The Portland daily press., 1895-04-13
HIS EASTER LILY.
T. EDITH SESSIONS TUPPER.

-1Js nANU u 1iidhSup! 6JaCLIaCSQ
popular actor to his companion as they
lAunterod up Fifth avenue ono bitterly
rold winter afternoon at the hour of tht
fashionable parade. There's realism,
there's art, me boy''
He was right. Haggard, wrinkled,
toothless, her sparse white locks tossing
on the chilling wind, her shreds and
patches fluttoring about her bent frame,
stood old Betty Herrick, Hester street,
! rear tenement, budding close against her
asthmatic hand organ, from which she was
grinding out doleful air.
Yes, here indeed were realism and art.
| Something more. Disease and famine
looked out the bleared, sunken eyes, star
ing with the pathos Of helpless cid age at
the throng of richly dressed people passing
and repassing before her Occasionally a
few pennies chinked into old Betty's tin
cup, but her store of earnings grew slowly.
Down the avenue, wrapped in velvet
and sables, shedding the perfume of Eng
llsh violets as she passed, and attended by
a smart French maid, came Miss Cynthia
| Coupon for her daily promenade, that CON
| stitutional SO requisite to the health and
| complexion OF the modern athletic femi-
nine swell. cynthia was daughter of the
| gods, tall, sycltc, fair and stately as a lily
typical well groomod New York girl
with shining, lustrous, golden bronze hair
and proud, frank, fearless eyes She was
a distinguished figure in the procession of
| elegant and beautiful women out on pa
rade that day. People nudged each other
as she passed.. 1.-The beautiful Miss Cou-
pom, Old Ben Coupons heiress, En-
gagemant just announced" Count de
Farandole, chateau in France, ancient
family, exchange Of title for millions
these were the snatches of comment and
gossip as the young beauty, carrying her
self as became countess elect, walked
through the crowd.
| Trained TO repress her natural emotions,
what looked behind that fair, naughty,
serene face? What thought darted through
her mind rs for an instant Miss Coupon
paused before bewildering display of
flowers in florists window? The Easter
flowers wero already in market and pots
of great, odorous, stately annunciation
lilies were standing there waiting through
the constantly opening doors the perfume
of their breath
you arc like a lily, tall, fair, sweet,
white lilyi" rang in her ears. Who said
that to her? Not the count whose bride
she was to be soon after Easter All, no, it
was not tho count!
And then face, an honest, handsome,
American face, with pleading lips and
Fesoluto eyes, the face of the man she
loved, whom she had sacrificed to her pitt
Jul ambition, came before her For an in
slant Miss Coupon felt like dying. There
was a dreadful little sharp pain near her
heart, and dreadful little sharp lump
rose in her throat; but, like the self pos
sessed young woman she had been drilled
TO be, she recovered herself, and thinking
of her chateau in France she walked on
Oh to where fate, in the person of old Bet
ty Herriok, Hester street, rear tenement,
stood waiting waiting for her
Heavens, how distressing!" murmured
Cynthia as she stopped and regarded this
battered old wreck Betty mumbled and
leered and hold out shaking purple claw
beseechingly.
Thore was word TO the French maid, a
snap Of a gold purse, the ohink of silver.
Betty looked down in stupefaction and be-
held two silver dollars. "Glory be to-
she shouted
Cynthia interrupted her.
"Whcro do you live, my uoor woman?"
Twenty three Hester street, lady"
That's not at all nice locality, is it,
zephine?" asked Miss Coupon.
Eet es Of all streets re most villain, -
announced Zephine, with Mortified eye
brows and alarmed shoulders.
Nevertheless I will go there said
Miss Coupon calmly. Il shall go to see
you, poor old SOUL"
zephine spluttered like jar of ferment-
ing fruit.
''Taisez-vous, Zephine,'' recommended
Miss Coupon as she turned away.
"Mais, mon Dieu''-
''Voulez-yous vous taire?" demanded
her young lady sharply and Zephine con-
cluded that she would hold her tongue,
for no ono ever presumed to stand in
Miss Coupons way when once her deoi-
sion was taken. And now, from some
strange whiIn, como caprice, Cynthia had
lettled in her mind that she would go and
E7e how the ether half Of the world lived.
She had beard great deal Of Summing
and concluded TO Try it bit on her own
account and see If it bored her.
Hester street to this day recalls tho
moment when cab rumbled through its
dingy borders ard stopped before the
wretched tenement wherein old Betty
svRd, and when there stepped from the
vckicle such a vision as had never before
dawned upon that neighborbood. Miss
Coupon came, Bringing store of provi-
sions and dalicacies which the maid and
cabman looked regretfully upon as on
waste Of SO much raw material
Old BETTY was sick. She was lying in
her wretchsd bed when Miss Coupon,
shuddering with disgust, found her filthy
room. But the old organ grinder had not
forgotten the handsome young lady WHIT
had given hor so much money. She
blessed her increasingly, she ate rayenous-
ly Of the food brought her, and she insist
ed upon kissing Miss Coupons hand,
proceeding to which the young lady sub
mitted with concealed aversion.
At length Betty asked the name of hel
visitor, and when it was given demanded
fercely, "Old Ben Coupons gal2''
Miss Coupon replied rather haughtily
that her fathers name was Benjamin,
upon which old Betty was seized with
fit of silent, horrible laughter. 1t SO
alarmed Miss Coupon, who fancied this
attack might be q precursor of sudden
death, that she sent Zephine out for aid.
Whom the maid had left the room, the