The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-05-14
A STOLEN TUBEROSE

What beautiful flower is the tube
rosel Its waxcn cOrolla would make n
trumpet for the herald of the fairies
and. then, its odOr, so delicious that 1t
seems to satisfy every sense!
An admirer Of the tuberose? Yes;
am. See, | wear one I'm my buttonhole,
and this pearl charm is a tuberose.
A story? Ycs-the one story Of my
otherwise quiet prosaic life.
You know am a postal clerk. My
route is on the c. and O. from Hinton
to Huntington.
1t is a humdrum, mOnOtonous KIND OF
life after you know thoroughly all tho
towns on your run--at least we postal
clerks think SO. But | suppose every
fellow thinks the other fellows place
more desirable than his own.
In here on my run is little mining
town called Hawks Nest quite FAMOUS
among lovers of wild. savage scenery,
for the huge, awful rock hangs far out
over the New river.
Our train used to side track there 70
minutes for the Fast Flying Nlrgihlan'
Dreary enough found the stop. can
tell YOU. with nothing but a score OF
more Of little cabins stuck on the steep
mountain sides and the lofty noun
toins standing close guard all around.
while Just below the turbulent little
New river foamed and frettcd away at
the huge powders which project up
ward from the river bed.
1t was picturesque till one grew tired
of IL. But one afternoon as we slowed
I'D | noticed something in the open
window Of the station.
As the train stopped on the side track
It left the door of my car just opposite
the window. 1t was an earthen pot
filed with tuberoscs all in full bloom.
They were the finest l had ever seen,
so large and so creamy. Even nj that
distance | caught Whit of their de-
llcious fragrance.
| wondered what in the world had
come over old Martin, the operator,
crusty old fellow, that he had gone
into the flower business, and said TO
myself. THE old flint has a soft spot,
after all"
Turning to JEFF, my fellow clerk,
said: Say. JEFF. look at those tube
roses. Amt they beauties? by George,
I'm going TO get one"
had just broken of one of the trum-
net shaped beauties when Help your
self. sir" some one exclaimed in the
sweetest, most musical voice imagi-
nable.
| looked up to see not old Martin,
but. looking straight through the win
dow and witnessing my most auda-
clons theft, was the sauciest, merriest
looking girl had ever seen.
How her blue eyes twinkled and how
the short, crisp, golden curls danced
about the shapely head as she laughed
at my confusion.
I'll beg-b-b-beg your y-y-your
pardon, I-I-thought that old Martin
I thought that they were old man
Martins. r
mo. not old man Martins, but old
man Martins daughters. But help
yourself"
felt my face flame. while l knew
JEFF was almost killing himself there in
the car with laughter.
made one desperate effort to save
myself.
Il do sincerely beg your pardon. /
am so fond Of flowers. | never saw
these here before, and-and"- | went
on stammering.
"And-and- not having seen any
here before, the temptation to take,
when you did see, was too great TO be
resisted" she broke in, with a sug-
gestive laugh.
Miss Martin, my name Is Brown
Harry Brown. May 1 wear this tube
rOseT
Eyes, since you have already taken
IT,"
But | boldly went on: Have you a
pin? Will you be kind enough to fas-
ten this in my coat|
She came around to the door and as
l stood there leaned out and fastened
the tuberose in my buttonhole. For
one brief moment the golden curls
brushed my face, and then the pun,
puff announced that the train had
started.
sprang into the car and, lifting my
cap as we pulled out, received another
saucy smile.
JEFF tried to laugh at me, but when
/ showed him the tuberOse In my but
tonhole he whistled loud and long.
Hawks Nest soon became the most
pleasant place on the run.
found out the next trip that Mr..
Martin (Old Martin-ah, nevermoreD
was sick and that Mary. who had just
returned from school Of biography,
had taken his place.
From Hinton to Hawks Nest going
west and from Huntington to Hawks
Nest going east became exceedingly
long distances and the 20 minutes side
track there but time to breathe.
1t seemed to me that she soon
thought as l did about the short stop
and that she was always glad when
our car pulled in.
Well, to make long story short, one
day the next summer, when the tube
roses were again In bloom, as | stood
ut the window Of the little station
awkwardly lingering a waxen beauty,
managed to tell her that had loved
her ever since she caught me stealing