seemed cheerless without
her; and I wondered if the world
missed her as I did. and as l felt sure
the pale woman did whom had seer
walking with her. The leaves on the
maple tree, through which the sum
mer sunshine and harvest moonbeams
had splintered and sifted, lost their
bright green hue. By and by the
blighting kiss of the frost fell upor
them and in a cream and scarlet
blush of mingled death and glory they
fell to the earth and were swept into
the gutter by the first breath of win
ter. The snow-shrouded season
stalked slowly past. The bare limbs
of the maple seemed like uplifted
hands pleading for the coming of the
sun and the south wind.
One morning a robin perched in the
branches of the maple, sounded the
first note of the coming spring, and, be
fore 1 scarcely realized it, nature hae
thrown blanket of glossiest greer
over the lawns and fastened it dowr
with a thousand golden dandelions
And the summer with her vo!h2tuou'
attendants came again, and joy raj
riot through the hearts of men. Blu
Blossom" tripped along the street M
more; neither did the young mechanic
pass tnat way as he once did. Unde
my window heard some one say hi
had studied out an invention for simpli
flying some process of manufacturin:
and that he had become rich. In tn
afternoon men sat in the shade Of thu
maple tree, but the young man will
; the diamonds was not among them
: n III / N ! ~