The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1904-03-23
LILAC
BLOOMS
BY kenb Gordon
Copyright, zoos. bH T. c. Mcclure

west, where for II year or more he had
been busy tanning rcbellious nature
after the manner of civil engineers
came down the steps that led from his
club to the street. with his broad shout
alive In his heart
Something of the wholesomeness of
natures solitudes elung to him. show
ing i'll the clearness of his eyes and the
breadth of his chest Here was II
man, one saw at n glance, accustomed
to wide horizons and great drafts of
untninted 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 hoylsh eagerness 1t was II
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 nttrac-
lions of New York lie felt II kcenly
through every inch of his healthy, Wig
orous body. Then, too, he WAS on Il
holiday, the more sweet that II had
been long delayed and hardly earned.
The crisp patter of hoofs upon the
asphalt, the whizzing of the uutomo-
biles, even the distant onrush of the
elevated trains-all of 1t was delightful
to him. He WAS in love with the mr.
ban idea. Then ut the corner n faint.
sweet, vaguely familiar scent drlfted
across his consciousness, and as Mt
magic touch Fifth avenue and fits
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 old
shoe and wide driveway guarded on
both sides by poplars as straight and
tall as grenadicrs. At the back of the
lawn was II 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 nnalyze his
train of thought his eye fell upon
pushcart mt the edge of the sidewalk,
upon which stood tub crammed full
of lilac blossoms II was the scent of
the lilacs that had transported him In
spirit to the old scenes and tile lilacs
that as II boy he remembered he scorn
ed because they We're flowers and
therefore only worthy the attention of
women and 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 a bunch insinu
atingly. Danhury tossed him IL dime
and, selecting one of the soft. purplish
spikes OF bloom, held IT TO his face ami
shifted Mt 1t reminlsccntly
Though he walked mechanically ON
ward In thought he was far back In
the years lie 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 bit sadly
that the world could never seem just
like that again. Being n 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 vehicle
to pass. 1t was victoria, and leaning
laZily against the cushions was girl
of nineteen or 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 es-
pecial claim to beauty. But the fresh,
Rirlish face was very young and clear,
and by strange coincidence 1t looked
out at him from Il mass of lilac ms pale
and soft In color as the flower he held
in his hand. Her light cloth gown, her
large hat, tie parasol at her side, We're
all of that color. Danbury had II be
wildered feeling that she was sort
of human flower, and he stared Ike
man In a trance, noting the delicate
pallor of her skin and the clear dark
ness of her hnir.
Their eyes met and passed Hers
were a blue so deep that they verged
upon purple, and Danbury, who was
but the more poet that he never at
tempted TO write verses, drew sigh
OF delight. In some incXplicable way
she epitomiZed all the charm Of life
to him-the scent of flowers-the ten
derness of womanhood She seemed
the lilacs transmitted into feminlnIty.
and his glance involuntarlly travelled
from her to the blossom In his hand
while hers followed with little. quick
unconscious flicker of appreciation.
The carriage rolled on, and he went
his way. with thoughts that were but
a blissful blur of lilac maidens and
lilac bloom. Under the thick foliage
of the trees In Madison square he sat
down 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
again, and he recalled the slender form
in haZy lilac and the dear young fresh
ness OF her brow.and forgot TO argue
at all. He simply dreamed strange,
beautiful dreams In which the scent
OF flowers and slender maiden In am
ethyst robes fioated in soft, wordless
confusion.
At last he rose and Strengthened him
self with the quick. sharp decision OF
manner which those who knew him
had learned to recognize as sign of
She was the woman. Absurd as 1t
was, he felt exultantly positive of that
And for the rest-well, he had calm
confidence In himself. He would sure
y find her and win her.
As all observant persons must have
noticed, fate dearly loves to be trusted.
In this instance she rewarded Dan
bury's confidence by bringing him face
TO face with the victoria once more as
he emerged from the SQUARE BY her