The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-04-10

Gus violet and gay daffodil. although the
cold, biting wind, the dark, forbiddiBg
sky, the rushing throng of humanity that
swept along clad in winter garments with
collars turned up, with rosy cheeks or per
haps purple ecountenances, was an emphatic
assurance that Winter had not yielded to
gentle Spring, who had at the proper time
as told by the calendar assembled the throne
that in all Justice belonged to her, but
with dogged tenacity tbcfitting his stern
character had continued to wear the COR
onet and WELD the scepter.
Tt was not an unusually late spring, but
Easter was unusually carly.
The delicate flowers seemed to shiyer as
they were touched by the breath of the
chilling wind and TO the sympathetic
heart and genuine lover of flowers it
seemed cruel and unkind act that they
should have been forced from a genial
cline to suffer as they surely must have in
that atmosphere laden with the icy breath
of winter
A little girl of not more than 13 stood
on the corner of Broadway and Thirty
fourth street, poorly clad, and, as substi
tute for hat and jacket, plaid shawl
was drawn closely over her head and pin
ned at her throat, which fell in points
front and back TO tho tops of her button
less and well worn boots
On her left arm hung basket in which
were few buDcbes Of violets. In her right
hand she held bunch of tho same, which
;he held out to the passersby, hoping that
some one might be attracted by their per-
fume and buy, that their appearance might
be appropriately and becomingly adorned
the next day being Easter Sunday
But everybody seemed in hurry and
took no notice of the poor little waif whose
fragile form was keenly suffering from tho
penetrating cold and whose heart was
sorely aggrieved at the destitute circum
stances of her family.
Amid tho grand surroundings of that
locality she could not lose sight of her
mother, whose life, it seemed was fast
drawing to iys close, nor of her two little
sisters, whose thin bodies and wan coun-
tcnances told too plainly that the wolf had
not only reached the door, but had found
an entrance and had domiciled himself
within.
The grand sights fitted before her VI
sion, but the scene that she had that morn
ing witnessed before leaving the plainly
and scantily furnished rooms, made sacfct
phantom home" fingered. She plainly
heard above the din the pleading voices
of those two little sisters begging her tt
hurry back with something for them Il
eat, and how was she to do so unle@ shs
could sell her flowers?
Tho morning had passed, and tho after
noon WAS Fastening on to fall asleep il
the arms Of twilight. The crowds grew
more dense, and the surging mass movel
on with greater rapidity.
The little flower girl still stood on tbt
corner Offering her violets to the passersby
She had sold but three bunches. Shs
had five left She must dispose Of then
all
Won't you please buy these violets?'
she asked of a beautiful woman that pass
cd with dainty little miss clingiDg t.
her arm.
The woman passed on,
The little vender, becoming more per
sistent with the pangs of hunger loudl
gnawing within her own breast, whicl
created even greater gym nathy and anxiet