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

L spread wjtl, blooming rugs OF all colors but
~ each wh.tcyv-shed cottage. every matched hut
boosted its gardc.-rlot OF dainty Pcs:cs. Each had
quaint device q some special beatty which dis
tingushed it iron. the others. For there was great
Horticultural rivalry in KiSsington-by- thc-Sea
Now this was II because Hugh. tic Lord Mayor.
who very fond ~ flowers had o:!e-ed prize Tor
the prettiest garden in the town Tic Lord Mayor
himself lived mill in the center % tic town in the
midst OF the most beautiful garden OF al, Il flowed
down hillside the summit in rppcS OF radiant
color-roses and lilies. plnkS end d3hodlS, larkSpur
and snapdragon. All the flowers o. the land were
den wound the yellow driveway by which the Lord
Mayor passed in his golden coach He loved to drive
, slowly down this road. shifting the fragrance OF his
blowers and then ont through the OF the
observing the beautiful s3rdens on every hand-ihe
result OF his own love Tor flowers
When the Lord Mayor all the fair Waidens
down their knees in the howcr-bcds. watering the
dead leaves pulling up scraWny wees, cGiNIls me
delicate vines to climb. he would rub his hands and
All this is good. this is very good indeed! We
shall have the beautiful town i'll The world bios
the world blossoming with health and ike
the flowers they tend 1t will be hard TO tell which Is
so my som Then he would chucble and poke in the
ribs the young man who rode beside him
tall and far with curly golden locks and eyes as brown
as the heart OF yellow daisy. When be drove through
their knees in their garden plots would pause Iao-
ment from their chase OF 4 weighing worm or slug
gently Then they would back TO their flowers
more eagerly than before For theirs was the Prize!
Ou see. lOT
the prize to besHon- The Lord Mayor had vowed that
Cedric his SON should marry the girl VINO could show
bv late summer the most beautiful garden IN Kissing
Sea. Moreover, he promised to build ne
palace overlook this prize garden and there the
young couple should live happy ever alter. like any
prince and princess. And this why the maids
worked hard IL the gardens OF Washington blythe
Sea, and why the flowers bossomed there as no flow
ers ever blossomed before.
Now one day the Lord Mayor drove through the
village in his golden coach and came out upon tire
downs near the sea-shorc And there quite by itself,
he found little cottage winch he had never before
seen: 4 tiny cottage which had sign OF garden
anywhere about t-only few flowers growing III
cracked pots the window-sls, and on the bench
just outside the door.
What" cried the Lord Mayor, stopping the coach.
What does this mean? There should be garden
here. | look TO the reason Tor tins contempt OF
my offer" And he jumped down from the coach and
raped sharply upon the door
Presently the door opened. and there stood girl.
all in rags but beautiful that the Lord Mayors
who sitting anguidly in the golden coach shut his
eyes does when great light shines suddenly Ill
ones face
Heyl" cried the Lord Mayor. frowning Why
have you garden. girl? Have you pride? Do
you not dream to win the prize which offer?
: / stranger said the maiden tmidy. No
Lord?"
8 1t is prize worth trying for" said the Lord
palace IN the land Tor the mistress OF the prize garden
Does that thought please YOU. girl? Ii you
different from all the other maidens"
The girl lifted her eyes the golden coach and met
the gaze of Cedric fixed upon her
love flowers she said. " had once a little gar
den in my old home. But now am TOO Door to h,,.
plants and bulbs and seedlings How then shall !
make garden to please your LorlSli23"
81 will send you paitS and bulbs and seedlings"
said the Lord Mayors SON leaning forward eagerly.
q You make haste. for Scp5cn,.r viii be
here. when the gardens will be Iud2ea
Thank YOU fair sir" said the girl. +" 1 shall love
my garden dearly, il you help me-