Ladysmith news. [volume] (Ladysmith, Wis.) 1906-1907, 1907-02-09

//NE The little street
sweeper's arms
ached fearfully but his pocket was full
of pennies, interspersed with an occa-
sional half dime.
The clouds were breaking in the west,
and CLEAN of sunshine gilded the tail
tower of ST. Johns. Arch shouldered
his broom and whistled a merry tune
as he took his way homeWard. His
bright dark eyes sparkled as he thought
how the sight of his earnings would
cheer his feeble mother. She could
have tea now, with real milk and some
sugar in it, and an orange, too. Only
yesterday she was wishing she had an
orange.
Arch's way led past horticulturist's
store, and his eyes wandered longingly
over the display of flowers in the win
dow. He must have just one wee white
rose, because, only the Sabbath before,
while he sat at his mothers feet, she
had wept in telling him about the sweet
roses that used to grow under the win
dow of the little country cottage where
her happy youth had been spent.
The white rose would be like bring
ing back to her ever so little a bit of
the happy past. It could not cost much,
and Arch felt wealthy as a prince. He
stepped into the store and asked the
price of a white rose. The clerk an
swered him roughly:
Get out Of the store, you young ras-
cal. You want to steal something"
"I am not thief, sir" said the boy,
proudly, his sallow cheeks crimsoning
hotly. 81 want a rose for my mother.
I guess I can pay for it,
Its half a dollar, if you want it"
said the man sneeringly. SHOW your
money. or take yourself off this min
ute!"
Arch's countenance fell. He had not
half dollar in all. He turned sadly
away, his head dropping, his lip Quiv-
ering. Oh, how very hard it was to
be poor, he thought, looking enviously
at the costly carriage with pair of
splendid grays, standing before the
door.
"Stop, little boy!' said sweet voice
from somewhere among the roses and
heliotropes. us your mother sick?
Arch removed his cap-some Unborn
spirit of courtesy prompting him to be
reverent toward the glorious vision
which burst upon him. For moment
he thought he saw an angel, and al
most expected that she would unfold
her silvery wings, and vanish in gold
en- cloud from his sight. But after the
first glance he saw that she was little
girl about his own age-eight or nine
years old, perhaps-with yellow curls,
deep hazel eyes, a mouth like a rosebud,
and a blue silk frock. She repeated the
question:
"Is your mother sick, little boy?
''No. she is not sick, for she always
sits up, and sews. But she is not
strong, and her cheeks never have any
color in them, like yours
"And does she love flowers?"
eyes. she loves them dearly. She
kisses them always, when she has any.
And that's not often"
"Does she? That's nice. Just like |
dor' said the little girl in pleased
voice ''Mr. Burns"-to the gruff
clerk-'|here is dollar. Give me some
real nice roses, and two or three sweet
pinks. The lady shall have some flow
ers. Tell her I sent them"
"Who shall I say sent them?"
''Margie Harrison. Will she know
me, Think"
81 guess not. But it's all the same.
I shall tell her you are one of the angels,
anv way. She knows about them, for
she's told me ever so much about them"
The little girl laughed, and gave him
the flowers.
Don't soil them with your grimy
hands" she said little saucily; land
when YOU get home-let's see, what's
your Nance"
archer Trevlyn."
"Why, what a nice name! Just like
names in story book. I know some
elegant people by the name of Trevlyn.
But they live in big house and have
flowers enough of their own. So they
can't be your folks, can they?"
mo, CnGy re uOL LILY lO1hS, ACpIAOu
the boy with a touch of bitterness in his
voice.
well, Archer, when you get home,
YOU wash your face, do! It's so dirty"
The boy flushed holly. If one of his
companions had said that to him, he
would have knocked him down instant
". But he forgave everything this lit
tie girl said, because she was so beau
tiful and kind.
"I am street sweeper, miss"
ooh. that accounts for it, then. It's
very muddy today, and you must be
tired Hark! there's Florine calling me-
Good-by, Archer"
She vanished, and a moment later
| the boy say her disappear within the
glittering carriage, which, loaded down
with fragrant blossoms, was driven
slowly away. He stood little while
looking after it, then, pulling his cap
down over his eyes, and grasping the
stems of her flowers tightly in his
little purple hand. he started home.
Home! 1t could hardly be called SO,