arranged again the pretty nosegays that had been disarranged in the
vain hope of selling them, and commenced anew in her pretty singing
tone, "Come, buy my flowers; flowers fresh and fair."

"Your flowers are sadly withered, my little maid," said a kind,
country-looking gentleman, who was buying some vegetables at a stall
near her.

"Oh, sir! I have fresh ones, here, sir; please look;" and the child
lifted up the cover of her basket, and drew from the very bottom a
bunch of blossoms on which the dew of morning still rested.

"Please to see, sir; a pretty rose, sir, and these pinks and
mignonette, and a bunch of jessamine, sir, and all for one penny."

"Bless thee! pretty dear!" said the old lame vegetable-seller,
"thou'lt make a good market-woman one of these days. Your honor would
do well to buy her flowers, sir, she has got no mother or father, God
help her, and works for a sick grandmother."

"Poor child!" said the old gentleman. "Here, then, little one, give
me three nice nosegays, and there is sixpence for you."

With delight sparkling in every feature of her face, and her color
changed to crimson with joy, the little flower-girl received in one
hand the unusual piece of money; and setting her basket on the
ground, began hastily and tremblingly to pick out nearly half its
contents as the price of the sixpence; but the gentleman stooped
down, and taking up at random three bunches of the flowers, which
were not the freshest, said,