The Van Buren press., 1895-05-25

have q wace, and when l said my
pwayers told the Lord ! was glad
| Wobbie had bweaked his locipede.
was, but when wanted to 90 to sleep
! feeled bad here" and Betty placed
. tiny hand on her chest, and drew .
long breath. "But by and by, after
much as hour, guess, thinked how
naughty that was, and then telled
the Lord was sorwy Wobbie had
bweaked his 'locipede and would lend
him mine part Of the time; and then
feeled good, and l was asleep in .
minute"
"And what about Robbie?" asked
Mr.. Rogers.
"Well,' replied the child, II guess II
keep on loving him, he won't be
fnnymunt' much longer"
II guess not, either" said Mr..
Rogers, giving his hand to help her
| down from the seat as the cars slack
cned speed at M, and stopped at
the station. He led the child from the
car, and gave her to her grandmother's
care.
II hope she has not troubled you,"
said the lady, looking fondly at the
child.
ION the contrary, madam, she has
done me world OF good, said he, sin
cerely, as he raised his hat and, bidding
Betty good-by, stepped back into the
car.
Mr.. Rogers resumed his seat, and
looked out of the window, but he did
not see the tire es, nor the green fields,
nor the peaceful river, with its thou
sands of white water lilies like stars
in the midnight sky.
Had he told the Lord that he was
glad his ''innymunt" had broken his
velocipede, and could not Join in the
race for wealth and position? When
he came to put the question straight to
his soul, 1t certainly did look like it.
II was of no use for him to say that
the notes were honestly due. He knew
that he could afford to wait for the
money, and that II Robert French was
forced to pay them at once. he would
probably be ruined and he heard the
sweet voice Of the child saying: "Love
your 'innymunts,' and he said in his
heart. using the old familiar name Of
bis boyhood days: "Lord, I'm sorry
Rob has broken his velocipede; I'll lend
him mine until he gets his men ded."
Had the sun suddenly come out from
behind q dark cloud? Mr.. Rogers
thought SO; but 1t had really been
shining its brightest all the morning.
A boy came through the train with
great bunch of water lilies, calling:
"Liliescentapiecesixforfi."
Here, boyl" called Mr.. Rogers.
"Where did those come fromP"
"White Pond Lily cove" said the
boy, eying Mr.. Rogers with some per-
| plexity. He had been train boy for
1ve yea RS, and never had known him to
buy anyt hing but the journal.
"What'll you take for that bunch?''
Fifty cents" replied the boy,
promptly.
Mr.. Rogers handed him the half-dol-
lar, and took the fragrant lilies. "How
do you get into the cove now7' he
asked, as the boy pocketed the money
and was moving on.
'Git out'n' shove her over the bar"
replied the boy as he went on.
Mr.. Rogers looked down at the flow
ers with streaks Of pink on the outer
petals, at the smooth, pinkish-brown
stems. and thought Of the time, forty
years before, when he and Rob, two
barefooted urchins, had rowed across
White pond in leaky boat, and by
great exertion dragged and pushed 1t
over the bar, and been back home at
seven o'clock In the morning with such
o load of lilies as had never been seen
in the village before. Yes, he remem-
bered it; and Rob's mother was frying
doughnuts when they got back, and
she had given them six apiece. Oh, she
knew what boys appe tites werel She
had been dead for thirty years, he
thought.
Just then the cars glided into the
station. Everybody rushed out of the
train, Mr.. Rogers fol lowing in kind
Of dream. He walked along until he
came to Sudbury street, and stopped at
a place where he read: Robert
French, Manufacturer OF Steam and
Gas Fittings"
He entered the building and, going
up one fight of stairs, opened door
and entered room fitted up as an Of
Ace. A man sat at desk, anxiously
examining pile Of papers He looked
up as Mr.. Rogers entered, stared at
him as If he could not believe his eyes,
and, without speaking, rose from his
chair and offered seat to his visitor
Mr.. Rogers broke the silence. Rob"
he said, holding out his hand, these
came from the cove where we used to
| 20, and-and-I've come around to say
that If you want to renew those notes
that are due to-day, am ready to do
so, snd-and-"
But Mr.. French had sunk into his
chair, and, with his head buried in his
hands, was sobbing as II his heart
would break.
Mr.. Rogers awkwardly laid the lilies
on the desk and sat down. Don't,
Rob-" he said, at length.
"You wouldn't wonder at 1t, Tom"
was the reply, If you knew what I
had endured for the past forty-eight
hours. can pay every penny, II 1
have time, but to pay them to-day
meant absolute ruin"
"Well, guess we can fix all that"
said Mr.. Rogers, looking intently into
the crown OF his hat. Have you any
more papers out9"
LESS than two hundred dollars, !"
was the reply.
Tho twenty years of estrangement
were forgotten, like q troubled dream
as the two men went over business pa
pers together; and when they finally