Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1893-01-05
A CHlLD'S WISH.
Two Lovers, Bunch OF Pansles aud
Dying Baby.

btlnE navy
: 1t was dusk. A cool twilight had
fallen upon the hot city after a day of
insufferable heat. The sun famed
through a golden mist The breeze,
siilSe caress, crept through the trees;
the roar of the city was like the growl
of Weakened lion, In the park pair
OF lovers strolled up and down, OBJ
livious to all the world in their inno-
cent passion. She wore cluster of
pansies at her belt Half dozen yards
away sat woman and child on a
bench, two pathetic instances of hui
mainly born only to poverty and
squalor. Mother and child they were,
the child an infantilc reproduction of
its mother, with that weird, uncanny
effect that premature age always makes.
He was but four years old. She was
old in suffering, in experience, in UNI
requited love and hope that had long
since turned to despair The child was
already old in his inheritance of all
these. Heredity had done its work.
The lovers came back and walked near
them.
"Yes, dear" she said, "you see how
well ] can manage everything. We
shall live like king and queen" As
she spoke she took one of the pansies
from her belt and fastened it in her
lovers coat. lie drew her into the
shade of tree and kissed her quickly.
They passed on.
mamma, said the boy, family
"What is it, darling?" said the moth
err, drawing him closely to her breast
and bending tenderly over him.
mamma, | want some flowers like
the lady has on"
His eyes Slittered with unnatural
light
A heavy dew lay in great drop on his
almost transparent skin. The mothers
heart gave great throb.
Dearest, will get you some to-mor.
row."
but, mamma, ] want them now"
'Dear child, there are none here to
get for you"
The boy walled.
"Tf only had some flowers like the
lady"
The lovers were coming back.
He was looking tenderly into her
eyes.
"How clever you arc" he was saying
admiringly. "If all other women were
like you"
81 beg you to forgive me, but my boy
is sick; he has been sick a lone time.
He wants flowers and can not get
them for him. | would not ask you for
them for myself-but my boy! If you
would"
The mothers accents died away. She
clasped her hands with an eloquent, i'm
passioned gesture.
The girl quickly took the flowers
from her belt and handed them to the
woman. With n sudden impulse the
young man took his solitary flower
from his coat and offered it also
You are thousand times welcome"
said the girl, graciously.
The lovers passed on with an in
CItdotN lCHutIlCS1 III tIlSlI lChlbs' llG
mother sped back to her boy with
frantic eagerness.
Paul, Paul" she cried, there are
your flowers The lady has given them
to you"
The bloodless little hand, as frail as
snowdroo, clasped the flowers lam
guidly.
Pretty flowers" he murmured. A
sudden icy terror freeze the mothers
veins.
Paul, Paul" she said. in hoarse,
convulsive whisper.
The child did not answer. The "pret,
ty flowers" were still clutched tightly
by the bloodless little fingers, which
now looked thinner than ever but he
would never see their beauty again.
There was faint smile on his lips,
caused, perhaps, by things more bcauti-
full than the pretty flowers he had
wanted so much. CT
A few steps away the lovers were
laughing again, while the breeze, like
caress, crept through the trees, and
the roar of the city was like the growl
of Weakened lion. Chicago Inter
Ocean