The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1907-11-21

- aAA1 oeA2h AtllO q L
able easy-chair before bright fire of !
soft coal, it was with a feeling OF
complete and entire satisfaction.
He had, In short. for months been
living in sort OF Fools Paradise. and
he was at this moment awaiting the
coming OF the woman he loved A
bold and skillful painter of brilliant
landscapes Archer was. and. with
hosts OF friends among the loveliest
and most brilliant women In the town,
he chose to lay the tribute of his love
at the feet of the quietest and least
dazzling OF them all
Helen Van Nostrand was not "a
mans woman" she had many friends,
but they were chiefly among those of
her own sex; and in spite of her
wealth and position and the charming
and gracious hospitality which she
dispensed as head of her fathers
household (for her mother had died
when she was a very young girD, In
spite also of certain quiet charm OF
manner which even birth and breed
ing do not always bestow, Miss Van
Nostrand had the reputation OF being
rather cold and reserved, and there
were even those who rather feared to
meet the severe directness of her hon.
est gray eyes. Yet there were others,
and Archer was one of these. who
knew that under the rather cold ex-
woman's heart.
Absolutely free from coquetry, Miss
Van Nostrand had never betrayed for
Archer the slightest feeling beyond
the frankest confidence and good will;
they were the best of friends, which
was just what rendered the situation
most hopeless.
Moreover. Archer was proud Far
too proud to ask the daughter of
Judge Van Nostrand to cast In her lot
with a vagabond artist like himself
And so he drifted on, trying to be CON
tent with the half sovereignty of a
| kingdom upon whose throne he could
| never hope to sit; and at least his Sc
| cret was his own.
He was kept waiting for her coming
| rather longer than usual on this par
| ticular evening, and he had fallen into
4 a reverie from which he was aroused
by little ripple of a laugh which
made him spring to his feet. 1t was
| good to hear Helen Van Nostrand' 8
laugh.
s"Ah!" she said; Il was wording an
4 apology for keeping you waiting while
was finishing the copying of fathers
speech for the great meeting to-mor-
row highland here come upon you
so absorbed in thoughts of somebody
else that you do not even hear me
enter the ROOM
! She was tall for a woman. yet she
was obliged to throw back her head 8
little to reach the higher level of his
eyes.
She dropped her own presently
blushing little at the expression II
| his, which had in 1t something more
| than his usual effectiveness, and she
gently disengaged the hand which h,
had held while she was speaking
With the other hdna she light!
touched a bunch of double violets. tn
only spot of color about her dress o
soft gray You see" she said, "
have your violets, and you must b,
I prepared for little lecture on ex
travagance: flowers are not to be hat
at this season just for the plucking
nor should my selfish passion for then
be INDUCED in so often"
But" said Archer. smiling as ht
drew up a chair for her beside hi.
own, what IL / could prove, thai
aside from the quite unreasonable
pleasure which l receive in sendinl
you the flowers, you are also Indirect
| ly helping somebody who could per
haps be helped in no other way?"
Helen raised questioning eyes. 90
fear / do not understand" she said
shaking her head. IF you mean the
florist or the person who grows the
| yiolets-"
Right as usual" cried Archer
''uut how did you guess the secret OF
my pretty flower maiden?" Anothe,
question in the gray eyes. Il have
wanted to tell you about her before. -
Archer went on, and he paused a mo
ment and smiled thoughtfully. as
though he were conjuring up a pleas
ant vision, Helen thought.
You see," he went on, Il have al.
ways known your fondness for VIC
lets. and ! always procured those
sent you at one particular place. One
day, few months ago. | went in and
found the proprietor "a very good
sort OF fellow, by the way) talking
to pretty young woman, whom
recognized at once as the daughter Of
an old friend of my fathers whom |
had not seen for years; she remem-
bered me, strangely enough. and |
walked home with her. talking over all
ttat had happened since we parted
Hers was a sad story. poor child. her
father had embezZled and then died
leaving his wife "a chronic invalid
anu his young daughter to struggle on
as best they could. They had a small
house. the only thing left from the
wreck, with large. old fashioned gar
deH in the rear. remember as a boy
how fond Amy was Of digging and
planting there; she could always make
anything grow. and it occurred TO her
that she might raise flowers for the
market She had arranged With
Mather & Grau. il seems. TO send all
her violets 10 them. and they send
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