Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1893-03-18
THE CENTURY PLANT.

Oh, no, Gloria Reggie didn't look
like you, nor any Of your cronies,
nor even like pretty jamie Smith,
who lives round the corner, and who
has such laughing eyes and rosy
cheeks. Slie--Gloria, I 1nean-had a
duslzy brown skin and dusky brown
eyes, fringed with eyelashes as
black IS ink, and q slender foot,
shaped SO that stream Of water-a
small stream Of cou1se-could run
underneath the hollow Of it, and not
wet the skin a bit. Gloria lived
high MP in the world; that is, she
lived 1T the top Of tall tenement
house, and she took care OF her
mother
When they first came there, Mrs.
Grady, who hired the fat below,
peeped through the crack of her
door and saw them going up stairs.
Bless me sowl." said she, looking
at Gloria's mother, what kind Of
hands do We call thin? Sure, they'd
rot be able to wiring tho neck Of a
mouse. let alone blanketings and
quilts.
You see, Mrs Grady took in wash
ing for o living, and had g pair Of
big red fists CT her own, about the
size OF slalge hammers.
After hfrs. Grady thought the new
comers had got to rights, sho went
up to maize q call. It was Gloria
who opened the door with her fin
gers on her lips.
'Iiow arc ye, honey" cried Mrs
Grady, with a voice like a watch
mans rattle ''Mebbe yer didn't
know was yer next door neighbor. :"
she said this with smi1k, expect
ing Gloria to invite her in, but no,
little Gloria, with her pale face and
heavy eyes, did not quit her hold on
the door, nor did she make any mo-
ton for Mrs Grady to enter. She
only whispered gravely, What Go
you want2'
WI hat on earth Go you suppose
Want3'' racletal Mrs Grady, rather
taken aback. Il amt come a-beg-
ging. I've come up to see your
mother"
Mother ism to be seem said the
child, still guarding tie door.
4; she sick? inquired Mrs. Grady.
without budging.
"Glo1ia!'
At the faint call, the stanch little
doorl1eeper darted away, and Mrs
Grady was free to walk in, and walk
she did with a heavy tread and her
head held high But after the first
few steps she stopped with a stare.
In front Of her, spread loosely over
the rough boards, was small square
Of carpeting. the like Of which Mrs
Grady had never seen IN al her life
before Such beautiful colors as
there were in it-yellow, that
looked like melted sunshine; red
and green, like rubies and emeralds!
Upon this bit Of carpet cushions
were piled, and among these, half
sitting. half lying, Mrs. Grady saw a
lady with white lips and bright
scarlet cheeks But thel lady, Gloria's
mother, did not see Mrs Grady, for
her eyes were closed, and Gloria,
who was bathing husily her mothers
head, seemed to have forgotten all
about her too. Mrs Grady began to
feel out Of place, and her eyes turned
to the window.
There was an enormous china
flower pot standing there, with awk-
ward handles that dropped down
and hung over on either side, just
like a pair Of giants ears. And out
Of this odd vase grew an odd plant
that shot Up high its long, thick, rag
ged leaves and struggled them out,
all spiked with little punches of
sharp tholns.
Then Gloria, still kneeling on the
floor, began talking softly and rapid
ly, and once in awhile her mother,
still with her eyes closed, would say
a few words. The words that they
talked seemed to Mrs. Grady to b.
twisted and doubled out of all man
ner of shape; indeed, she could not
understand one Of them. So Mrs.
Grady, more and more astonished,
and tonguetied for the minute, tip
toed herself softly away And as
nobody knew she had come in, so
nobody knew when she went out.
We'll, mother, did you see them2'
asked Nancy cu1iously, as Mrs
Grady made her appearance in her
own domains.
Such outlandish furriners!' ex-
claimed her mother, throwing he1.
apron over her head, and sitting
down with both hands on both knees.
"Gernlansl'' asked Kate, who was