The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-07-13

even watering the plants-generously-
doing work Molly had formerly done. At
first the clerks thought that the house
hold had risen to the dignity of keeping
a servant,a half servant, rather-but
they concluded that the slip Of a girl
with the hair and checks like Molly's
was a sister and not a domestic. Oc-
casionally Molly would sit by the win
DOW, sewing; but not often, for the days
had grown cooler. & f@S
Gradga!ly, as the autumn wore on, the
accomplishing flower pots We're neglect
cd more and more. The begonia's flowers
withered away and the geranium took on
yellowlsh tlnts in spots, and the clerks
across the way gnawed their mustaches
and swore.
The melancholy days came-dull- gray
tenement rear wall, dull-gray yard pave
mcnts; and sad gray skies. And chill
breczes blew and beat upon the fire es-
cape and the two tiower-pots. And the
poor plants bent this way and that be-
fore the glacial breaths of the wind and
grew ycllower and fecbler, like hopeless
invalitls. The begonia, particularly, suf-
fcred from the rude winds unwelcome
caresscs. And the thin clerk, us he saw
has beloved die day by day, waxed so ILL
humorcd as to be almost unbearablc
But the younger man paid no attention
to him; he had troubles of his own His
gcranium was also dying, inch by inch,
leaf by leaf. They dreaded to look out
from their windows now, did the two
clerks, for they hated to witness the de-
mise Of all they loved in the great, rum
bling city.
One day-it was Sunday morning and
1or few hours the sky forgot to be
ana 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
pltyIng oh which her lips made, to ex-
press her grief. Presently her husband
TOO late, you fool!' muttered the thin
clerk: savagely. And he was right, for
fortnight later the man returned the pots
to the hre escape. The plants were
DEAD; only the stumps remained. TO the
clerks the deed was inhuman, the sight
grewSOme.
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 dweIt were closed day
and night. She had not moved away,
for IN the evening the rooms were bright
And then the winter froze the san in
the heart of the plants and memory in
the hearts of the clerks. The recollec-
ton 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 springlike in it's warmth.
His eyes met the u4changing monotony
Of gray tenement wall and frown came
on his face. Then, of a sudden his eyes
brigh ened and he smiled.
"Bill' he said, ''come here; quickw
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, congratulatorily.
Then they smiled dclightedly 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 very curious way.
She held wonderful baby in her arms!
New York Commercial Advertiser.