The Monitor-register., 1896-01-24

anu d cDIrpy VOICE SAID:
"How are you, my dear? No, l can.
not stay, l only came in to beg q few of
your lovely flowers for an invalid friend
am going to see."
"You are welcome to al many as you
want Miss Hannah. l am sure that they
do no good there in the yard. Just wait
until l get the scissors" Marian replied,
the old cloud creeping back over her face,
and in a few minutes they were in the
garden, the basket being rapidly filed
with the choicest blossoms, while Miss
Hannah listened to a flood of peevish,
discontinued words. A faint sigh passed
the old lady's lips as she looked at the
daintily dressed little girl, complaining
so bitterly because one of her bright,
happy days had contained a slight dis
appointment.
Everything goes wrong. Whenever l
plan anything, something is sure to
happen every time," Marian cried, fret
fully, as she tossed a white lily into the
basket.
Miss Hannah did not reply at once; she
seemed to be thinking deeply, with her
eyes fixed upon the beautiful, stately
house rising at their side.
"That will do, deary," she said at last;
then, resting her wrinkled hand on the
pretty golden head, she continued gently:
"Marian, my dear, l want you to do me a
great kindness; will you take a pretty
cluster of these lilies to No. IS Walnut
Street and give them to Nellie Raymond?
She is a dear friend of mine. Tell her l
sent you"
An instant Marian hesitated, for Wal
nut Street was a poor place, where her
artist ocratic little feet had never been.
Then obeying a sudden impulse she
kissed her dead mothers old friend and
said, pleasantly: "Why, yes, Miss Han
nah, l will do that for you. go for my
music lesson this afternoon, and can come
back by Walnut Street."
Thank you, my dear. Do not forget
the lilies, and when l see you again you
must tell me what you bring away with
you" Then with a farewell kiss and
smile she went away, while Marian
slowly mounted the wide marble steps of
her home.
81 do not see why Miss Hannah sent
flowers here. The idea Of these lilies in
a place like this" Marian thought, with
a tilt of her dimpled chin. as she stepped
cautiously upon the porch of a very tiny
house.
"Come in, please called a bllthe
voice in answer to her timid knock, and,
clutohing her great bunch of lilies
tightly, she opened the door slowly and
entered. Such a bare little room, with
it's few poor articles of furniture, but o.,
so fresh and clean! In a large armchair
by the window a girl near Marian's own
age wal sitting, her hands busily knit
ting. "Will you please find a chair ?''
she said, turning her soft brown eyes
toward Marian; then, receiving no
answer, she continued: II do not know
who you are, for I am blind"
II am Marian Esmond, and Miss Han
nah Grey sent these lilies to Nellie Ray
mond," Marian answered, advancing to
the old chair and looking with wonder
into the bri ght face turned toward her.
Il am Nellie. o how kind Of you both,
and how sweet they are!" the blind girl
cried eagerly, as she lifted the snowy
blossoms carefully. 81 feel almost like
1 see them when they touch my face 80.
But sit down, will you not Tatters"-
touching the hugh gray cat curled up in
her lap-"and I are all alone this after
noon"
Marian paused a moment ifresOlutely,
then drawing a chair near the window
she seated herself, her eyes resting as If
fascinated, upon the animated face before
her. "Do you stay here alone all the
time ?" she asked at last, and . merry,
joyous laugh answered her: % dear, no!
Only during the day, for at night mother
is here, you know. She stays iD store,
and it is often quite late before she
comes. We do have lovely times when
she is here"
Marian's blue eyes opened widely as
she glanced around the bare little room,
and thought of her W cozy, nestlike
| quarters at home. Lovely times" here!
"And sometimes mother comes home
early, and when she is not too tired we
60 for a ride on the Getaway out, you
know, where it feels and smells just like
the country. l do enjoy that, and ]
think about them for ever so long, and
make up stories about how it must all
look. Do you live in the country ?" The
brown, sightless eyes we're again turned
toward Marian, who flushed slightly as
she answered:
"No; l live on Hamilton Avenue"
THAT is where so many beautiful
houses are, mother told me. How happy
| you must be! Do tell me all about you'll
home"
And for the next hour the two girls
chartered like, old friends.
'If you could only see the lovely
flowers in our greenhouses" Marian
surprised herself by saying suddenly, but
| Nellie's sweet face did not darken as she
answered softly, a beautiful light steal
ing into her sightless eyes:
"Some day l shall see but I am content
as it is now. It is dark outside, but you
know that makes it all the brighter
inside. Then I have SO much to make
me happy; everyone is 80 kind to mo that
1 do not have time to miss my poor eyes,"
Marian looked at the happy face of the
1 speaker with a rather queer expression in
her blue eyes, and when she tied her
wide hat on over her curIs it shaded a
very sober face. She had come in con-
tact with a new and unknown side of life,
and her face glowed and her pretty lips
1 quivered as she recalled her peevish com-
+ plants made to Miss Hannah. As she
said good-b bye she hesitated a moment,
then said, hastily: II am coming again,
Nellie, if l may. and some day soon I am
going to take you to my home for q
whole, long day among the flowers" A
warm kiss was pressed upon the blind
girls lips, and ere she could reply the
.-1.od o~gt1~ o,l .bo 80. n1o,o VT