Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-11-07


soft coal, it was with a feeling OF
complete and entire satisfaction.
He had, in short, for months been
living in a 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 girl), in
spite also of a certain quiet charm of
manne$ 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-
terror there beat a warm, impulsive,
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
cTet was his WI
He was kept waiting for her coming
rather longer than usual on this par
ticular evening, and he had fallen into
"a reverie from which he was aroused
by a little ripple of a laugh which
made him spring to his feet. 1t was
good to hear Helen Van Nostrand's
laugh.
~Ah!" she said; 81 was wording an
apology for keeping you waiting while
l 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 a
little to reach the higher level OF his
eyes.
, She dropped her w presently,
E5lHshing a little at the expression in
his, which had in it something more
than his usual attentiveness, and she
gently disengaged the hand which he
had held while she was speaking,
With the other hand she lightly
Houched a bunch of double ~violets, the
only spot of color about her dress OF
soft gray. you see" she said, 81
have your v~iolets, and you must be
prepared for a little lecture on eX
strzvagance; 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 HI
drew up a chair for her beside his
own, what if / could prove, tina
aside from the quite immeasurabl'
pleasure which l receive in sending
you the flowers, you are also indirect
Iy helping somebody who could pei
haps be helped in no other way?"
Helen raised questioning eyes. ="
fear | do not understand" she sale
shaking her head. IF you mean tn
florist or the person who grows tn
Violets-"
Right as usual" cried Archer
sbut how did you guess the secret {
my pretty flower maiden" Anothe
question in the gray eyes. Il hav
wanted to tell you about her before
Archer went on, and he paused a m
ment and smiled thoughtfully, {
though he were conjuring up a plea
ant ,,tainv IIa1a, tboVubt t
''You see" he went on, Il have q
ways known your fondness for vi
let's, and l always procured those
sent you at n particular place. Or
day, a few months ago, l went in ar
found the proprietor Ga very goo
Ssort of a fellow, by the way talkir
to a pretty young woman, whom
recognized at once as the daughter
an old friend of my fathers whom
had not seen for years; she remel
bered me, strangely enough, and
walked home with her, talking over
that had happened since we parte
Hers was a sad story, poor child; h
father had embezzled and then die
leaving his wife Ia chronic invali
and his young daughter to struggle
as best they could. They had a SIN
house, the only thing left from {
wreck, with a large, old fashioned g
den in the rear. I remember as a b
how fond Amy was of digging a
planting there; she could always ma
anything grow, and 1t occurred to
that she might raise flowers for I
market. She had arranged ew
Mather G. Grau, 1t seems, to send
her vioIets to them, and they Sc
them directly to you; she does
suspect me, Of course, and SO you