The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1894-06-28

surprise for Fred.
The next morning, entering The
dining room, Lucy saw on the fire es-
cape in front of her neighbor's win
dow q fine begonia in pot, we'll wat
cred and enjoying the sun.
''She loves flowers" thought Lucy,
exultantly. "I'll reply to her begonia
with my geranium."
So out went the geranium, and per-
haps it held flower talk with the bego-
MIA; but the owners seemed no nearer
acquaintance than before; for, rise as
early as Lucy might, the begonia had
always been watered and the curtain
was down.
One day in late June something WAS
| going on in the neighboring fiat. The
curtain was up, the window open, and
Lucy, with rapid glance, caught
| sight of trunk packed and strapped,
| and an open valise. An hour after an
express wagon stood in front of the
building, and quantity of baggage
was placed upon it.
"They have gone on vacation
trip" thought Lucy; "and now shall
not know my neighbor before fall, and
perhaps never at all. ="
But-she reckoned without the
begonia. The morning following there
stood the helpless begonia before the
| closed d-curtained window as usual but
the earth about it was dry, and the
green leaves were dropping in the
summer sun.
Lucy's heart leaped.
Erred" she exclaimed gaily, "my
opportunity is come! She has left
her begonia, and 1 can water it.
"You'd better not move it, said
Fred. "She may come back tomor-
row and accuse you of meddling."
"Well, 1 can reach over" said
Lucy, and half climbing out on the
balcony, she watered the plant pro-
fusely. Morning and night she at
tended to it for the weather was sui
try, and the earth dried very fast.
Sometimes she even watered it by
moonlight, when she had forgotten it
or been away at sunset.
One, two, three weeks went by.
81 do hope" thought Lucy, "that
she will come back before we go away
ourselves, or she will never know how
tried to save her flower for her."
In four weeks the neighbor returned,
and the begonia, grown to double its
former size and filled with delicate
bloom, must have been the first thing
she saw when she opened her dining
room window. But Lucy was not
there at the happy moment, and there
was no proffered recognition.
Her innocent plotting was not yet
doue. Fred's vacation began early in
August, and they were going to Green
wich to enjoy it. Their trunks were
ready, and they were awaiting the
hour to go. Lucy went to the WIN
dow to water her geranium.
81 was going to take it home, - she
said, sit is SO pretty now, with Its
pink blossoms, like little rose tree
full of roses But have decided to
| leave it for message to my nelghbor.
1 shall put it over near her beGonla
without saying word, and leave 1t to
plead for itself.
"You'll never see it again." pro-
phesied her husband. But she pushed
| it across the balcony and closed the
window.
81 am not afraid" she said.
A happy month flew quickly by in
the old home in Greenwich. Early IN
September the Bryants, recruited IN
health and spirits, found themselves
again climbing the stairs and entering
the little top fiat. Fred began to
make a fire, and Lucy wound the
clock.
"It seems good to be in our own
little home again. she said; and then'
with sudden recollection, she turned
to the dining-room window to look out
on the balcony.
All! she caught her in the act! The
tall, slender, bright-eyed neighbor had
her window open and was watering the
geranium.
The two women looked into each
others ewes and smiled. Lucy reach
ing out her hands, received her beau
tiful plant thriftier than eVer' anu