Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-07-20
THE WHITE FLOWERS.

who smoked had lit their cigars. Silence
reigned whilst the waiter removed the
remains of the final course.
"It has been capital dinner" re
marked Harry Forbes.
"Capital!' assented Walter Vain
wright. "They do you really well al
this restaurant"
Only the third mantle one who was
not smoking silent. His eyes were
fixed on the table, but his thoughts
seemed to have wandered far from the
theme discussed. Wainwright nudged
him.
Don't you agree, old mann"
"Eh, certainly" Gilbert Stevens raised
his face with a bright smile. Excuse
me! For the moment | had wandered
into dreamland. Pm afraid you will
think me frightfully pi."
whats that?" interrupted Forbes.
"Short for pious. 1t was always ouI
term at schOol-the abbreviation, mean
No schoolboy-at ours, at any rate
would dream of demeaning his manliness
by using the full word. But that's apart
/ was really thinking if we could not
make this dinner an annual affair and
attach to it some special significance"
That's a very good idea,' said
Wainwright. cit would be a splendid
way of keeping in touch. We three
have been such capital friends at college
that it would be thousand pities if the
friendship were not maintained"
Eyes" assented Stevens, ''if it's at all
possible"
you don't mean," broke in Forbes
"that there's any chance of our falling
out %
Not as far as one foresees. But have
you ever thought what friendship-true
erdship-eonsists of? 1t is really one
ness of ideal. Now, as long as we three
are one in that respect, it will be keen
pleasure to each of us to meet here every
year and have this little dinner together.
But suppose dividing factor should APP
pear-suppose for instance, I should 90
TO the bad"
Really, Stevens" interrupted Vain
wright with laugh, ''youre unduly pes
simistie tonight"
"Well, | won't enlarge upon that risk;
but ycu seee my point. If we lost touch
with one another, moral, spiritual touch
what a tiresome, dismal, perfunctory af-
fair this annual dinner would grow to
be! And so | thought if we could attach
to it some special meaning, if we could
take now some pledge together and keep
it as the condition of our meeting here
every year"
Suddenly Stevens moved toward the
table. In the center was a vase filed
with white gardenias. He
picked out three of the best blooms
One he presented to each of his
friends, the remaining one he placed in
his own buttonhole.
FORBES, Wainwright, 'the white flow
er of n bameless life Tennyson's ex-
preston, isn't it? Don't you almost
tremble sometimes, you fellows, when
you think what possibilities for good or
i'll lie in a mans body and soul? l sug-
gest this as the pledge of union between
us. To uphold always the honor of
womanhood. Whether we marry or
whether we don't, first and foremost the
honor of womanhood!"
"Amen!" said both the Others.
"Is Mr. Wainwright in?''
''No, sir. I'm afraid he won't be home
till rather late Did you want to see
him particularly? Mrs. Wainwright is
in"
'Thank you. will see her"
Gilbert Stevens entered the house
The drawing room in which he waited
bore witness to the Wainwrights' mate
rial prosperity. Marriage had brought
Walter Wainwright. if not superabun-
dant happiness, at any rate handsome
wife and a not less handsome fortune.
Many. indeed, said that he married for
money; but Stevens, who read his friend,
knew better.
OF the three men, only one had mar
ried. As Stevens sat back in the lux
urious couch, he recalled Wainwright's
wedding day, four years ago. What a
day it had been-a day of clustering
wind and torrential rain. unbroken by a
single CLEAN of sunshine. Old wives
would have said that the omens were
not propitious.
When Edith Wainwright entered tie
drawing room there was a heightened
color in her cheeks that pointed either
to physical effort or mental excitement.
Excuse my keeping you waiting" she
said, as she shook hands. I'm busy
packing"
Going away, are you? Tomorrow 2"
NO, tonight--to Paris. Do YOU think
we shall have a good crossing?"
81 should fancy so. How wonderful
your getting Walter to go!"
walter isn't going. He couldn't posi-
bly, leave business just now. My sister
is accompanying me. l haven't been up
to the mark of late. and think 1 want a
change"
Stevens thought her manner more nerv-
Gus and tiustere3 than the occasion war
ranted, but attributed it to the excite
ment of the prospective journey. She
had not asked him to resume his seat.
and she also remained standing.
Il hope you will have a good time and
come back better. Perhaps Walter will
! follow you"
Not this time, l fancy. He's much too