Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-09-13
JENNIE'S WITNESS.

Jennie fingered the flowers as though
she loved them. She was country
girl, and used to flowers, but it seemed
to her that she had never loved them
so much as since she came to the city
% live, and found that people had to
buy them.
"And pay lots of money for them"
she wrote to the little girl friend with
whom she had often gathered field
daisies.
"Iou just ought to see what lots of
money folks will pay just for daisies
Ii we had the old south meadow lot out
here on Karnick street we could get
rich"
There was a great deal of work to be
done this morning in the greenhouse.
There was to be Fourth of July cele-
braton the next day, and a festival,
and wedding, and Jennie did not
know what else; but she knew that
flowers were to be arranged for all these,
and that, new girl though she was, she
had been called upon to help make up
bouquets. This was an honor.
Heretofore her work had been to
water certain plants, and run of er-
rands, and keep the shelves and tables
tidy. She felt very happy, for Mr..
! Greenough, when he came through the
greenhouse workroOm, had stopped to
admire her bouquets, and told her she
had good taste, and would be called
Upon again.
Mr.. Greenough was the young master
of all the flowers, and Jennie knew she
had been greatly honored. She was at
work now on the last basket of what
she called cleft overs" though they
were as pretty as any in the gardens.
These were for Grandmamma Green
ough, who had fresh basket sent to
her every morning. Jennie was ahead
of time and could afford to loiter
little and pet the blossoms. Karl was
there, leaning over her shoulder and
laughing at the loving way in which
she talked to them. Anybody would
think they were a lot of live babies
whom you were loving" he said.
Karl Shubert was Mr.. Greenough's S
nephew; he was spending the summer
with Grandmamma Greenough while
| his father went west on business. Karl
liked nothing better than to take off
his coat, and roll up his sleeves, and
! push his queer little cap on the back of
his head and call himself a workman.
Karl was also from the country, and
thought it very strange that people
were willing to pay money for 'just
weeds"
There are flowers almost like those
which grow wild in the woods back Of
! l. L.. Il.
'em lots OF times, just for fun. Nobody
ever thought of buying them; guess
should have thought they were crazy
if they had"
Folks would think here that you
were crazy if you gave them away"
answered Jennie. These are not
quite like the wild ones; but 1 guess
they are cousins"
II believe they are just like them
Give me bunch of these, and I'll send
them to Matte Bennett and ask her if
they aren't. She gathers them all the
time. Give me that great big one, and
the little bits of ones next to it."
Jennie opened her blue eyes very
g.; wide, and looked gravely at him. "You
are just joking?" she said inquiringly.
mo; I'm not joking. l think it
would be great fun to send Matte a
bunch of these by mail, and tell her
what the ounces here in the city pay
for them. She will think / am joking,
for sure. wonder never thought of
it before. Give us a bunch"
But Jennie's face was graver than
ever.
"Of course you know 1 can't" she
said quietly.
"Well, 1 should like to know why
not? Are you suddenly taken with
rheumatism in your arms, or anything
of that kind? What is to hinder you?"
"Why, Karl, you don't need me to
tell you that the flowers aren't mine?
! l couldn't give you the least little bios
som, of course; and l know you are
Just trying to tease me-"
Stuff and nonsenser said Karl,
getting into fume. II never heard of
such Ounce. Do you pretend to say
that you never take one of the silly lit
tie things for YOURSELF"
Jennie's cheeks famed a brilliant
red, and her blue eyes flashed. 81
! don't think that question is worth an
swering," she said, with dignity. "Do
you suppose 1 would steal flower any
sooner than l would steal anything
else?"
"Oh, steal! Who is talking about
stealing? What is just few flowers:
Anyhow you might give them to me.
Don't you know my grandmother will
give me the whole basketful if | ask heri
and every one of them belongs to my
own uncle"
THAT doesn't make bit of differ,
ence," said Jennie firmly. "Yom
grandmother has a right to give you
the basketful, of course, if she wants
to, and your uncle could give you the
whole greenhouse; but that would have
nothing to do with me. Not one little
lpwer is mine, and if you think / vii
take what belongs to ether people and
give it away, you are mistaken;
wouldn't do it any more than l woulo
take one for myself"
.sPoh ~ said Karl, who thought thi'
was utter nonsense; ''what a fuss yOU
can make about nothing. Suppose
reach over and take the whole buncl
and leave, how will you help your self?
''You won't do that" said Jennie
CO. .ndently, and pleasant look came
into her glue eyes; I'm not the leas
bit atrai. af =: because that would b'