Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1899-04-27
lust AROUND THE CORNER.

standing in the middle Of the room,
duster in hand, watching me atten-
lively. as | listlessly refilled bowl
with fresh roses, tossing the others
on the table, though they we're
scarcely withered Mt all. What did
it matter: The conservatory was
full of flowers.
"Ye4, you may gather them in .
paper and take them. jane" re-
Piled, wondering little e the eirl's
sudden Interest. - as'.-'
Would it be all the same to you
ma'aE, If ! kept them? ?" she ask
ed, as she carefully placed them in
the paper.
DO what you like with them,
Il answered, turning away. Drop
ping wearily iuto my chair, | took
up my book again when something
oh, these mysterious something's
made me look up. She was stand.
ing at the table carefully holding
the paper OF flowers and gazing n
tently at me with her honest blue
eyes.
Jane wGs typical Irish girl, aud
her blue eyes with their dark lashes
and her black hair, together with
her Irish brogue had always attract
ed me. That is, until lately moth
ing interested me now.
What are you going to do with
the flowers / asked, struck, in
spite of myself, by her expression.
Her face lighted up instantly she
was evidently waiting for just that
question.
They're for the Donnelly baby,
ma'am. 1t died yesterday and the
mother, poor soul, she do hate to
bury it without the sign of a flower
at ALL
'Donnelly? sand, wondering.
ly. Who are they, and where do
thew live, Jane?'
why, ma'am, she's vour own
washer~oman and she lives lust
around the corner like. Her man
is a poor stick of a lad. Jane
called all of her men acquaintances
lads regardless of their ages |
She's u dacint woman, aud it's a
hard time she's having
"Tell James to cut you a box of
fresh fiowers,' / said, 'and tell Mrs.
Donnelly / am very sorry for her,
Thinking this settled the matter.
| resumed my reading. Still Jane
fingered | felt her eyes upon me,
and impatiently laid down nv book
and looked up at her. There were
actually tears in the girls eyes as
they looked appealingly into mine.
'Oh, Mrs. Grant = she said, and
her voice trent bled, will ye excuse
me il / make bold to ak favor of
ye" In her excitement she un-
consciously dropped into the Irish
brogue she was gradually losing.
'Wouldn't you be willing just this
once, to take in the flowers your
own self? She'd be that PLACED,
and she's little enough to place her,
God knows. | wouldn't ask ye,
but she's nate, cleanly woman,
and'--here Jane hesitated, watch
ing me closely-'she was so sorry
for you, maam.'
And with this last remark she
left the room softly and decidedly
surprised, and rather annoyed at
her unusual behaviour, | again
opened my book. But it was of no
use /; could not read. The pathet-
ic little story of the dead child
'just around the corner brought
back so vividly my own grief, for
only few weeks ago my darling
baby was buried. / conid see Ter
now, lying in bed of flowers, her
little hands clasping tiny rose bud
and the grave in which 1t was so
terrible to leave her, q bank of the
choicest flowers.
Nov, lust around the corner.
like as Jane expressed it, vas this
other baby with no flowers, no
dsintiness. But such people are 50
different, | argued With myself.
Size can't miss her baby as | do
mine. She has five children left,
and / have nothing Then l
thought of my husband, who was
such q tower of strength to me,
and of the loving sympathy of so
many friends. and selfish as I was.
had the grace to feel ashamed.
This woman's husband wss evident
ly worthless. from what Jane said.
Well, the girl would take her the
! A-~~ 81 k.l A~~. ~n- ~~~S