What a wonderful drive that was! Would Cassy ever forget it? The dogwood was in blossom, and wild flowers were beginning to spring up along the woodland roads. The child could not talk much, but she was very content to listen to Eleanor’s lively chatter, and when the shining carriage drew up again before her door, Jerry was there to help her out, and his look of pride as he glanced around at the astounded Billy Miles was good to Cassy. And then Eleanor drove off and Cassy saw her no more, but she was not forgotten, and when the two again met it was not in that street, though of what was to come neither of them dreamed.
It was one Saturday morning two or three weeks later when the glory of the lilies had departed and the pansies were dwindling in size, and only the geranium held its own, showing new blossoms and new buds. Early summer was at hand; the streets were resounding with cries of “Red-ripe strawberries!” or “Rags, bones, old bottles!” and the hand organs were out in force.
Cassy had been busy all morning, for her mother had gone out upon an important errand, and Jerry was running his errands at the market. From time to time the little girl addressed a remark to the invisible Miss Morning-Glory, or to Flora, who stared at her with round black eyes from her corner.
It being Saturday there was much to be done, and Cassy had been busy sweeping and dusting, and putting in order. Now she was a little tired and was resting in the big rocking-chair, swinging herself back and forth and chanting a little song to herself, which she made up as she went along:
“There once was a lily that died,
And it was a lady, a lady,
But it went to heaven one night
And now it’s an angel, an angel.”
She sang the song very softly, looking over to where her pot of lilies stood. Now it showed only green leaves, but Cassy’s thoughts were busy in thinking of the lilies which had been and wondering whether they were now alive in another world.
Suddenly the twelve o’clock whistles blew shrilly and the little girl jumped down from her chair.