The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-09-14
THE DOGW00D'S SECRET
By Gabrielle E. jackson.
~ AN you come with us?"
"COme where?"
Observation-Disclosures

"Out to the woods. We are going to
gather wild flowers for the flower table
at the fair tonight"
"Wait a second and I'll ask mamma.
Yes, it's all right; may co." and mo-.
ment later Madge Spaulding had
whisked on her straw sailor hat and,
was bounding down the piazza steps
to join the girls waiting for her. They
were a jolly, happy lot, dozen or more
from the big boarding school on the
hill, an IDEAL one, by the way, where
much liberty and few rules left the girls
free to enjoy themselves according to
their fancies, the wise principal realiz-
ing that much more was to be expected
from girls who were guided by love and
taught to understand the limitations
of the word "gentlewoman" than from
those who lived in constant apprehen-
sion of the bugbear word don't"
Madge was day pupil at the school
and had many friends among the board
ers, by whom she was always included
in any plans for a good time.
Where are you going to get the flow
ers?"
up in the Ogden woods. There are
loads there, and the dogwood Is per-
fectly beautiful now," said Paula Bar.
nett.
The woods were soon reached and the
girls scattered to the various parts Of
fering the greatest attractions. MaGge
and Paula strolled away together. It
was an ideal afternoon in the latter
part Of May, and the woods were %
they can only be in late springtime.
Birds were calling to each other in the
maddest, merriest way and waking the
echoes with their jubilant songs. Sun
beams played at hide and seek with the
children, danced upon the bright green
leaves and painted the flowers with
more brilliant hues.
Lets 60 down this path" said
Madge. II see loads of dogwood BIOS
SONS in that little dell"
"Au right; come on, and I'll make
you q beautiful wreath"
The girls were seen in the little dell,
. fairylike spot In the midst of the
woodland, where the grass seemed
greener, the sun brighter and the dog
wood blossoms more snowy white than
elsewhere. A hedge Of the trees grew
about the edge Of the open space, which
seemed to have been planned by Dame
Nature for fairy revels.
"Now, sit right down on the soft,
grassy bank and I'll dress you up" said
Paula, and: she had soon woven pretty
wreath Of blossoms about Madge's sun
ny head. = 49,
II see some beauties over there. Don't
stir while I get them"
Madge Struggled down in her soft nest
and Paula wandered further and fur
Their away. Madge's eyes followed her
in dreamy sort Of way, for how could
one help being dreamy when the very
sunshine was brimful of dreams?
Presently, as she sat there in the alb
solute silence of the woodland, broken
only by the distant call Of q hermit
thrush or hum of an insect, she became
conscious of another sound, very sin
gular one, indeed. Sitting straight up,
she said, aloud: "Can Spottie have fol-
lowed us?" Spottie was her fox ter
Eier. 49, ~ ,
"Yap, zap! zap, yap!" = - Ss9
Madge looked all about her, but saw
no sign of dog. -
"How funny. I wonder where they.
can be, for surely hear dogs barking,
although they must be long way OFF,
mo; We are not, either. We are right
here. close beside YOU"
Madge held her breath, and listened
intently. z.z,..s5s al.: :, .,.=r .4,s:. y
"Well, I'd like to know what you are
and where you are, any way" she cried,
in a fiutter of excitement. ~....4 w..
II supposed everybody knew what we
were, or rather, what we are. What we
were I'm about to tell you, IL You care
to listen. Dida* you ever hearswhy we
are called dogwood ~ 1 ss 1
"Hear about you? OF course not.
Do you mean to say you are doing all
this queer, yapping talking? Ican't
decids whether it sounds like puppies
yapping or the leaves rusthng.' = u
oh, think It = both, II you want 70.