The citizen., 1908-12-11

~ - pay you anu Duy more IL you
have them. Will you do that?"
on, yes, ma'am, I'd be glad to-"
cried Linda, Frightening, and wishing
she could give one of the daintily
gloyed hands a squeeze in her own
brown paws.
Amt she lovely!" she exclaimed,
looking after her moment later.
I'D like to grow up like her. She'll
never be like that old lady,"
This one success made her try
again and again more hopefully; but
the Noes" came so thick and fast
that the brave little heart grew
heavy. The basket was still so full!
She comforted herself by often OPEN
ing the purse and peeping at the wee
bit of silver tucked away in one of
the dark corners.
"There's ten cents there" she
would say, "and I'll have ten more
from the lady; that's twenty, and
lot. We can live a couple of days on
twenty cents; but I'd like to get s.me-
thing towards the rent"
1t was now well on to noon. Linda
was warm and tired. Remembering
the bread in her pocket, she seated
herself on horse-block in a shady
place to eat and rest. Wonderfully
refreshed by her luncheon and breath
ing spell, Linda caught up her basket
with lightened heart, resolved to try
again. She took a peep at her prec-
ious dime, saying:
"The doctor said it would De
good luck penny, and bring more.
Well, I've twenty cents anyway.
That's lots better than nothing"
The doctor must have been a true
prophet, for the dime was a good
luck" penny. Perhaps the fairy (if
there was one at the bottom of it alD
meant to teach Linda that success in
everything worth having or doing re-
quires patience and perseverance. 1t
may be the good sprite wished her to
know that keenest of delights, good
fortune after misfortune, success
after failure. But this know, Linda
turned into one of the business
streets, after she had eaten her lunch
con, at exactly the right time; for
how could she fail to find customers
in the merchants and clerks goingsto
| dinner, and the teachers and scholars
| just leaving the High School UP the
street?
Dear. dear! how brisk business was
from the start! A portly old gentle
man was her first customer, and he
left her with quarter, and feeling
quite overcome by the immensity of
the transaction. After that it was
school girl, full of admiring adjec-
tives; or dapper young clerk; or an
old lady, remembering the violets
that grew on her fathers farm; or a
teacher, longing for breath of the
woods; or busy merchant, who
stopped at sight of Linda's basket.
1t was not long before the flowers
had all, save two punches, changed
hands; and Linda, remembering the
young lady, turned her steps toward
| Everette street. The pocketbook was
no longer empty; one would never
have dreamed it was the same thin
purse of the morning, so plump and
well-conditioned had it grown.
Linda peeped in through the fence
at the house she was looking for, ad-
miring the beautiful home with the
wide, we'll kept lawn, its garden at
the side bright with flowers, and the
fine old trees casting over all their
| generous shade. A lady sat reading
on one of the verandas, and at her
feet, on a large rug, baby was
tumbling about, growing gleefully.
Linda thought the fat baby would
have a fine place to grow up in.
\ Finally she ventured in, glancing
ruefully at her dusty shoes and sorry
looking frock. Hallway up the walk
she stopped in terror, for big mas
tiff, which had been asleep on the
| grass, arose, stretched himself and
came toward her, acting as if he
would have preferred finishing his
nap, but must attend faithfully to
| trespassers. Linda trembled at sight
of the great tawny fellow with his
huge body and square, black muzzle,
and felt inclined to flee. But after a
good stare he stopped a few feet from
her, and as she ventured on again,
swung behind her in great dignity,
as if to say, "I'll not eat you up this
time; but, understand, I allow no
nonsense"
Linda was at the steps before the
lady looked up. She glanced care
lessly at the little girl.
Il don't think we have anything
for you, child" she said, not un-
kindly.
The hot blood surged into Linda S
face.
II amt a-begging,7 she said,
quickly.
At the sound of her voice her
friend of the morning came from the
house.
Here you are!" she cried, cheerily.
"Come up here and rest while l go
for my purse.
Linda sat shyly down on the edge
of veranda chair and looked about
her. AS soon as her eye rested on the
fat baby staring at her from the rug,
she forgot all else and slipped down
beside it. The big mastiff regarded
this as an unwarrantable liberty, and
growled threateningly until the lady
said, "It's all right, Colonel when
he withdrew to watch proceedings
from the end of the veranda