The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-05-03
A Bunch
OF Violets
II Made a Change In a Woman's
Career.
BY REGINALD o. HovEN.
BY REGINALD D. HovEN.
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.
,nSsa&A~x !.

1t was spring, the window beside me
was open, and as the train sped on
reveled in the panorama of passing OBJ
jects. There was that tender green
on the trees which appears only once
year for about Il week, usually In
April.
/ Then the train stopped ut n station,
and a little girl on the platform with
basket on her arm filed with vio-
lets looked up at me with n pair Of
eyes of the same color as the flowers.
though of lighter shade, beseeching
me to buy. l handed her II coin. for
which she gave me a bunch of the
violets, and put them in my belt.
If that little girl had not sold me
those violets and If had not thrust
them in my belt my field in life would
have been entirely different. An or
phan with fortune, | had resolved TO
devote myself and II to the poor.
Several girl friends of mine had made
unfortunate marriages, and their
stories had filed me with repug-
nance TO tying myself up to hus-
| band. IF | marry" / said to my
self, II shall get some selfish man who
will marry my fortune and leave me
| out I'm the cold. This Is n world Of
selfshness ! detest selhshness and
am resolved to live for Others" | was
going 70 the city to take course OF
medicine. After graduation | would
open an Office and treat women and
| children who were i'll and had no
money to pay without compensation.
When the train reached the terminal
and | was walking down the platform
| between the lines of people who were
there TO welcome friends young
man stopped from the line, lifted his
hat. smiled ut me and said:
IL Judge by the violets on your belt
that you are Lucy. ! am John Ridg-
way. Let me take YOUR bag. This
way, please"
Now, it was plain that the young
man had made Il mistake. Doubtless
he was there to meet some one he
didn't know and that by which she
was TO be recognized was a bunch of
violets worn i'm her belt l was young
and not averse 10 IN adventure. l
was curious to learn what would be
the upshot of IL all. At any rate,
would let him have his way for a
time. So / gave him my satchel and
walked beside him, waiting for him to
say something more
"We're going to do all we can for
YOU" he went on. you're to live with
us without paying a cent till you are
perfectly able to pay. Mother has
situation already engaged for you ut
SO week. Beckie will be sister
to you. and | will be brother"
How refreshingl There was surely
nothing selfish about this young man
who looked down on me with pair
of frank, sympathetic eyes. / was in
terested to know more of him. l suf-
fered myself to be led along passively
till we reached the street, where he
put me into Il car, getting in himself
and insisting on paying my fare. At
just what time / would inform him of
his mistake did not know.
TO tell the truth, dreaded this entry
into big city possibly as much as the
poor girl for whom he had mistaken
me. / had intended TO go to a hotel
until / could find suitable boarding
place. Why not go with this young
man to his home, look 1t over and
those in il and If / liked 1t and them
ask them to take me to board. Time
enough to announce the mistake that
had been made In my identity after
ward.
We alighted before small house,
went in, and lovely old lady and
young girl welcomed me.
MY DEAR" said the former. II can
not see that you resemble your father
or mother in the slightest degree
IL think Cousin Lucy somewhat re-
sembles the Morgans," said the young
girl.
1T doesn't matter" said the young
man, "whom she resembles. She's our
cousin and in distress, poor girl. It's
our pleasure to encourage her and help
her. and we're going to do it, Perhaps
we can marry her to rich man, eh?
What do you say to that mother?
"Well, l suppose that as long as
she's been brought up in afiluence 1t
would be better for her. But | don't
wish Rose to get any such idea into
her head. 1t isn't necessary in her
case"
All Of this was so entertaining to me
that j could not bear to end IL. This
last plan of Johns. to marry me to a
rich man, was simply delightful. What
would he have thought had he known
that l considered all rich men the en-
embodiment of selfishness? And how
he would have opened his eyes had he
known that possessed an income of
$4,000 a year!
But my deception must come out the
moment this girl for whom had been
mistaken appeared. If she had come
on the train with me she would doubt
less soon arrive at the house. If she
had been delayed she would write or
telegraph. AS soon as either of these
two alternatives had occurred | would
make n confession, ask to be taken in
as one Of the family and i'm the end do
something very nice for these kind
hearted people. Meanwhile I set my
wits TO work TO learn from them as
mnph about a.at. 40 ,.g.u,Io 49,.