Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1892-03-16
CHAPTER VII.
AMONG rLoMERs.

/
of encouragement to her companion.
Michael Chase doesn't want you to
work." she said. But you win be all
the happier for an occupation, Olive. L
wish we had found something for our
Jessie to do. We kept her here, moon
ing about the house and going for aim
less walks; and so it came to pass that
the idle young woman met with an idle
young man. He thought she had money
because she had nothing to do. Idle
ness is n sign of riches. If she had
been busy working girl she would
have escaped George Burnett"
The wife isn't always wrong" said
Samuel, who had been listening with
rather n sad smile. 'And the foolish
father was the chief person to be
blamed. 1t was my fault, Olive. Poor
Jessie was delicate-loolxing white
thing, pretty in her way; and thought
she was too fragile TO go into bust
| ness. George Burnett took her for an
heiress, | suppose. He believed that I
could afford to keep her, and her hus-
band, too
You are fortunate, Olive" sighed
Mrs. Wake. Michael isn't counting
you for what he can get He loves
you, doesn't he, Samuel?"
Samuel nodded, and added, mentally:
las much as he can love anyone"
He always preserved vivid remem-
brance of his own youth, and nothing
would have induced him to NEEDLE with
| the course of n love affair. But was
this true love affair? One person was
In love with himself, and only wanted a
wife to feed and nourish his self-love;
the other was clinging fondly to an ig-
noble being, tricked out in fancy cos
tune of her own making. True love
| dwells among dreams and fitful lights
and shadows; but It's dreams take n
| definite shape and come to life, and then
1t is not afraid to stand face TO face
| with them.
rms curious, unsuccessful old man
understood Olive very well, and as the
days went on he saw that she. suffered
from feelings that were many and com
plicated. She was always trusting and
mistrusting; doubling and longing to
| believe; unquiet, because the truth that
was in her would not let her be satisfied
with shams. Very gladly would he
have toiled for her, and spared her all
necessity of work. But he knew that
work was good for her-that the world
was good for her-that the sight of
many faces and the sound of many
voices would help her along that diff
cult, unseen path which every one of us
must tread alone.
She settled easily and naturally into
her place in Burridge's flower shop, and
all Lucy Cromer's predictions were full
filled. 1t was only with Michael that
olive was nervous and shy; with other
people she could hold her own modestlv
and quietly, yet with resolution. The
| ceaseless roar of the great street soon
ceased TO be confusing. She sat steadily
at her work behind the counter, bend
ing her small brown curly head over
the fragrant blossoms. There was al
ways great deal TO do. Wreaths and
crosses for the dead; bridal bououets.
sprays and graceful trailing clusters for
ball dresses. Her def fingers did won
ders with flowers, arranging them
among many shaded leaves and delicate
! maidenhair. The window was filed
with specimens of her handiwork:
passers-by paused spellbound; the
charm of her fancy gave new beauty
TO the fair, frail things that she touched
with dainty skill.
One day some one came into the shop
and ordered spray Of yellow roses.
| Olive was as busy as usual; but when
he spoke she looked up. He was well
oullt man, slightly above middle height.
and he was looking at her with a pair
OF thoughtful gray eyes, dark and
rather lethargic. lie had clear. gentle
| voice and slow manner, in which. how
| ever, there was not the slightest after
tation. Nothing in his face was re-
/ markable; the skin was bronzed the
| features Irregular, and a tawnv mus
tache dropped over the mouth. Yet
there was something in those heavy
hdded gray eyes that made Olive think
] Of them again
| mere was "a lady with him: well
/ made woman, not beautiful. but dis
/ tinctly thorough bred She wore a
/ jacket and gown Of brown tweed. and
/ the plain costume seemed 20 adapt itself
I % all the easy movements Of the vearer
She too looked at Olive. and the girls
| quick car caught the sentence that the
man said 90 her in a low voice. n was
/ something about Dante's Matilda. "vybo
i '"A' VI happy LetHe, stood
\ wreathing flowers with flowers"
/ They departed. and Olive went ON
with her wreathing often. in "a silent
fashion, She talked with the blossoms
as She picked them carefully out Of tho
scented heaps before her. and conaded
her thoughts
TO The lily Dclls tender.
And gray hcil0tropcF"
And they in their turn brcathcd ont
fragrant memories 81 her childhood and
F. carly girlho0d; Of The plants that her
father and mother had tended i'm fheir
cottage garden; q the Nav oarlapds
mat the village children had carried
from door 10 door; Of the nosegav that
Michael bad brought her one summer
morning bis FIRST love-git. Simple
memories indeed, yet they helped TO
Keep her spirit fresh and sweet and
cherish her old love for The humble
country home that was now So fer
away.
Nowadays, with all the stores Of
Uncle Wakes shop az her command.
she spent great deal Of time in nook.
world. And the books filed her mind
while her fingers were busy. and l,opt
! ncr brain SO happiIr ocr4,rfed st.s