Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-12-08
Che Closed
Gentlan
By Virginia LEILA Wentz
Copyright, lgei, b. VI. NJ. Cunningham

ell. Miss Morton leaned YEARLY back
In her lnvalid's chair and sighed. Aft
ar AL she vas sorry Doubtless II
you'd mean cessation OF her law
,cr's frequent and periodic visits.
md we'll he had been something new
under her sun.
Il leave for Bar Harbor tomorrow,
TO b. gone week. ON my return I'll
send YOU a telegram and arrange for
our final interview" Howell Or
charl's crisp. Staccata sentences pune
tured her reveric lie was picking up
his gloves i high cart had lust driv-
Ell under the p,r . cochere and Miss
Mort'n'S lyericd groom was busy
qucting the antics OF n pair Of brown
cohs
Mis- Morton cropcl for n pretext 10
spin ont the call Of her lawyer If only
for five minutes II was stupid Of Pc
ter TO haze driven ~ SO early and so
bourg nt., Her eye fcll on the near
est object n bowl Of orchids
''Eyauisitc. IRE they not" she said.
with a slight indicating motion of her
patrcisu. hlue v"lned hand Orchards
keen glance noted them. AZ the same
time ranging the extravagant refine
mcut uf the room
I'm keap'ng with their surroundings.
Miss " ,ton" lie rcjolned. pulling on
hi~ LET: hand glove "Artistically cor
rect"
She made no further preteXt II was
fa;uouS but il answered her purpose.
what Is your favorite iower?" she
asked.
II was an inaue question. and she Bit
her lip Bu, to her relieved surprise.
Orchard gave her inquiry his consider
alton
"The closed gentian.' he said after a
slight pause
Wynchcl. Miss Morton'S country
home with its ancestral acres. was
about far enough from Jersey city To
leave time on the suburban train for a
comfortable perusal Of the paper and
yawn or two hesidcs.
Orchard spread out his sheet mechan-
ically But even the stock market news
didn't seem T. interest him. and he
looked far beyond his paper. That was
only natural lie was looking back
through several seasons OF blossoms
and snow. this man. who, young as he
was. had already begun to be called
u woman Halter The whzzing tele-
graph wires AMI poles passed unseen.
The noise of the engine. the rumble Of
the wheels. dwindlel into silence. In
their stead came the low. exquisite
voice Of a girl:
Its such beautiful little flower In
side Howell
The day had been full OF Late Sep
TENDER elixir. then as now The tread
of lovelincss had been on the fields Of
grass aud fodder ripened by August
suns ana tanned by early frosts TO an
autumnal bronze Somewhere from
among the hc gcs of sumac had come
the call Of d quail Then presently the
girl had stopped near "A sllvery stream
aud puckel plain enough looking
dark blue flower and pinned il on his
coat.
Its a closed gentan, you know,
dear" she had explained. while the
soft tcnlrls of her hair had uncon-
sclously brushed his strong chin. You
see" she Went on. STOPPING to pluck an
other. they're not 50 very handsome
outside but inside look" pclicately
as a sprlrs zephyr she had pr.cked the
portals open 1t puts the flaming
goldenrcd ana all the staring purple
daisies here 10 shame. doesn't ~" She
lifted her face 10 hlm-the face Of
girl not particularly beautiful. but slo
riied by dazzling smile.
tie had left her NJ the gate OF her
little western home AMI, leaning over
the rustic fence in the privacy OF the
broad oak had bid her goodby. for he
was going % the big eastern mctropo-
lis for a year or two o win fame and
fortune for them both He went away
with the sweetness Of her kis. upon his
lips, her trnr upon his cheek. her dow
or in his c1ii
Later there had come misuuder
NAtlNiU%t 90 kAlf ~At%Ats lAf7A- III tAAAt
sort that most young lovers have. but,
alas. In this ease before the gentle.
healing wind Of the real truth had
blown tragedy had visited the girls
home. AMI when the man sought her
she was not - be found out IA her
little western village people ted n
tale OF be- fathers long Illness and
deaih-hoW she had nursed him night
and day with uatiring tenderness; how,
their slight nc9.le being exhausted.
she had tateu up water color work
and filed o.,!ces for dinner cards and
little pic'u how finally upon his
death. she liit x ne 10 New York city
10 earn .e- u ~; in such fashion as
she could
That was MI Orchard had leeI alb,
20 learn AMI than hal been two YEAR
aga. II trl .cl Whl does water
color WORK cn t.lacr card, IN New
York city i rat RI easy natter. by
the the his t.'n hal reached the
smoke Of lie rnacl Tie man wills tho
unreah pspe. wa; thoroughly ont o