The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-10-24

THE MIRACLE OF THE PELARGoNIUM"
swinging bridge. The rest of the par
ty stayed away. We We're to have this
little goodby hour apart.
"The Giant is IS feet in circum-
ference, BOG feet high and is esti-
mated to be 5000 years old" chanted
Muriel in the words of the guide. "Or
was it 5000? Three thousand or 5000?
oh, dear! Must always refer to my
notebook? Can | tell nothing with
out always referring to my notebook"
she demanded wildly.
/ took the notebook from her.
Your lips We're not made for facts,
dry as dust. They We're made for"-
l had intended to say for poetry and
romance. ! truly had; but, CHANGING to
look at those lips, 50 red, so daintily
curved so wondrously alluring, | said
Kisses" and proved my assertion.
No man could have helped it.
OF course she was very angry.
suppose | would not have had her 9TH
erwise, but she did not spring to her
feet and run from me.
81 will not apologize, for you know
want you so, Muriel," pleaded.
She regarded me scornfully.
"AS | have told you before, | will not
mate with a dreamer. Why do you not
go into the world and do some mighty
work? Everybody
Everybody works but father?"
interrupted politely.
Even with my heart sore could new
er help laughing at Muriel and her fine
talk of wOrkers-little dainty wisp of
a creature, born to he worshiped and
cared for, but taking 50 serious a view
of life!
would you have me a hOdcarrier?"
l asked. "As it is, | dream, and my
dream makes a book, and the book
brings some dollars, and the dollars
make several things possible. If
were hodcarrier it would mean sim
ply dollars, though perhaps fewer of
them. So the result is approximately
the same, and YOU have no idea how
much pIeaSanter it is to dream than
to carry bricks"
"You are a trlher," she declared. |
"You ought TO write book which will |
make the world better"
Il am quite sure my books never hurt |
anybOdy's morals or manners" | in |
sisted gently.
only a negative virtue" she re-
sponded. "The man | marry must be
positive. He must look
She hesitated, gazing down at her |
Lady Washington flowers, which she
had taken from her belt
"HOw? | asked, with some interest. |
II don't deny that should be will
ing that he should look like you," she
admitted, a fine color coming into her
cheeks. 'If only you would do some
thing to make the world better"
My mood had changed would
plead no longer with this child. MY
mind went to the packet of letters |
counted as among my treasures. They
had come from different parts of the
country after my first book had been
launched. According to these, my mis-
sion was not a failure-my book,
though simple one. had made better
at least part of the world. but l
would not tell Murie this. would not
try to influence her in the least.
arose and held out my hand In the
distance the train was whistling.
Zone thing remember, dear child"
said gravely, "and that is that love
Dlazes its own paths and cuts its own
,hannels. III it be written that you are
FOR me you will marry me in good
ime. Love brooks no interference in
lis realm"
Her cheeks stermed into color as
lelped her to her feet
"D0 you see this Lady Washington
he demanded, holding the pelargoni-
Im before me. See, lay it in the
olIow of this little big tree. There is
irt In the hollow, and the pelargonl-
% may grow. Coming again. ! may