Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-03-12
LILAC
BLOOMS
BY Keith Gordon
BY Keith Gordon
Copyright. iao7. bp TIC. Mcclure

l'HUHuTI. fresh from tllc WiiuS Oh the
west. where for Il year or more he had
been busy tanning rebcllious nature
after the manner of civil engineers
came down the steps that led from his
club to the street. with his broad shout
ders well back and the Zcst of living
alive in his heart.
Something of the wholesomcness of
natures solitudes chung 10 him. show
ing in the clearncss of his eyes and the
breadth of his chest. Here was a
man. one saw 1T a glance. accustomed
To wide horizons and great drafts OF
untainied air.
May. that tender mixture of spring
and summer. was casting its glamour
over the city. and Danbury's blood
whirled through his veins with an in
toXicaiing. boyish cagcrncss. 1t was a
good thing To he alive. 10 have come
from that vast. still land beyond the
Rockies. where man seems so small. to
the more intimate If less lofty attrac-
lions of New York He felt it keenly
through every inch Of his healthy. Wig
orous body. Then. too. he was on a
holiday. the more sweet that il had
been long delayed and hardly earned.
The crisp patter of hoofs upon the
asphalt. the whizzing of the automo-
hiles. even the distant onrush of the
elevated trains all of 1t was delightful
to him. He was in love with the ur-
ban idea. Then at the corner n faint.
sweet. vaguely familiar scent drifted
across his consciousness. and as at n
magic touch Fifth avenue and its
sights and sounds faded into the back
ground and an old fashioned garden
rose as suddenly before his minds eye
There was rambling white house
which looked rs comfortable as an old
shoe and a wide driveway guarded on
both sides by poplars rs straight and
tall as grenadiers. At the back Of the
lawn was shadowy mass Of shrub
berry where the spikes OF lilac bloom
stood out richly against the green.
What could have made me think OF
the old place just now?" was the silent
Interrogation that he put to himself.
But before he had time To analyze his
W. we wi utou
pushcart at the edge of the sidewalk.
upon which stood tub crammed full
OF lilac blossoms. IL was the scent OF
the lilacs that had transported him in
spirit Ia the old scenes and the lilacs
that ms n boy he remembered he scorn-
ed because they were flowers and
therefore only worthy the attention OF
women and girls.
The alert Italian. with his parch-
mont skin and bilious looking eyes.
who saw i'm lilacs only another way Of
getting money. held ont a bunch insinu-
atingly. nanbury tossed him dime
and. selecting one Of the soft. purplish
spikes Of bloom. held it to his face and
shifted at il reminiscently.
Though he walked mechanically on
ward. in thought he was far back in
the years He felt the soft. springy
sod under his bare feet once more,
heard the big black and yellow humble
bees buZZing heavily over the sweet
ness of the flowers. tasted the wild
strawberries that grew on the south
slope of certain hill that he knew
well. These and many other things
that had made life wonderful he
thought of. remembering a bit sadly
that the world could never seem just
like that again. Being boy-that was
the greatest thing.
Guided by that sixth sense that comes
TO those who dwell much in cities. he
paused ut n crossing To allow a vehicle
To pass. IL was victoria. and leaning
laZily against the cushions was a girl
Of nineteen or twenty years. the sight
OF whom brought his thoughts quickly
back 10 the present.
Even in that irresponsible moment
he realized that she could lay no es-
pecial claim 10 beauty. But the fresh.
girlish face WAS very young and clear.
and by n strange coincidence il looked
out ut him from a mass of lilac as pale
and soft in color as the flower he held
in his hand. Her light cloth gown. her
large hat. the parasol nj her side. were
all of that color. Danhury had be-
wildered feeling that she was sort
of human flower. and he stared like a
man in a trance. noting the delicate
pallor OF her skin and the clear dark
ness of her hair.
Their eyes met and passed. Hers
were blue so deep that they verged
upon purple. and Danbury, who was
but the more a poet that he never at
tempted to write verses. drew sigh
Of delight. In some inexplicable way
she epitomized all the charm OF life
TO him-the scent of fowers-the ten
derness of womanhood. She seemed
the lilacs transmitted into femininity.
and his glance involuntarily travelled
from her TO the blossom in his hand.
while hers followed with a little. quick.
unconscious flicker OF appreciation.
The carriage rolled on. and he went
his way. with thoughts that were but
n blissful blur of lilac maidens and
lilac bloom. Under the thick foliage
of the trees in Madison square he sat
ulown TO pull himself together.
"Ridiculous-' he argued sagely. "a
man OF thirty-eight to lose his head
over the glimpse of an ordinary girl in
a pale tinted gown" Then the won
derful purplush eyes looked into his