The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1919-09-09
I'LL THREE HAPPY
'Se Shines a Good Deed in a
Naughty World"
Dsautifui lris Flower That Old coicr.
ed Man Carried Led TO Pretty In
eident Witnessed on Busy
City Street

He was quite old and very black
His tired eyes were like those Of
faithful dog who has had long day
and sits quietly looking up at his mas
ter just before lying down ON his rug
for the night. A neat and clean old
black man was he. but not SO prosper
GUS a. one would wish to be. perhaps.
in the evening of life. He was not
moving as rapidly as were most Of the
people on the busy street, and from
time to time he almost stopped his
slow. shutting walk to enjoy looking
down at the lovely blue iris that he
carried tenderly In his wrinkled hand.
Any lover of flowers could see at
glance that the old man was likewise
. lover Of flowers. and more than one
busy passer-by turned to look at him
and the beautiful bloom he carried.
The woman who finally stopped the
old man and spoke to him about his
blue flower was kindly looking, elder
IL, soft-spoken. A listener might have
thought she talked just little in the
southern manner.
You have a lovely iris there. uncle"
she said. .Just the kind I always ad-
mire every spring. And If you'd like
to have some one have 1t who loves
the flowers I'd be very glad to buy it
from you"
'Aa'ah,' said he. taking OF the old
hat that kept the white wool from
blowing in the breeze, "ma.am. eff 20
all like iris An sho wish to glib him to
yo.' Please to ax'cep' him fun me,
ma'am"-and he held out the flower
for her to take.
"Oh no, uncle. couldn't take 1t from
you like that. didn't mean you to
rive It to me, indeed didn't; but 1t
was so lovely / Just couldn't help ask
ing You to let me buy 1t. Thank you
Just the same, though" she said, pleas
antly and smilingly. and started to go
down the street.
"Ma'am, ma'am," the old fellow call
ed after her. Wont yo' all wait jes
one minute. please. Ah'll tell what I'd
LAX to do, eff yo' DON min. Dere's
Salvation gal dar on de co'ner and All
didn't hab money NUT to glib her any.
Yo' all take de iris fio' an glib her de
money, won't yo' please, ma'amT
Certainly" said the lady, "and I'm
sure the girl viii thank you for the
money. Good-by, uncle"-and she
took the flower and crossed the street
to where the bright-faced Salvation
Army girl stood collecting stray dimes
and nickels and quarters from the
hurrying passers-by. And this is what
the old darby saw happen when the
smiling woman reached the girl.
First Of all he saw her open her
purse and drop some Of its contents
into the tin pan the girl held ready
and waiting, and then he could see,
as they both looked across the street
at him. that the lady was telling the
girl the source of the contribution
and the girl waved her hand and
smiled at the old man. And then he
saw the girl look at the flower as the
lady held IL, and then the flower
changed owners once more and was
quickly pinned on the. lapel Of the
blue coat the girl wore. The old man
smiled, and shufied along his way.
happily. The lady went her way too,
and she looked happy. And the Sal
walton lass, proudly wearing the blue
flower, was radiant.-Hartford Cour-
ant.