Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-06-07
A CARNIVAL ROSE.
From the French.

again, like shuttlecoek, from those
miniature raoquets, the hands OF
Parisiennes. At last. missed by an
awkward hand it fell into the short,
muddy grass, where it lay unnoticed
and later in the day, when the gayety
was checked by the rain, it was pushed
here and there by the feet of the
strong, which hurried on in the
dimmed light. shining through many
oolored globes.
It was small, Wild rose, hardly
more than bud, with a long, thorny
stem. As j passed along with the
crowd my eye fell upon the dying
blossom, a bit Of color in the wet
street. At glance. / knew its story
gay and triumphant at the beginning
of the day of pleasure and folly, sad
and neglected at the close-fading now,
but charming still. The impulse seized
me to pick it up and keep it. Perhaps
it might hold that fragrance, sweeter
to me than any other-the fragrance
which have breathed as, standing in
the hall, after o'clock tea, l have
held to my lips for an instant, a certain
daintily gloved little hand. And, be-
sides, this little rose was all that was
left from the life of an hour when
Paris, bewildered and blooming, had
initiated the whims and merrymaking
Of the Roman cross.
The true poet gathers together all
that Is left from human joy-that sad
ness which is as the lees Of the wine
of happiness. From this he makes the
songs which touch the heart.
stopped to take up the flower. But
q little hand was before mine--the
hand Of young girl, poorly dressed,
indeed almost in rags. | drew back,
not disputing with the child the pos
session of the sad waif of blossom,
which she seized and thrust, quickly
and furtively, under the folds of her
buttonless waist. Poor little one 1t
pleased her, used to walking in the
mud, to pluck flower there.
Instinctively, turned to study the
people, a man and a woman, who were
with the child, and l followed them
with the noisy crowd which hurried
along In the rain. They we're shahbily
clothed and she wore no cloak. Her
loosened hair hung round her neck 10
stragglfng disorder, while his brown
looks, evidently ouried by some country
hair -dresser, fell from under his round
cap down to his eyes. Both showed il
their dress and manner that they were
hardened to want and to rags. They
were the true type of that dreadful
Partisan pair, the street-cad and his
wife. She did not take his arm; they
made the little giil walk before then
and as they passed along he was com
planning in q growing voice:
What beastly day it has been
with shower always threatening Th,
rich people have not left their carriages
and as for the country folk who hav
come to look on, in spitesof the weathe
there IS nothing to hope for from them
for they know too we'll how to guar,
their purse-strings. 1t is shame no
to be able to do little business, whel
man Is willing to work. Stranger
have some chance, especially tn
English, on account of the races
They are taken for respectable geople
who have relatives in the stables an,
who may have some information t
offer about the horses which are b
run, aud while they are talking, if the
keep their wits, they may accomplish
something. But the French are AWAY
suspicious of the French and afraid t
have word with man. here it is
TO o'clock at might've came here at
this afternoon, and in all that time
not one stroke of good luck have W
had. We should have hardly enoug
to get a drink before going to bed,
the child had not begged a few sou
among the carriages. / have a goo
right to be angry. 1t would seem tina
a man must exile himself, since Their
is no way for him to make living i
his own country" All this was inter
spersed with foul oaths and coars
language.
Why did l follow and listen to thes
vile creatures? On account of the litt
girl, so battered, thin and mIserabl,
There was something exquisite to N
in the idea that she had picked up
flower.
"Marguerite!"
Yes, mamma, said the child wit
start.
Her mother gave her blow.
n Next time, answer me more quiokl,
V Look there! DO you see those peop
who are coming? Go! Make haste p'
The child approached some count
people who we've almost running aIor
in the rain, looking for carriage, an
holding out her hand, she said, Or
tending to cry:
Dear sir, kind madam, we ha,
five little children at home and ca,
is out Of work. Do give me somethii
lit will bring you happiness.
They handed her small piece
money, and, when they passed on, 81
brought it back to the woman.
"Stupidp' cried she, why did W
not run after them? They would ha
given you more" and sho struck b
again.
The little one burst into tears. 81
was not more than or years old al
SO wretchedly thin, while under i
light Of the lamps her face was
CHASTITY pale that the freclzles scatter
over it looked like spots of mud. +
q moment she wepJ with short sol
then, suddenly, oeasine to cry, 8
walked on before the hideous coup
her hand hidden in her dress.
seemed to comfort her to touch {
flower which she had found.
But what could that blossom do /
herr Born IL some wretched howell
the crowded city, accustomed to i
which knew no Sundays, she could 1
be homesick for the fields and gro,
nor for walks in the woods with
schoolmates. A rose, to her, one wo,
think must mean simply somethi
which was sold to gentlemen in
evening, on the boulevard-and bloy
late at night, If one had not been W
paid.
All day she had watched the N
flight of bouquets. She had seen
beautifully dressed women, radiant q
happy, laughing and bending th
beads to shield their hats from /
flying missiles of roses and peoni