The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-03-18
LILAC
BLOOMS
BY Keith Gordon
Copyright, 1905, On I. c. Mcclure


Danbury, fresh from the wilds of the
west, where for Il year or more he had
been busy tanning rcbellouS nature
after the manner of civil engineers
came down the steps that led from his
club to the street, with his broad Shoul-
ders we'll back and the zcst of living
alive in his heart.
Something of the wholesomencsS of
natures solitudes clung to him, show
Ing in the clearnesS of his eyes and the
breadth of his chest Here was Il
man, one saw at Il glance. accustomed
to wide horizons and great drafts OF
untainted air.
May, that tender mixture of spring
and summer. was casting its glamour
over the city, and Danhury'S blood
whirled through his veins with an in
toXicating, hoyiSh cagcrncSs. 1t was
good thing to be alive. to have come
from that vast, still land beyond the
Rockies, where man seems so small, to
the more intimate if less lofty attrac-
tions of New York He felt it kcenly
through every inch Of his healthy. Wig
orous body. Then, too, he WAS on Il
holiday, the moro sweet that it had
been long delayed and hardly earned.
The crisp pattcr Of h0ufS upon the
asphalt. the whiZZing of the alltomo-
bilos, even the distant OnruSh of the
elevated trainS-all OF it was delightful
to him. He was in love with the ur-
ban idea. Then at the corner Il faint.
sweet, vaguely familiar scent drifted
across his consciousness. and rs at
magic touch Fifth avcnuc 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 as comfortable rs an Oil
shoe and a wide driveway guarded on
both sides by poplarS rs straight and
tall rs grenadiers. At the back of the
lawn was q 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
train of thought his eye fell upon n
pushcart at the edge of the sidewalk,
Of lilac blossoms. 1t was the scent of
the lilacs that had transported him in
spirit to the old scenes and the lilacs
that rs Il boy he remembered he scorn-
ed because they were flowers and
therefore only worthy the attention of
women ANA girls.
The alert Italian, with his parch-
ment skin and bilious looking eyes,
who saw in lilacs only another way Of
getting money. held out q bunch insinu-
atingly Danbury tossed him a dime
and, selecting one of the soft, purplish
spikes of bloom, hc!Q it TO his face and
shifted at it rcmin;sccntly.
Though he walked mechanically on
ward, in thought he was far back in
the years. II" felt the soft springy
sod under his bare feet once more,
heard the big black and yellow bumble-
bees buZZin& heavily over the sweet
ness of the flowers. tasted the wild
strawberries that grow Oh the south
slope OF Il certain hill that he knew
well. These and many other things
that had made life wonderful he
thought of, remembering bit sadly
that the world could never seem lust
like that again. Being Il boy-that was
the greatest thing.
Guided by that sixth sense that comes
to those who dwell much in cities, he
paused at Il crossing 10 allow vehicle
to pass. 1t was Victoria, and leaning
laZlly against the cushions was girl
OF nineteen OF twenty years the sight
Of whom brought his thoughts quickly
back to the present.
Even in that irresponsible moment
he realized that she could lay no cs-
pecial claim to beauty. But the fresh,
girlish face was very young and clear,
and by strange coincidence it looked
out at him from Il 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 at her side, were
all OF that color. Dan3ury had a be-
wildered feeling that S!.s was a sort
Of human flower, and he Ssar2d like
man In trance, noting The delicate
pallor Of her skin and the clear dark
ness Of her hair.
Thor egez met and pacsed. Hers
ware blue 30 deep that thsy vergsd
Hpen purple, and DanbuIy, who was
bnt ths more peat that lie never at
smptod to write yersos, drew a sigh