Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-10-23
Mrs. Murk> E,crla>tingS.

The pathetic heart cry Of women
',hn,d down from generation to gem
Grafton. gathered pa,hos from Mrs.
Mnrh = tullsoluc lace and despairlng
tone !dndy. her daughter, wore II
30 less ANXIOUS look as the two stood
cunicmI ln,Ing their one little flower
bed which was IN itself pitiful
endcaSor To gather something OF
! hcapty aud warmth into the stinted
hfes Of these two women. \ few
-tragg ling larkspuis and snap-draS
gobs aud some snowy everlastinSs,
were The only plants in bloom now.
/ Vet even these rested aud refreshed
Mrs. Muik and her daughter,
aud tending them was delight.
Tho house where they lived was
shabby mud unpainted and seemed
mover To- have been finished, either
INSIDE or out Bat they had done
/ their best to make 1t hume-Ike. \
uni. fraiiully nnl wonderfully de.
Signrd. covered the center Of the sit
ting room door. IL consisted Of
rags braided and wound and sewed
iuto small sausage. like shapes and
these sewsd together III rows, until
quite square was formed. A bas
kot Of rayoling work hung in the
window, "A she'll iIame souvenir of a
tiip 10 the coast, surrounded "Grant
aud His Family, hung on the wall,
curtains Of cheese cloth, trimmed
with bands Of red calico, hung at
The windows.
for Lindy read eagerly any stray
items on house decorations which
Glanced to fall in her way and
con.cicntiousiy ,ndeavored to live
up To- ihcT lights.
The fam wns new yet, few acres
~ small fruits and vegetables being
all that brought in ready money.
But young orchard was GROWN.
aud Mr.. Murk and the boys wer
grubbing and burning aud slashing
With might and main, to enlarge.
her hole in the woods, us they
xpressed it.
With tho practice OF closest
economy however, money was
scarce for the necessaries Of life
aud flowers were-alas-among the
uxuries.
Yet Mrs Murk and Lihdy both
felt that they must have flowers, and
hungered after something rarer than
the simple annuals and perennial
which 1ourished in their little plot.
They wanted few pansies, carna-
:ions and geraniums. They had a
flower catalogue and broke their
hearts with longing every time they
scanned the gaily colored plates.
How TO get little money! That
was the question.
II do'ro as you an l could do
wi,bou, anything said Lindy hops
lessly. Anything" meaning the
few new garments they had hoped to
get for winter wear.
II do'no's as we're goin' to have
anything. for my part" responded
the mother. "It'll take all the egg
aud butter money to buy groceries,
aud potatoes is so low don't reckon
they'll morn pay taxes"
Wish't we could sell them ever
lastings." said Lindy weakly but
persisten,ly; If you'll let me 60
down with paw. I'll try it,"
The project Of selling the everlast-
'ngs had been under consideration
for some time. Lindy had read how
much they were used for Winter
bouquets and urged trying to sell
some in town.
But there were lions in the way.
Who would buy them? That was
the question Mrs. Murk put to
Lindy. aud the girl answered hon
esily aud said she did not know.
Still che believed if they once got
the flowers to town they could find
people anxious TO decorate their
walls with everlastipgs.
These pink ones look most like
daisies, she said, STOPPING down to
touch them gently. "and these
white are real pretty. 1 could gather
lots o Wild ones too, they hang over
80 graceful like. an say. mother, We
could color some, don't you know
we've got some Of that yellow stuff
lef, th I We colored the rags with
,hcy'd look little sunf wers."
L,udy's enthusiasm infected her
mo,Ler. Well, I do'no's as il
would do any ham," she said slow
ly. q" | reckon though I'D better try
my luck first. can stand disap-
poiniment better than you can"
When the next day load Of pota
toes went TO town, Mrs. Mark was
peiched up on the high spring seal
aud beneath her feet reposed bas
kct full OF precious eveIlastinSs
primly arranged In huge punches
with yellow center. surrounded by
white red and pink, and carefully
TIED with twine.