The Portland daily press., 1888-04-28
THE EMMA JANE YER
RENA.
Est. Louis Republican,
BY GRACE WINTHROP.

Qu6L SUCH as HtI cOn Oliih N"AhANN C~e-S
evenings to his sweetheart, Miss ABBY swift,
over in the "Center." Best of all, she loved
them growing in the garden.
The garden was a tangle of color and
sweetness. Roses crowded up against the
little brown house, and peeped boldly in at
the window. Morning glories climbed to the
low roof. Petunias and mignonette -four
ished in their humble way; and tiger-lilies,
sweet peas, phlox and holyhocks mingled
with cockscomb, canterberry-bells, nastur-
tiums and peoples in gay confusion.
Mrs. Pease spent hours over them, weed
ing, training, clipping, watering unwearied-
IL. her bent figure could be seen all summer
long moving lovingly about the narrow
paths, hanging penitently over the brilliant
beds. The flowers repaid her in many ways.
They filed the air with sweetness, they
seemed to smile and nod to her through
storm and sunshine they seemed quite hu-
man in their silent grace. She called them
all by name, often in grateful memory of
some friend, generally for the giver of the
plant or precious slip from which the bios
SONS sprang so thriftily.
Her son, too, felt an interest in the garden.
He shared her pride in the lusty roses and
geraniums, he liked to see his mothers sun
bonnet bobbing among the bushes or bend
ing intently to the ground. He was inter-
ested in the ''Liddy Ann pink and solicit
GUS as to the growth of the "Amandy chry
santhemum."
81 do declare" said Mrs. Pease, one sum-
mer evening, that Martha lily does look
dreadful peaked, jest like the Pods. l kinder
hated to call it after one of 'em, but see
she was goin' to feel badly if / didn't, so
did. Now look at it, all yeller and droopin'.
Seems as If there was a sort o. sympathy
atween 'em.
Orrin was a youth of few words. He
looked interested, but said nothing.
There's that Betsy peony,'" continued
his mother, walking slowly down the path,
Every time look at it, standing up so
peart and sassy, think of Betsy Bangs in
her red jersey"
SLOWS the yerbena, mother?" said 0rrin,
taking the pipe out of his mouth.
"The Emma-Jane?" said Mrs. Pease,
STOPPING over a plant whose little fingers
spreading in all directions. promised to cover
large space with pure blossoms. TITS
CROWN beautifully" and she sighed.
Her son looked serious for moment, then
knocked the ashes from his pipe and straight
ened up to his full height of six feet, hand
some, stalwart young elbow in his shirt
sleeves, with his sun-burned face freshly
shaved.
81 guess I'll go over to the Center" he
said. $50 soon" exclaimed his mother.
with wistful look.
He went into the house silently, and the
good woman, picking a dead cinnamon rose
to pieces, said in low voice:
81 hope to mercy she'll be good enough
for him, and not one of your filthy kind /
s'pose she'll like bouquet"
And then, with care, if not with skill the
kind soul gathered large bunch of the diff
ferent flowers and wrapped bit of newspa-
per around their stems.
When Orrin appeared in his best clothes
he thanked her warmly, picked bl lesson of
the white verbena for his button-hole, and
blithely strobe away.
She watched him through the dusk as long
as she could see. He and the flowers were
all she had to love; sometimes it was hard
to have him leave her of an evening, hard to
know that fair face had such power to win
him from the devotion and companionship of
years.
Hes better than the common rum" she
thought with pride, more quiet behaved and
faithful. He's been a good son to me. He'll
be dreadful indulgent husband. Eff she
amt good to him"
She turned away from the gate and shook
her head as If words failed to express her
feelings. At each side of the path the bios
SONS leaned toward her, filling the air with
their sweet BREATH. as if reminding her:
I'VE are always here. We never leave
you"
mo more you do" said the simple woman,
understanding them. And then she, too,
picked bit of the white verbena.
"Sweet creature" she whispered, ''jest as
inherent and sweet as Emma Jane herself"
Meanwhile. through the scented evening
walked Orrin with his big bouquet. His
honest heart was full of tender anticipations.
Would she be out in the yard watching
watching for him? Would she smile with
the look In her eyes he loved to see there?
Or would she be unaccountably shy and cool,
seem surprised to see him, and take his Of
AClAnB AnuAhClChtAJs AhOAO Woo hO tSAAh6
about girls. Somehow he fancied that his
mother had always been straightforward
and easy to understand. Abby was differ
entail spirit end change one minute wild
with merriment, the next, quiet, inscrutable,
mad" perhaps.
"'Twill take more than a garden to satisfy
her, guess" he thought, half-amused, half
tender. "God bless her." he added rever-
emily.
She was watching for him with all her soul
In her great dark eyes. She was thinking
with pang how late he was; then sicken-
ing fear flashed over her; perhaps he might
not come at all Suddenly her heart leaped;
dimness clouded her sight She tried to
still with one hand that beating in her breast.
He was comingl All, she would know hiM
among ten thousand with his broad Shout
ders and his springing step. She leaned
against the window frame and watched him
with kindling eye.
When he opened the gate she was in the
kitchen; by the time he had reached the
door she had gained the woodshed.
Deacon Swift answered his knock.
"Good evenin',' he said, politely.
Good evenin'," said Orrin. ''Is Abby to
homer"
''Gess likely; step in"
And the deacon opened the parlor door in
willingly.
Orrin walked in over the rag-carpeted
''entry" into the dark and sacred ''best
room" An indescribable odor. musty,
herby, close, pervaded it, an odor peculiar
to New England village parlors. The hair
cloth chairs and sofa stood stiffiy ON the red
and yellow ingram covering of the floor, the
handicapped centre table bore lamp and
few cherished books; the mantel-piece,
with shells, daguerreotypes and wax flowers.
A row Of family photographs and wedding
certificate in black walnut frame adorned
the walls. and green paper shades covered
the windows. The deacon tied up one of
them, saying:
'The wimmen folks hain't been in here
lately, guess, to jedge from appearances"
Then he stepped out and called: ABBY!
Abbyw
Abby appeared, demure and calm.
Good eyenin', 0rrin," she said, nice
evenin'n