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Vor. VIIL No. 24. jromussirEn
TIE lovely old-fashioned garden lay
*< twinkling in the early morning light
the sun lifted
4 his rotund face
over -the: distant. Natie Hills; here and
here on a patch of sward a spider's web
glistened white against the green; the
‘sweet moss-pinks spread a delicate pink
_earpet over large areas, their tiny blossoms
. sparkling with the heavy dew, and clumps
“of gorgeous red and white peonies lifted
-round, full-blown heads to’greet the new-
-born day, the day that was to be their last,
for by nightfall they would lie seattered
+ on the ground, little heaps of faded petals.
*-But amid all the, June-time beauty the
roses. were supreme, filling the soft morn-
ing air with their sweet perfume; bushes
: of deep yellow roses were massed thickly
in one corner of the garden; up the side of
he old-fashioned house which flanked’ an
end of the garden climbed great sprays of
haded pink. prairie roses loaded with open-
‘ing buds; and scattered throughout the
hedge-enclosed plot were bushes of white
roses, and pink roses, and yellow roses,
* © luntil the whole garden seemed brealsing
into an-elysium of roseate beauty and per-
‘ume, : .
Helen Crayen opened the swinging gate
“and stepped into. the garden, then. she
stopped abruptly and drew a long breath
of delight.
©) © Oh! she said softly.
_what a_ lot. of
gave to her. children when she
planted her garden !"?; she added.
Then the airl's, bright face went sudden-’
ly sober,
“T cannot scem to bear leaving it all!”
she cried out, thrusting out her hands with
“a quick gesture of hopelessness.
“I cannot bear to think of leaving it all!
“The old house, and the garden, and grand-
mother’s roses! And yet father fears it.
2° The - morning wind. blew softly among
.the bushes, and a shower of glistening dew-
drops fell to the ground from every shrub;
it stirred lightly Helen’s hair and roused
the girl from her misery.
wo Tf only 1 could think of
~ helping -father!” she cried.
heart filled with a. longing
father’s burdens.“ He’s
<-* Times are hard, and—well, he’s alwa LT
ing he'll have to sell the ple Helen did
pleasure grand-
some way of
Iler. young
her
to share
not understand the details of her father’s
business, but she knew the burdens of the
year were heavy on him. ‘So now,” she *
~ said, standing there among the roses, ‘if
~ I could only make him feel that there was
- someone helping push !”
The half-opened buds of snow-white
‘roses by her.side nodded their heads to
Helen, and the girl noticing, gasped.
0 you mean that you would help me,
you dear white rosebuds?” she said.
The gentle morning breeze stirred the air
again, and the rosebuds gracefully bent
‘their. lovely heads.
_.“ Grandmother’s roses will help! They
long to help us! People pay money for
“Tose: know,.and they shall pay money
S,
for grandmother’s beautiful roses!
; A woman put her head out of the upper
window of the house and saw the girl
Standing there in the midst of the lovely
old-fashioned garden.
“-“Welen Craven!” she called, and ber
voice brole harshly through the soft June
_morning.
: Uelen shook herself slightly and looked
Up with a bright smile.
“Coming, Mehala!” she replied.
' “Gardens ain’t made for dreamin’
said the woman.
Helen’s bright face went instantly sober,
but she made quick answer.
uit Perhaps it’s dreaming in * erandmotber’ Ss
1
in!
DAVID CG, COOK PUBLISIIING Co., ELGIN, ILLINOIS, AND 86 WASHINGTON St., Cuicaco,
June 12, 1909.
TE
GUD map dh I f=
HE
PEE
| people buy roses not half as fine as ours.”
| “Where be the folks?’ asked Mehala.
Mehala Bates shook her head; she was | “That’s what. I haven’t thought out
a tall, gaunt woraan of some sixty years, | yet, just how to find the _people that want
and had taken charge of the Craven home | the flowers.”
since | Mr died. To Tielen,, “ That’s one trouble in ‘this world; folks
Mehala was » mother the girl had) don’t poke around until they’ find the folks
ever known, and she loyed the woman with | an’ the things that go ‘longside! It don’t
all the intensity of her affectionate heart. | seem quite in reason to me that them roses
“Come into the house and set the table; your grandmother Craven’ planted when
for. breakfast, child,” said Mehala from: she first come here a bride, are worth much
her upper window. |in money, but if you was smart‘ enough
“Coming!” flashed back the girl. But | to put two an’ two together,.I—”
first she bent over the white rosebuds Helen interrupted her quickly.
for a moment and spoke softly to them. “You. will help. me. after” breakfast,
“All together we'll help keep father’s won't you, Mehala? ~ And we'll help father,
courage up—we will!” she said. And the He. just needs someone to stand by him.
es gave of their sweet perfume in ae
garden that’s going to win the day—who
knows !”
‘There are some. splendid buds ready to
open. «We'll fill as many baskets as we
jcan, “and drive in with them. And I know
L learned that of Aunt
assent.
“Mehala, the want to help—1
want to help, too- vy.” | how to pack them,
The woman looked up from’ the t con | Mary, S
she was frying for. breakfast and said: | Mehala . ‘set the frying-pan over the fire
ros
ses
“What are you at, Helen again and Spoke with. vigor :.)
“JT want to sell tlie roses and have | “If you’re bound to do something with
money to encourage father with. Lots of them flowers, it won't be me as stands in}.
~ sure.
way. Flowers bring money, that’s
There ain’t a bit of harm in trying.
As you say, there ought to be someone
pushing on this place besides your father.”
.But during the five-mile drive to the
city, Helen lost some of her_ courage, and
so did Mehala, though this Helen did not
know.. The woman holding the lines sat
firmly on the front seat’ with no show at
all. of harboring -. doubts, yet
wondering where “the child,”
ways thought of Helen, was. to find the
right. one for their precious load. .
But when they had reached the florist’s
they had decided’ upon, both’ -occupants
braced themselves for the encounter...
have fresh garden roses,” Helen said,
looking. in the flofist’s face appealingly.
The florist’ looked acrss: the pavement
to the carryall, but the rose’ baskets were
earefully protected from. the sun. . He’
stepped across and lifted the canvas, then
he nodded. his head , 2pprovingly. * They
are fine roses, Miss.
“Yes,” said Helen. “ ‘They are from
my grandmother’s garden.”
your
“Tm sorry, but I am full to-day. “But
maybe—” he ‘stopped. and. looked up the
road, “ Come in. I'll tell you where to
take the roses.”
»moment later he. came back “trom
his desk and placed a card in Ifelen’s hand.
“There, that young lady isthe one who
will buy your flowers, if anyone buys them
to-day. She is great on old-fashioned roses,
I often keep mine out for her. . She's taken
a good deal from us.
Sunday, and she is helping somewhere. «I
think she’ll take yours. It’s the: Cumber-
Jand place. ,. You will find it easy.”
“Oh,
said Telen, gratefully,
heart sang for gladness.
to say to the florist:
and. her |
But she stopped
“Will you be so kind, Mr. ‘Saunders, “as.
To-morrow is Rose -
yes, I’know Colonel Cumberland’s ~
to tell me what “you think those flowers are .
worth?
The florist stepped to the carriage and
raising. the canvas made a careful esti-
mate of the: baskets.
“Well,
them. -You’vye packed them well, and they
are in fine condition.”
With courteous thanks Helen got up be-
side Mehala,*.and they. droye to Colonel
Cumberland’s,
slightly forbidding .to Helen.
“Do you suppose Miss Cumberland will
want them, Mehala?’? she a
Then the big front door.swung open’ and
Alice Cumberland ran down the stone steps
to meet them,
“Nir. Saunders just telephoned that he
had sent you oyer to me, and how lovely: .
your roses were!” she said, and it seemed -
to Helen that she had never seen anyone
more lovely than. this slight young woman
in white.
Mehala drew back the covering ‘from, the
rose
a On! said. Alice Cumberland, as she
bent her fair head. above them.
“Helen’s eyes _ grew - big,
close to Alice.
“You Jove roses. You love them some-
thing as I do,” she ‘said softly.
~“Yes, dear, I love them,” replied the
older girl.~ “I am filled with love for them
from the tips of my toes to the crown. of
my head. I am helping the girls down at
the mission: for Rose Sunday to-morrow.
They’ve come just:in the nick of time,
and she- went
dear."
When. the roses were resting on the
dinin g-room . table, *.: Alice... Cumberland
stepped back and- surveyed ‘them with . de-
light.
you ought to get ten dollars for.
The big brick house looked
“ You are an, angel in disguise,” she said,
