Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-10-31

CHE was a thin slip Of n girl, with
.pale sallow cheeks and q figure a.
0<fragile "a the flowers she carried
n her basket.
II was her eyes and her hands which
marked her OF from the common herd.
Had these been Of regulation pattern,
there were nothing to distinguish her
from any dozen Of her companions. But
her eyes, which were brown In color,
were large and lustrous and had pro-
voking habit Of dropping the lashes
when she looked at one. whether cal.
culatsd coquetry or natlve-born man.
ner were chiefly concerned would have
pushed an expert to decide. That II
was fetching" few men would have
ventured to deny. Her hand. small and
well.shaped, boosted the taper fingers
and hilbert nails generally associated
with birth and breeding.
She sold flowers In Cheapside. Her
station was the steps OF the Peel statue;
and every morning, week In and week
out, 40 the clocks Of the city were
striking 10 she would deposit her bas.
ket at the foot Of the column and pre-
pare for the business of the day.
From 10 to o she piled her wares dili.
gently. pushing the sale with all the
tact which . lifc's experience had
taught her and all the wilss which Q
woman's wit could suggest. But each
evening. when the weary city was fast
smptying and the bell Of the great Gu.
thsdral was still echoing overhead. her
eye would sweep the long length Of
crowded asphalt with searching
glances; and 40 she scanned the TEEN.
Ing multitude pouring westward Q spot
Of crimson would suddenly show In the
wan, white cheeks and the dark brown
orbs would dash and kindle with q curl.
Gus mystic light.
He always contrivsd to bs In Cheap
eide between Q and half.past. Il was
their custom to walk together down
Queen Victoria street to Blackfriars
bridge. At this point they separated
she crossing to the Surrey side. he tax.
Ing "turn" through Fleet street and
the Strand before following In the same
direction. They had commenced tho
practice In midwinter. had continued Il
throughout the spring, and now thcy
had reached midsummer.
From afar she could distinguish his
barrow among the throng Of vehicles
which filed the thoroughfare. When
hs had doubled" the corner and got
into the comparative slack water Of
the churchyard she crossed over and
Joined him. A nod that was almost
imperceptible. answered by smile
that was bright and sunny. was all tho
recognition that passed between them.
The girls glance wandered involun.
tarily to the barrow. 1t was the sea.
son for cherries, and she noticed tho
long array Of empty baskets.
Been 'avin' q good day. Joe. amt
yerr'
"Middlin' like"
IVY y'ain't on'y one molly left"
"Praps l been givin' 'em away" The
tone was Enthusiastically surly.
For the next thirty yards they walk.
"a on In silence. the girl watching tho
man furtively. the man pushing the
barrow languidly and staring strenu.
ously at nothing.
"Ha' yer th0rt on wot tole yer?" he
said presently. 40 the girl stepped OF
the pavement to avoid collision with q
parcel Of boys. The light that had
lightened them died out Of her syss, the
color which had come into her cheeks
fosook them. her mouth grew hard,
and her face, lost at once Ito youth and
animation.
The man continued r. stare Into VI.
eancy and walk mechanically after biz
barrow.
~ can't do ut, Joe. I can't do ut
amt got no rest these two nishts-but
I can't do ut"
The words came with difficulty and
the voice palpitated with emotion.
The man shrugged his shoulders i'm.
patiently.
"Wot's the good Nv i'm, Ell !? A dod'riu
ole lunetic. Wots the use Nv i'm tel
anybody He orter been dead years
ago"
"He's me father, joe" she murmur
ID. reproachfully.
"Father be bowed! He's dun q 10,
fer you, amt he? Y'ort ter feel proud
Nv i'm, didn' yer? Pinchin' his gait
money-drinkin' till he's got the devils
an talkin' tommy rot bout bein' q
genelman an the son Nv a genelman
wy he amt got no more decency an
q pig. When he can't gorge hisself M
longer pig II lie in the swill trough
and when your genelman fathers ha(
q skinful he'll snore by the hour long
side a quart pot"
He stole a glance at the girl out O
the corner OF his eye. The busy bust
ling life Of London eddied round them
the roar of the great Babylon was Il
their ears; but not StrephOn and Chic
~ In the sweet seclusion Of idyllic lane
could have been more oblivious to tn
passing moment than this pair Of cit,
livers In the hot and crowded streets.
"Praps he amt as good as he Nigh
be. But there's wuSs about an'-h
warn't allays so, joe"
/ 20! II you likes to put up wiz I'm
LIZA, 80 do. 'Tain't no concern (
mine-is itT he added modify.
II can't SEN I'm to the workus, Joe.
but ye can SEN me to the dewitt" b
snapped sharply; and an ugly loo
leapt out Of his eyss.
! They passed under the raiiwa