Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-01-22

nice looking and that he lived next
door. Unlike Atwater, whose mus
ings on first seeing her were " hat she
might be. she unused on something TO
happen and, womanlike, at once de-
cided to place herself on the vantage
ground Of invisibility-that is. she
would not be seen when within doors
and she would appear unconscious Of
the fact that a nice looking young man
lived next door.
While Atwater was assuming that
she did not consider him worth look
ing at she was constantly observing
him from a dark room that she had
fitted up for that especial purpose.
Nevertheless when at a window she
took care not to look into the adjoin-
ing place and never appeared AZ all
except when becomingly dressed.
And so it was that Miss MacGregor
was perfectly aware that Mr.. Atwater
admired her before he supposed she
was aware Of his existence, and she
knew he had been pierced by one of
Cupids arrows before he knew it him
self. She had concluded to have a
garden that they might have an ex-
cuse to meet with only a hedge be-
tween them, and when he planted
seeds to spell II Love You" she had
seen the letters traced out in the soil
before the seeds were put In the drills.
Moreover, she had purposely planted
in her response the letters "No" in
thin soil in order that they might grow
up before the others to give her lover
a temporary disappointment.
Miss MacGregor knew very well that
Mr. Atwater was a man OF an ideal
nature both from his face, which she
had carefully studied with a glass, and
from his method Of making love. She
did not therefore propose to destroy
any illusions he might have. She
knew very well that no man IN love
will be long satisfied with communica-
lions that must take the time neces-
sary to grow out Of the ground and
awaited her lovers next move. So
when she received a note begging per-
mission to begin a correspondence on
paper she replied that It would be
pity to descend from beautiful and
natural letters to artificial ones made
with q combination Of chemicals.
To this Mr.. Atwater replied that,
while the flower words were beautiful
and not usual, they were very slow.
And he made a request to be allowed
to call
Miss MacGregor delayed to reply to
this note, but a day or two later ap-
peared in a becoming morning cos
tune in her garden with a small
watering pot. Atwater saw her and
lost no time In going into bis own gar
den with garden tools. The lady was
watering her plants when, hearing a
sound, she looked up with well feigned
surprise to see her lover cran1ng his
neck over the hedge. he remarked
that the plants needed rain, and she
replied that there was no sign q rain.
Atwater looked for an opening in the
hedge, but did not find any. In the
rear there was a fence bounding both
properties, and, getting on top Of it,
he passed the hedge. he was very
much ratified. The girl was perfectly
cool. She talked about her flowers as
though there was no other subject In
existence. But presently she invited
him to inspect some that were in the
house, and they passed in together.
Then and there they began the speech
where they had left off in the language
Of flowers.
Mr.. Atwater has long been a mar
ried man, but he found, he fondly be-
lieves, that he attracted the attention
Of his wife and won her love by hav-
ing declared his own in flower words.