The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-07-06

1 NoiltSI " nat Will MOI
| ly, Jim?" said the younger clerk.
"llow should | know" answered Jim
testify
''Do you think shc's-she's tead?"
''Huh!' Jim looked startled. Non
sense. man." he said presently, with af-
/ fected assurance. IF she were, that
brute would have shown it. She's SIM
| ply getting his breakfast while he waters
the plants. or. rather, one plant"
But their faces wore q preoccupied
look rs they left the house that MORN
Ing To their relief. they beheld Molly
in the evening sitting by her window do
ing some worSted work. She did not look
i'll. On the contrary, her smooth checks
had their usual kiSsable pink, and she
looked particularly well.
They did not see much of her after
that. Her husband continued TO wash
the windows and to water the plants
after fashion. He was. it must be nd
mittcd. impartial in his incompetence as
n flower sprinkler, sometimes neglecting
the begonias until the thin clerk almost
choked with impOtent rage, and, again.
forgetting the gcranium until the youn-
ger clerk looked sorrowful enough to
melt the hardest heart.
\ young girl. not more than IA and
bearing striking resemblance to Molly,
was now seen in the tenement rooms
sweeping and busting and occasionally
even watering the plants generously, do
ing work Molly had formerly done. At
first the clerks thought that the house
hold had risen to the dignity Of keeping
n servant-a half servant, rather-but
they concluded that the slip Of girl
with the hair and cheeks like Molly's
was a sister and not a domestic. Occa-
sionally Molly would sit by the window.
sewing. but not often, for the days had
grown cooler.
Gradually, aS the autumn wore on, the
accomplishing iowerpots were neglected
more and more. The begonia's flowers
withered away, and the geranium took
on yellowish tints in spots, and the
clerks across the way gnawed their mus.
taches and swore.
The melancholy days came-dull gray
tenement rear walls. dull gray yard pave
ments and sad gray skies. And chill
Breezes blew and beat upon that fire cs-
cape and the two fowerpots. And the
poor plants bent this way and that before
the glacial breath OF the wind and grew
yellower and feebler, like hopeless III
valids. The begonia particularly suf-
fered from the rude winds unwelcome
caresses. And the thin clerk, as he saw
his beloved die day by day, waxed so i'll
humored rs to be almost unbearable.
But the younger man paid no attention
to him; he had troubles of his own. His
geranium was also dying inch by inch.
leaf by leaf. They dreaded to look out
from their window now, did the two
clerks, for they hated to witness the de-
rpica Of oil hay IaxoI in he
bling city.
One day-it was a Sunday morning.
and for few hours the sky forgot to be
autumnal and became blue and cheerful
and sunshiny-they saw her open the
window and gaze upon what remained of
the murdered plants. They didn't hear
her shrek of dismay, but they saw the
plying oh" which her lips made to ex
press her grief Presently her husband
came and took theepots into the room.
'TOo late. you fQol!" muttered the thin
clerk savagely. Aid he was right. for a
fortnight later the man returned the pots
to the fire escape. The plants were dead:
only the stumps remained. To the clerks
the deed was inhuman, the sight grew
some.
Then the fall threw lead dust over sky
and tenement yards. and the winds be-
came wintry in their penetrating power.
and the curtained windows Of the tene
ment where Molly dwelt were closed
day and night. She had not moved away.
for in the evening the rooms were bright
ly lighted.
And then the winter froze the sap in
the hearts of the plants and memory in
the hearts of the clerks. The recollection
of Molly slumbered within them.
One Sunday. just before Christmas. the
thin clerk raised his window and looked
out. 1t was bright. clear day, full Of
sunlight. almost spriuglike in its warmth.
His eyes mt the unchanging monotony
of gray tenement wall. and a frown came
on his face. Then. of n sudden, his eyes
frightened, and he smiled.
Bill" he said, "come here, quick"
Bill went.
Look" said the thin clerk.
Bill looked. Then he turned to Jim
and held out his hand. The two poor
clerks shook hands cordially. congratula
toriy. Then they smiled delightedly and
shook hands once more.
Molly sat in her accustomed place by
the window. 1t was the first time they
had seen her in nearly two months. She
was smiling in a very curious way.
She held wonderful baby in her arms,
Commercial Advertiser.