Year: 1876

look at her as went by, longing to
know what the particular secret was
that ended in such gale of laugh
ter.


After that, | often saw my girl as
| took my walks abroad, and one day
could not resist speaking to her when
l met her alone; for usually her
mates clustered around her like bees
about their queen, which pleased me
since it showed how much they low
ed the sunshiny child.


l had paper of grapes in my
hand, and when l saw her coming, /
whisked out a handsome bunch all
ready to offer, for I had made up
my mind to speak this time. She
was reading paper but looked up
to give me the inside of the walk
Before her eyes could fall again, /
held out the grapes and said, just as
l had heard her say more than once
to u schoolmate at lunch time, "let's
90 halves.'' She understood at once,
laughed and took the bunch, saying
/ WIFI lWllkllnS eyes.


"Oh, thank you! They are beau
ties"


Then, as we went on to the corner
together, | told her why l did it, and
recalled the car ride. ''I'd forgotten
all about that, but my conductor is
very kind and always waits for me-"
she said, veidently surprised that a
stranger should take an interest in
her small self. l did not have half
time enough with her, for bell rang
and away she skipped, looking back
to nod and smile at the queer lady
who had taken Il fancy to her. a
few days after and a fine nosegay of
flowers was left at the door for me,
and when l asked the servant who
sent them, he answered.:


ga little girl asked if Il lame lady
didn't live here, and when | said yes,
she told me to give you these and
say, 'the grapes were very nice


knew at once who it was, and
enjoyed the funny message immense
ly, for when one leads quiet life lit
tie things interest and amuse.


Christmas was close by and plan
ned return Of flowers Of a sort that
1 fancied my young friend would ap-
preciate. l knew that Christmas
week would be a holiday, SO the day
before it began l went to the school
just before recess, and left frosted
plummy cake directed to "Miss Gold
locks, from whom she knows who"


At first 1 did not know how to ad-
dress my nice, white parcel, for / had
never heard the child's name. But
after thinking the matter over, l re-
membered that she was the only girl
there with yellow curls hanging
down her back, so | decided to risk
the cake with the above direction
The maid who took it in (for my girl
went to private school) smiled and
said at once she knew whom cant.
| left my cake and strolled around
the corner to the house of a friend,
there to wait and watch for the sue
cess of my joke, for the girls always
went that way at recess.


Presently the little hats began to
go bobbing by, the silent streets to
echo with laughter, and the side
walks to bloom with gay gowns, tor
the girls were all out in winter col
ors now. From behind Il curtain l
peeped at them, and saw, with great
satisfaction, that nearly all had bits
of my cake in their hands, and were
talking it over with the most fiatter-
ing interest. My particular little
girl, with friend on each arm, pass
ed so near me that l could see the
happy look in he eyes, and hear her
say with toss of the bright hair:


"Mother will plan 1t for me, and |
can get it done by New Year. Won't
it be fun to hang it on the door some
day and then run?"


| fancied that she meant to make
something for me, and waited with
patience, wondering how this odd
frolic with my little schoolgirl would
end.


New Years day came and passed,
but no gift hung on my door, so l
made up my mind it was ali mis-
take, and being pretty busy about
that time, thought no more Of the
matter till some weeks later, rs /
came into town one day after visit
in the country. l am fond of obser-
wing faces, and seldom forget one if
anything has attracted my attention
to it. So, this morning, as I rode
along, | looked at the conductor as
there was nothing more to observe,
and he had pleasant sort of a face.
Somehow, it looked familiar, and, af-
ter thinking idly about it for min
ute, l remembered where | had seen
it before.


He was the man who waited for
'little Missy" and l at once began
to hope that she would come again,
for | wanted to ask about the holi-
days, remembering how "fond of fun"
she was.


When we came to the South-end
square, where l met her first, l look
ed out, expecting to see the little fig
ure running down the wide path
again, and quite willing to wait for
it a long time if necessary. But no
one was TO be seen but two boys and
dog. The car did not stop, and
though the conductor looked out that
way, his hand was not on the strap,
and no smile on his face.


"Don't you wait for the little girl
now?" l asked, feeling disappointed
at not seeing my pretty friend again.


81 wish I could, ma'am," answered
the man, understanding at once,
though of course he didn't remember
me.


"New rules, perhaps?" I added, as
he did not explain, but stood finger
ing his punch, and never minding an
old lady, wildly waving her bag at
him from the sidewalk.


"No, ma'am; but it's no use wait
ing for little missy any more, be-
cause,"-here he leaned in and said
very low-"she is dead;;" then turned
sharply around, rung the bell, put
the old lady in and shut the door.


How grieved I was to have that
,1ooooof frioD1 @ hin oDl ca cadIv for