Show The Little Flower Girl 1 ALL the world is a stage and the themen themen 1 men and women are merely players j Certainly life itself is one grand drama now we play on the stage now stand in inthe inthe inthe the wings and often ti time me finds us 1 silent spectators to the acts of other per per- formers And yet though men and women we are still children We Ve delight delight delight de de- light in the costly apparel of the actors a athe J the glitter and the show forgetting that the real worth is not in the things but butin butin butin in the doers Many an evening have hav I l thus been a silent observer The curtain rises fre- fre gently before me and in fancy I see seethe seethe seethe the performers as they take their places I and recite their parts Many faces fair fairand fairand r and beautiful have long been forgotten but the remembrance of a little flower girl is still fresh in memory She has been my study many an even even- ing Unknown to her I am her silent observer reading in her what seems to tome tome tome me the story of thousands She flits before me through the lighted streets with a bunch of flowers in her hand which she offers to the passers with many an entreaty often with a coquettish coquettish coquettish coquet coquet- tish smile She has already absorbed the fickle ways of the world Alas so young Now she stands by the entrance to the great National still offering for sale her hole button-hole bouquets It is a clear frosty night but she heeds not its chill a more intense chill has settled around her young heart and though she tries to hide it I feel it distinctly from my place of observation She is a pretty girl with auburn hair hanging in ringlets around her shoulders She is dressed in a patched brown dress far too short red stockings and anda a pair of nicely-carved nicely wooden shoes Her features already show the effects of her early surroundings The natural r gaiety of the child has departed the occasional cheery laugh is but a forced one soon giving place to a more usual I f expression of sadness And yet she is t but one of many in a like condition condition- f children never having known the joys J of childhood rushed at once from the cradle into the world Can we wonder if the face seems sad or if the heart is cold She lifts a flower a pretty rose and hands it with an entreaty to a passer passer- by He cares little for the rose much less for this neglected flower my poor friend She is however used to such scenes they affect her but little Occasionally she sells one and examines examines examines exam exam- ines her nickel with twinkling eyes Her expression at such moments is not one of greed I fancy I see a silent pleasure that has not its root in self One wi wistful look of her large browneyes brown browneyes browneyes eyes carry me the conviction that the warm warmth th has not all left her heart Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Per Per- haps even now her better part rests at home leaving but her thoughtless presence to roam the streets A little nosegay sir Be off This gruff voice might have stifled a much older heart than hers Her flowers dropped to the ground No Noone one heeds them and in the crowd they are trampled upon and seven bright nickels are lost Poor girl l Surely the world to most has its varying scenes scenes- scenes now now now a Ii little sunshine now a little rain here a little happiness there a little pain But when all is rain when no warm ray ever peeps in and illuminates a forsaken soul can we wonder that the face loses its color the laughter its ring She takes one last wistful look at h her r broken fortune Her eyes might water but they do not They too seem to have lost sympathy Oh for her who can weep Expressive sobs could remove remove remove re re- move her pangs but you little friend have long ago lost life Cheer up These flowers may wither but you must live live live-live live to tell the story of many a achild achild achild child in the land Sadly she turns her way The faint streak of hope I observed in her during the early part of the evening has vanished Her brow is knit her lips tremble and the coquettish smile has changed place with a bitter somewhat hateful look Surely you have cause for feeling a little mean Three nickels only are your earnings what can be your pleasure with these Let us follow her at a distance The street is yet thronged with people The bright lights from the store windows invite many many manya a look to the Christmas goods and yet she heeds not these toys Though a child she is not a child She hastens on and quickly turns a corner and enters a bakery One sur surely ly would have thought her hungry but she is indifferent to her own wants With two small loaves she hurries back again into the street streeL Every corner seems perfectly familiar to her We have left the business part of town indeed and are now in the slums of the city Still we are anxious to know more about the girl What can be the cause of all her troubles Through many a crooked and dirty alley made hideous by the scenes so typical of the slum districts we at last face a gloomy building Up the dark stairs and in into to a garret room of the fifth story Yes a home though it lacks all the warmth of home The genial rays of the sun never find entrance entrance entrance en en- trance here Five little brothers welcome welcome welcome wel wel- come the return of Mabel and their cry ceases not till the bread she brings has satisfied their hunger Poor Mabel is the only provider She is sister and mother So young oung l No wonder little friend your brow is knit No wonder that these burdens have withdrawn from you that warmth of heart and gaiety of countenance that accompany childhood Little missionary Open these shutters shutters shutters shut shut- and let in the light of heaven Bid these murmuring lips be still and feel leel assured that though your flowers may wither and be trodden under foot some someday someday someday day your heart shall feel the warmth ofa of f a gracious Giver A A. A J. J N. N j v |