SWEET VIOLETS.

Auckland Star, 2 September 1933, Page 2 (Supplement)

SWEET VIOLETS.

(By Noreen White, Hall Komi, Mummrwa.) "Violets, sweet violets!" There was a slight quiver in the cry, as if the little flower vendor was very tired. The London streets were so full, yet no oiie stopped, no one had yet bought one of her hunches of violets. But hope stirred in her heart now. She crossed to the sunny side of the street, where she saw approaching a girl of about her own age, very fashionably dressed, and accompanied by her nurse, a woman with a pule, gentle face. The child drew aside the leaves that shaded her violets (as the little princess as she supposed) came near. A hreath of perfume caught the air. "How sweet," said the maid, casting an admiring glance at the purple flower, nestling amid the green leaves. "Only violets," replied the young lady contemptuously. She pased on. Well, to eyes used to hothouse flowers, rare orchids of glowing roses, the tints and the perfumes of blossoms that cannot breathe common air, perhaps the violets did look a little insignificant. Yet they were as lovely as the choicest. Without another look the nurse passed on. For a moment her haughty blue eyes had rested on the little flower seller's face, but it told nothing to her; though, what had Nina Lorton in common with a ragged girl, as she" inwardly called her, though she might have noticed that the poor clothes were not ragged, only shabby? The nurse looked back hesitatingly. She saw dim team slowly filling the wietful eyes that looked on them, she could stand it no longer. She ran back, dropped a crown piece into the basket, and took out one of the little bunches. "They .are lovely," she said, "Don't lese heart, you'll soon sell them all." She wae gone, but her pleasant smile and willing spirit had done the little child good.