o the small, brown hand.

"Oh, yes! City folks can't often get wild flowers, my tramp says, and
they ought to be glad for a chance to pay high for them."

The crowd shouted, and the policeman ventured to ask, "So you think lots
of the woods, do you?"

"You bet!" was the emphatic reply. "It's next best to heaven. Just
s'posing the whole world was made up of these great, high, dirty
houses, without any woods or flowers or trees anywhere. Wouldn't it be
dreadful?" The dismal picture she painted was singularly effective, and
other purchasers gathered around, clamoring for her wares.

"I will give you a dime for one of those pink lady's-slippers," said a
bent, old man.

"Here's a quarter for a spray of those white blossoms," another voice
broke in; and very quickly the fresh, beautiful, woodland flowers
changed hands, while the pile of coins in Peace's lap grew amazingly.

A little, ragged, wan-looking bootblack edged through the crowd, and
stood with wistful eyes fixed on the rapidly diminishing bouquets,
drinking in their beauty, and wishing with all his heart that one of
them might be his. He fingered the few pennies in his pocket longingly,
and finally, unable to curb his desire longer, he touched Peace's arm
and timidly faltered, "Say, lady, will ye gimme one o' them red fellers
for a cent? I--I'd like one mighty well, and I ain't got no more money
to spare."

Peace lifted her big eyes to the pale, drawn, wistful face of the boy,
possibly as old as Cherry, but no older, and a great wave of pity swept
through her heart. "You can have it for nothing. Here, take this whole
bunch," she said, emptying her basket and thrusting the last handful of
gorgeous bloom into his trembling hands. "I am sorry all the birch bark
is gone, but I am sold out. You haven't any shoes, either. Cameron's are
selling canvas shoes today at forty-nine cents a pair. We've got lots
more'n enough money for Cherry and Allee and me--you can have this to
get yourself some with." And before her interested audience could
realize what she was doing, she had selected a silver dollar from the
jingling mass in her apron, and pressed it into the bootblack's grimy
fist, while he stood like one turned to stone, staring at the money,
unable to believe his senses. Then he took a step toward the little
flower girl, but a gentleman in the throng, deeply touched by the
unusual scene, said, "Keep it, sonny, and thank the good God for such
sweet spirits as hers.