St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-08-07
JULIA THE FLOWER GIRL,
One Bright Spot on the Horizon of
the Tenderloin District.

JULIA THE FLOWER GIRL
One Bright Spot on the Horizon of
the Tenderloin District.
"Flowersr'
Julia the flower girl is to be seen any
where and everywhere about the Ten
derloin resorts, the table d'hotes, the
hotels, the theaters, the cafes. says the
New York Recorder. 9ihrs
''Roses or pinks? Here's the pref
tiest boutonniere you ever saw"
She's apt to say anything. She is
soft-voiced and golden-haired. When
she creepS up softly with her little
basket and holds bright nosegay be-
tween her fingers with roses or
plnks. Sir?" query. you can't but buy.
Julia looks like frail girl with plenty
of livellness behind the cute little face
with its blue eyes. She looks good
deal younger than she Is and she is glad
of it.
''Oh. amt so DID, julia says, with
a sly twinkle in the blue eyes when
some one asks her age. you kin bet
Pm young enough, yet"
The golden-haired flower girl still
wears short skirts.
Cant ] look like a little tootsey-
wootsey If want top she asks.
but hear you've been married and
have a husband and baby and all
that"
We'll. that's all right" says Julia.
Cant little girl get married Just as
well as big One?"
But the yellow-haired flower girl
won't admit that she's gone aud got
married." She has no use for a hus-
band. How could she have, when she's
around so much, and seeing so much,
and making so much money selling
flowers?
Julia has cousin out in Harlem who
grows roses and plnks and lilacs and all
that. She goes out there every after
noon and gets enough to sellsat night.
Sometimes get up early and pick
them myself while the devils on them"
says Julia. You know, they're better
aud sweeter when they're picked with
the dew on"
Then the flower girl gets out on the
Rlalto about Z O'clock. She begins with
the thrOngs at dinner. Julia creepS IN
and out of the brilliantly lighted places.
You hardly notice her, so modest and
gentle she is, until she comes up beside
your table and holds out a tempting
bouto niere. She never says much.
sac doesn't stand and insist upon pur-
chase as some other flower girls do. She
Just holds them out and lets them do ali
the persuading
Don't you see some funny things
around at night?'
ION, yes" and Julia brightens into a
smile. yes, there's lots of funny things
and funny people,
Julia needs more nrging than that to
tell her experience. julia is a rare bird.
She has an intelligence beyond her
looks just as she has years beyond them.
mo, I'm not afraid to go into all
these places. When the dinner is past
go to the theaters, and then to the no
tells and cafes and other places. mo
one ever hurts me. You see, I'm too
old for the Gerry people. Some of the
new men-the fresh 'uns-think I'm
just right, but | just say Don't fool
yourself Then, sometimes. they do,
and have to say something more. All
the old-timers knows ME. They knows
Pm perfect lady"
Indeed, that is just the way to de-
scribe Julia the flower girl perfect
lady. She never forgetS herSelfin pub
lie. A good many fellows fall in love
with her, for she is very attractive
girl as well as very clever one. -
sit does them no goOd,' says Julia. 81
L
when l sell all my flowers. I'd rather
get into my nice little bed than go sky
larkin' round"
And where do you live, Julia?"
'Oh, you mustn't write that When
Pm home Pm not the little flower girl.
Pm young lady. Just say Julia, the
flower girl, lives in the Tenderloin,
and L do. Tor come down here every
night at e, and you can find me
around till O'Clock in the morn
ing sometimes. Isn't that living here?
What Go like best? Why, old men.
of course, just as any pretty girl
should" says Julia. when l don't
have change they don't care about it,
and you bet L never have change when
| meet an OLD fellow with bald head,
who tries to tickle me under the chin,
and asks ME if III give him a kiss.
When the old gents gets fresh they has
to pay for it, see?"
The flower girl never tires telling
about her stage friends. Some of the
best known actors and actresses have
petted her and bought her flowers. She
used to meet them at the stage door
every night before the performance.
Some of them had their favorlte style of
bouquet, which Julia always had ready
for them.
Il Know man-no, l can't tell his
name-who wanted me to marry him
once" Julia signs. ''He was an actor
man, and used to ask me for kiss
every time l put bOutonniere in his
buttonhole. But l didn't give one.
Perhaps that's why he didn't marry
| me-"
Then Julia signs again, but she's not
too old yet to get some nice actor man
one Of these days if she wants to.