The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-08-28


have gone away-still bent over the
flower. The plant was very beautiful,
and evidently stood the climate well,
slips. George did not well know what
to say or do. The girl who had been
nimbly stitching, ceased from work and
looked up wonderingly at the stranger,
who had nothing more to say, and yet
remained with them. At last, the
young man, with the color of the flower
on his cheeks, said, I'm a poor man,
ma am, and not much fought. If am
going to say anything unbecoming, L
hope you will forgive it; but, if you
could bring your heart to part with this
plant, would give you ten guineas for
it, and the first good cutting L raise
shall be yours"
THE girl looked up in the greatest as
tonishment. "Ten guineas p she cried,
"why, mother, ten guineas would make
you comfortable for the whole winter.
How glad Harry will be p
The poor old woman trembled nerv-
ously.
"Harry told me to keep it for his
sake" she whispered to her daughter,
who bent fondly over her.
"Does Harry love flower better
than your health and comfort ?" pleaded
Harry sister.
A long debate was carried on in low
tones, while George Swayne endeavored
to look as though he were hundred
miles off, listening to nothing. But the
loving accents of the girl debating with
her mother tenderly caused Mr.. Swayne,
c+a nd hoo ~ NJ fol
of twenty-five, to feel that there were
certainly some new thoughts and sensa-
tions working in him. He considered
it itimportant to discover from ermothers
manner of addressing her that the name
of the young woman was Susan. When
the old lady at last consented with a
sigh to Georges offer, he placed ten
guineas on the table beside the needle
work, and only stole one glance at Susan
as he bade good-by and took the flower
pot away, promising again earnestly
that he would bring back to them the
first good cutting that took root.
George Swayne, then, having the
lawyers almost put out of his head,
carried the plant home and duly busted
himself in his greenhouse over the null
tiplication of his treasure. Months
went by, during which the young gar
dener worked hard and ate sparely. He
had left to himself but five pounds for
the general maintenance of his garden ;
more was needed, and that he had to
pinch. as far as he dared, out of his
humble food and other necessaries of
existence. He had, however, nothing
to regret. The cuttings of the flower
bells throve, and the thought of Susan
was better to him than roast beef. He
did not again visit the widows house.
He had no right to go there, until he
went to redeem his promise.
A year went by 4; and when the next
July came George Swayne's garden and
greenhouse were in the best condition
The new plant had multiplied by slips,
and had thriven more readily than he
could have ventured to expect. The
best plant was to set by until it should
have reached the utmost perfection of
! blossom, to be carried in redemption of
the promise made to Widow Ellis. In
some vague way, too, Mr.. Swayne now
and then pondered whether the bells
was to set ringing after Harry had re-
| turned might not be after all the bells
| of Stepney parish church. And Susan
Swayne did sound well, that was GER
! tain. Not that he thought of marrying
the pale girl, whose blue eyes he had
only seen, and whose soft voice he had
only heard once but he was a young
fellow, and he thought about her, and
young fellows have their fancies which
do now and then shoot out i'll unac-
cOuntable directions.
A desired event happened one morn
ing. The best customer of Swayne' S
nusery ground, the wife of city knight,
Lady Salter, who had fine seat in the
neighborhood, alighted from her car.
riage at the garden gate. She had come
to buy flowers for the decorations of hel
annual grand summer party; and George
with, much perturbation ushered her into
his greenhouse, which was glowing with
the crimson and purple blossoms of his
new plant. When Lady Salter had hel
admiration duly heightened blythe infor
nation that there were no other plants
IN all the country like them-that, in
fact, Mr.. Swayne's new flowers were
unique, she instantly bought two slips
at guinea each and took them home il
triumph. OF course the fi0wer-bells at
tracted the attention of her guests; ani
of course she was very proud to draw at
tention to them. The result was thai
the carriages of the great people of the
neighborhood so clogged up the road a
Swayne's nursery, day after day, tina
there was no getting by for them
George sold, for guinea each, all til,
slips that he had potted, keeping only
enough for the continuance of his trade
and carefully reserving his finest speci
men. That in due time he took to Har
rvs mother.
The ten guineas added to the produc,
of Susan's labor-she had not slackeneC
it a jot-had maintained the sickly wo
man through the winter; and whel
there came to her a letter one morning
in July in Harry's dear scrawl posted
from Portsmouth, she was half restored
to health. He would be with them in
day or two, he said. The two womel
listened in a feverish state for ever,
knock at the green door. Next day
knock came; but it was not Harry. Su
san again opened to George Swayne. HI
had brought their hower-bells back
and, apparently, handsomer than ever
He was very much abashed and STAN
mered something; and, when he CAM
in, he could find nothing to say. Th
handsome china vase, which he had sub
stituted for the widows fowerpot, saiC
something, however, for him. Th
widow and her daughter greeted hin
with hearty smiles and thanks; but h
had something else to do than to return
them-something of which he seemed t,
ba aynaa4 4inolv ashamed Ar IoSt ba III,