The Monitor-register., 1896-09-04
THE STORY OF MISS BLOSSOM
BY DEANE.

on you," Miss Blossom answered 10 her
soft, gentle way, shipping a few stitches
and taking off the %violets.
IT'S smarter" said Kitty, setting head
on one side and regarding it with a
satisfied air. "Henry Ballad is coming
home,' she said suddenly, watching the
little miiliner's glancing needle. "Did
you know Henry Ballard ?"
Somehow Miss Blossoms fingers trem.
bled suddenly.
"Yes." she said; Eyes, 1 knew him."
Hes been gone a loug time, amt he ?"
ratified Katie. Fifteen years. They
say he's got awfuliy rich. Aud he amt
married. l mean to set my cap for him."
Miss Blossom bent lower over the pink
rose. Perhaps it was the red sunset
through the little shop window that made
her face 80 rosy.
"I'm tired of these commonplace PEG.
ple," the girl said airly, drumming a
June on the little work table. 81 mean to
try a new one."
Miss Blossom watched the girl as she
went out through the little garden and
down the village street with her finery in
its tissue wrappings. Then she turIed
back to her little shop and set in order a
few trihes that had been misplaced. The
hands of the nickle clock pointed to six,
and she went out into her kitchen to set
a mite of a kettle On the fire, while she
brought olt tea things from a sweet and
spicy cupboard.
Somehow she seemed to be in q dream.
All these years she had remembered.
Aud now be was comiog back. But per-
haps he had forgotten. Men did forget,
and it had been a long time.
Barbara Wilcox ran in mex day with a
shawl over her head. She wondered il
Cinthy had heard the news. She herself
had learned it only that noon, when a
neighbor girl came in on IN errand. She
went over as soon as dinner was over.
She wanted to be the first to tell it to the
m%illiner, for she bad a fancy. She and
Cynthia Blossom had been ~schoolmates,
"Seems to me l remember you used to
think a good deal of Henry before be
went away" Barbara Wilcox said. after
she had discussed every other phase of
the matter. "Queer he didn't pick up a
wife 10 all these years. Maybe it's what
he come back for. Why, Cinthy Blossom.
You AMT going to put them blue corn
flowers with green ribbon, are you ?"
"Why, no, no!' said the poor little
milliner, in great confusion. "Of course
not! What am l thinking about ?"
81 used to think Henry and you was
going to make a match of it," continued
Miss Wilcox, with her small gray eyes
fastened relentlessly on her friends
flushed face.
'Oh, WE'LL" she said lightly, ''those
things have gone by, Barbara-for both
of u.s."
That was as near as the gentle soul
could come to sharpness Or retaliation.
But Miss Barbara gathered up her shawl
az went away.
And she had waited fifteen years fol-
his return. 10 all chat time the thought
of ais coming hal been her hope.
Many things had happened in those
fifteen years. Her father had died
People for miles around mourned for
mild little Doctor Blossom. How were
they going to manage without Doctor
Blossom? But a dashing young physi
clan came to the rescue, aud they were
saved. He wore a rakish pair of
whiskers and drove a fast horse. His
patients were always sicker than Doctor
Blossom IS had been, his fees were cor
respondingly larger. But then he carried
a cane and wore a silk hat.
When Miss Blossom fund herself
alone she opened a little shop in the front
room of the ell. She had always had a
knack with hats, and the maids and
matrons Of Bellpoint had come to depend
on her for theft millinery.
There was a bit of a show case two
feet long, a large mirror, an array Of
boxes, and a glass bell which had ouce
held a creation in wax WORK, but which
now covered the bit of head gear which
served as her window display. A little
work table and two chairs stood at one
side, and the other window was full Of
blossoming geraDiums. She had always
spoke of it as 1.-THE store"
And now he had come home. But be
had had many things to think about in
the meantime. What if he had forgotten
or had changed? She must wait and
be on her guard. She would not let him
know that she had remembered until she
was sure that he had not forgotten.
He came up the walk to the sitting
room door. Nearly everybody came and
went through the store, and the sitting.
room door stuck a little from disuse. HI
stopped a little as he entered. He was 6
tall man, and Doctor Blossom bad bull
MS mouse TO suit himself.
Miss Blossom sat down opposite him
The shaded lamp stood on the table al
one side; there was a dance of freight ir
the CRATE. 1t was Just fifteen years ago
Nothing seemed to have changed. Ever
Miss Blossom, in the dim light, looked
fair and girlish. His coming had brought
a soft color to her cheeks, her eyes wers
bright and excited.
"It's a long time since I saw you,
Cinthy. It's fifteen years."
yes" Cynthia Blossom answered
lightly, land people can change a good
deal in fifteen years"
"You hain't changed" said Henry
Ballard. 81 can hardly believe I've been
gone SO long when l look at you. And
everything is just as it used to be-"
sits the people who change" Miss
Blossom said, looking away into the fire.
They fipd out they've made mistakes,
and they changed their minds"
The mans eyes deepened suddenly.
II don't believe you've changed that
way, Cinthy."
Miss Blossoms heart was beating very
fast.
"He's going to keep his word just be-
cause he thinks | expect it," she cried to
herself, fiercely. He thinks he must,
because I've waited. 1t is he who has
changed"
So she only smiled, an indefinite smile
that might have meant almost anything,
and fell to talking of something else.
He went down the walk that night feel
ing ba fiji led and upsatis6ed. After all, it