Little Pollie / Or a Bunch of Violets

d the last landing she felt it was home indeed. The stairs were as clean and white as hands could scrub them-no dirt was to be seen here,-and

tments were small, and the narrow windows overlooked the chimney-pots and tiles, yet they felt it such an advantage to be up here, removed, as it wer

sat that good and gentle woman, busily working close by the narrow win

kettle sang a cheery welcome to little Pollie; for though it was only three o'clock, it was

utting in her bright face, which was a

I was getting so anxious and afraid, and the

in and threw her arms a

e table, the bright shilling flanked on either side by five brown pennies; "are we not rich now? sixpence must be paid to kind Mrs. Flanagan for the sweet violets she

prepared to get their simple meal of tea and bread, listeni

must divide these dear sweet viol

thing for them," said the happy mother, whose pale f

plying her needle, and there were the violets also, in a broken jam jar close by her as she sat at work; and raising her pale face towards them, as though they were old friends returned to her, she caught sight of little Pollie arranging her bouquet in the window; so wit

had cut some slices of bread for the frugal

," exclaimed Pollie; "I shall not be long." And away sh

ust round the corner in Drury Lane was a greengrocer's s

he gutters and among the cabs and carts; so with a feeling of being very womanly, and tightly grasping the precious shilling in her hand, she took courage to app

ie, "will you let me have

egg from a basket

sh? because mother is so poorly

and somehow felt she could not tell an untruth to

as it be quite fresh, but it's as

gain; "only I did so want to get her something nice for her tea,-she can't e

meat instead?" asked the woman;

Here, give it to me; I'll go and get you one pound of nice pieces at my brother's next door, if you'll just mind the shop till I com

mischievous people were about, so the vegetables were safe, though it was with no small r

th, by the way), "these are good and fresh; my brother let me

who, totally unused to such affectionate gratitude in the poor little waifs about Drury Lane,

er-cresses for Mrs. Flanagan," said the child.

hopkeeper, as, after handing Pollie the freshest bunc

hesitated; at

eat, and I mean her to have it all; so I'll buy two little pies in

these taters in your basket; maybe your mother woul

s luxury; but to her surprise she told her to put it back into her pocket-the "taters" were a gi