Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-09-25

garden? And you restore the garden itself beior
tomorrow? | ask these two things OF you.
Mermaid Tier you will know at the right time
But the garden is another matter. However. ! will d
,nE best Tor the two WAC" ! love And nov" rare
With that word she slid down the rocks and in
little splash OF spray vanished into the sea
Nov the morrow was the day when the Lord Mayo
vas TO Judge the gardens OF hfslngton
every side the flowers and the lair m@idens wer
9er m g6dc cn5c dra n9 % 'nT m
ing white steedS their necks wreathed with flowers
and behind followed great rout OF town5oll' eager
see the gardens judged. In the Lord Mayors co@ci
sat Cedric by his fathers side. He dressed IN il
white. as became bridegroom. and in his hand, Il
carried a huge bouquet OF white roses lis cAeeL
white too, for he anxious to know VII.
this day should bring. and what maiden was to receiv
the bridal bouquet.
Through the town the merry procession moved. anc
stopped in turn before each garden, It the gate o
which mad waited. her little heart going pit
,.-pat beneath her pretticst gown. The Lord Mayo
Inspected each garden carefully. making notes in
little white and gold book. And each fair maidei
q9z>d the handsome Cedric and hoped that the Lore
Mayor WAS writing down her name to be his daugh
a, al the gardens were so beautiful that it seemed
imoC lille TO choose between them. In each the Lore
Mayor looked and locked. smiled and nodded Very
tiiul! IN truly pTord a tie fair flowers and th'
lair maids OF Kissington-by-the-S Surely. neye
lt.le memorandum. make low bow the nader
and would mount into the golden coach and whr
At last. when they had gone in a circle around The
vi~gc. Hey came to the villa OF the wicked Countess
The crowd murmured admirngly There VS. 10
doubt ;boat ii: hers was certainly the finest garden
OF al W hen the Lord Mayor the gay partcrre.
wonderful flowers and shrubs growing lu,.uri&n;Iy
everywhere. he clapped his hands with pleasure and
All! This is Paradise indeed Here surely we
mrst look Tor our bride. Countess. | congT-,i@te
The Cou:1tesS was dressed in a most costly eow,
OF whi.e satin and dark velvet. indeed though =
She ared her mee : and @ aeou s c
Lord Mayors son. in whose eyes was no love for her.
Il SHALL be proud indeed to ride in your golden
Cedric had grown very white and he looked at the
Countess with disgust She was 50 much less lair
her after all? Yes. unless tie Mermaid had wrought
miracle in Cerda's ruined garden. To that hope lie
Father he said earnestly before you judge that
this lady has won the prize, remember that there is
more garden to visit Have you forgotten the
stranger maiden who lives beside the sea- and how
YOU bade her rrake garden the other maids were
doing? Let us first go there, for she may be wait
Ho. hot said the Lord Mayor. laughing. &" l had
in truth forgotten the pretty bcggar Il is absurd to
dream that she should have garden worth visiting
AFTER thar OF our Countess here. Yet will 90 To
The Countess laughed shrilly A beecar's ezr-
den" She cried. " That must indeed be = wondrous
:, DO YOU come with rs my lady said the Lord
MAJOR roltc,y Sit here by my sons side in the
Lord Mayors coach For trow that here will soon
Now ii pleased the Countess to ride in the Lord
Mayors coach. and pleased her that She WAS
Cedric when GerdaS pitiful little garden should he
judged So with great rustic OF satin and lace she
proudly into the golden coach But Cedric beside
her pale and silent, little like happy bridegroom.
With swapping OF whips and footing OF horns off
they Went. rafting through the OF the town.
out over the downs toward the sea. Behind them ol
lowed the townsiolk i'll great crowd. wondering
ceedingly whittier the Lord Mayor was leading Them
For they knew OF no garden here. Presently with
other flourish and cracking OF whips. amid the bark
Mayors coach drew up in front OF the tiny cottage by
the sea And the people wondered more than
For there no garden anywhere to be seen
The Lord Mayor alighed chuckling as If were all
great joke. and helped down the Countess who
grinning maliciously Last OF all Cedric descended
and stood waiting eagerly while the Lord Mayor with
ms staff beat three times upon the door.
Presently the door opened and there stood Gerda.
dressed all in gown OF sea-sreen silk, with string
OF pearls about her neck and pink coral wreath in
her hair She was beautiful that all the people in
the crowd cried Ont with sound like the wind in
the top OF a pne-tree. ard the Lord Mayor himself
tell back step. staring in surprise The Countess
turned saffron yellow and Bit her lips with envy; but
stili' she smiled Tor she knew what she had done to
As for Cedrie; he stood and Gazed as though his
iu silence OF moment she spoke
on have come to my garden" she said. " It
not like other gardens but think ii is very bear
tnul W.T. you come with me:
She led them around the cottage to the meadow be-
slde , the sea where once had been the beautiful little
garden E5'ich the Countess had destroyed But what
was this Where were the lawns and hedges and beds
OF mowers where was the green grass? Cone! Over
the spot lay sheet OF ripping water rejecting the
blue summer sky
what does this mean: " said the Lord Mayor turn
9ow nc pool OF water. Girl. do you jest at the Lord
Nevertheless this is nav Garden. sir, said Gerda
Genty,. ana iair garden think you viii find i If
Nonsense said the Lord Maycr Grossly. and
" Nonsersc: snifod the Cocr;.ess win her nose in
INC arr. But Cedric stepped forward with his eye
Father" ne begged -. - oo ,s,-a- a. 80
i,'aden ask and look - hi which She calls her par
Gen Aayhso We stail FIND >r-~e''iar new 70 Kissing
teon-oy-tse->'ea. For when Cedric saw Row sweetly
the maid was dressed in .coors and tokens OF the