The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-12-04
Coming at length out OF a yard

ieAs
"oh. what pretty flowers." she
cried. in burst of admiration and
friendliness that went TO the child's
sore heart. All yiolets, aren't they?
IL only l had my purse with me-
Have YOU sold many?" and the kind
eyes turned TO the tired, dusty little
girl.
The friendly tone and manner did
what all the rebuffs had not done:
they brought tears 10 the child's eyes.
Linda tried hard 10 keep them back,
and felt greatly mortified when two
big ones spilled over and rolled down
her cheeks.
There. don't feel bad" cried her
new friend. 1T is hard 20 try and
try and not succeed, but I'm sure
you'll sell them all. yet. Do you
know where Everette street is?"
"Oh, yes, ma am" Linda answered.
Gould YOU find eight hundred and
seven, do YOU think"
I'm sure could
Then I've a plan. Let me take
two bunches OF the violets. white and
purple, for | am going TO see a sick
lady, and she would enjoy them. Then
, any time after an hour or SO shall he
at home, and YOU can come 10 eight
hundred and seven Everette street
and I'll pay you and buy more II you
have them. VIII you do that"
"Oh, yes, ma am. Id he glad to"
cried Linda, Frightening, and wishing
| she could give one of the dsintily
brown paws.
Amt she lovely" she exclaimed.
! looking after her moment later.
I'D like 10 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 a
lot. We can live couple of days on
twenty cents; but I'd like TO get s. nc
thing towards the rent"
II was now well on To noon. Linda
was warm and tired. Remembering
| the bread in her pocket, she seated
| herself on a horse-block in 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 peep at her prec-
| ious dime, saying:
"The doctor said IL would oe n
good luck penny, and bring more,
| Well, I've twenty cents anyway.
That's lots better than nothing"
The doctor must have been true
! prophet, for the dime was good
| luck" penny. Perhaps the fairy OF
| there was one at the bottom OF IL all)
meant TO teach Linda that success in
| quires patience and perseverance. IL
may be the good sprite wished her 90
/ 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 going to
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
T left her with a quarter, and feeling
/ quite overcome by the immensely of
! the transaction. After that IL was a
school girl, full OF admiring adsec-
lives; or a 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 a busy merchant, who
! stopped at sight OF Linda's basket.
1t was not long before the flowers
. hdu all, save lWO DuUfHtb, fDhUkfu
4 hands; and Linda, remembering the
| Young lady, turned her steps toward
. Everette street. The pocketbook was
no longer empty; one would never
| have dreamed IL was the same thin
purse OF the morning. so plump and
wsll-conditioned had II grown.
Linda peeped in through the fence
at thD house she was looking for. ad-
miring the beautiful home with the
wide, well kept lawn, its garden at
i the side bright with flowers, and the
4 fine old trees casting over all their
generous shade. a lady sat reading
on one OF the verandas, and at her
feet, on large rug, A baby was
tumbling about, Growing gleefully.
Linda thought the fat baby would
have fine place 10 grow mp In.
Finally she ventured in, glanclng
| ruefully at her dusty shoes and sorry
looking frock. Hallway up the walk
\ she stopped in terror. for a big mas