Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-04-28
St. George and
St. Daisy
By EPEs w. SARGENT

By EPES w. SARGENT
1t even puzzled Rev. Augustus Flem-
ming to decide whether the popularity
Of st. Georges was due to the fact OF
it's being the first religious edif1ce In
Mangoon or whether credit should be
given Daisy Homer, to whose endeav-
ors St Georges owed its existence
when, as yet there were only three
saloons IN the town. AS rule fve
saloons preceded the first church.
Daisy was the daughter Of the su-
perintendent of the Mangoon Mining
company, and Flemming was her cou-
sin, but lately graduated and filled
with desire to benefit his fellow
man. He was clean-cut, sincere. and
a mans man, 30 the little congrega-
ton prospered amazingly. The miners
hocked into the church and stared al
ternately at the minister and Daisy.
The latter sat on the end seat In the
choir and formed by far q more potent
attraction.
Even the Twisted Dog shut its
doors during the hours of service,
and Mangoon was inordinately proud
Of its church. fits minister and Daisy.
Mangoon was still a rather raw
mining town. but John Homer had
worked wisely when he brought his
daughter out to keep him company.
Her influence, the more potent be-
cause It was unconscious, made itself
felt In the whole town, and Ben
Challoner, the assayist. was wont to
credit Mangoon reforms to st. George
and St. Daisy, with the latter as the
strenuous factor for good.
But Challoner alone was not per
mitted to say pretty things to Daisy.
BY virtue Of his position he held the
inside track, but there was not man
in town Of adult age and good moral
character who had not made up his
mind to win the girl for his wife, and
Daisy, hattered by their homage. &C
cepted them all as good chums and.
resolutely shut her ears to pleas Of
love.
Il like you all so much" she ex-
planned to Fenwick Tenton, editor Of
the local paper, that don't want to
give you all up for Just one"
So II happened that when Easter
drew near dozen young men were
interested In the preparations for the
special services. It was to be the first
Easter service at st. Georges, and
more than one man recalled the day
back home" with the fiower-decora-
ted churches and the vari-colored
eggs. II was but natural that the in
terest Of the town should center In
the tiny conservatory built into the
Homer cottage where Daisy faithful
ly tended their flowers that they might
be ready for the Eastertide. She had
had splendid luck with these and a
dozen stately plants were depended
upon to relieve the masses of wild
flowers that the boys assured her
would be gathered In time.
Then came the catastrophe. II was
Challoner who spread the news. He
had dropped in to see Daisy on his
way down to his laboratory and had
found her dissolved in tears. There
had been sharp frost through the
night and a wandering burro had
made objection to this odd-looking
stable encountered on his travels and
let ny with his heels. In the morn
ing Daisy had found her beloved
plants wilted and dead and Easter
only three days away.
A burro with cut heels was shot on
suspicion. but this did not bring back
the life Of the cherished plants, nor
could anyone suggest a remedy. Flow
ers might be sent down from Denver
by express. but word came back in re-
Spouse to telegram that there were
orders booked for twice the visible
supply,
St. Louis and Kansas City and
Omaha all returned similar answers
and by nightfall a consultation was
held In the lobby of the post Office.
The loss II the lilies was a calamity
to the entire town. They had boast
ingly sent invitations to nearby places
to come over and join in a real Easter
celebration. Rev. Flemming had OBJ
jected to this as being uncharitabie
and. therefore. unChristian, but he
had been overruled and the ManRoon
Times had openly Dragged that Man
COON was 20 years in advance of its
sister cities" Men from Pine Blum
Central City. Sulphite and even Lame
Dog would come to wonder and re-
main to jesr.
When the committee had concluded
Its labors men set out to accomplish
things. Riders on stout horses were
instructed to scour the country for
possible homegrown flowers, especial
ly lilies. Gus Humboldt took the mid
night train for Denver to see II he
could not corner the market that had
already been cornered. and Tenton.
who had to stay home to get out his
weekly edition. was appointed a COM
mittee OF one to confer with Daisy
upon the possibility Of making lilies
out Of tissue paper.
This last was vetoed before the
proposition was fairly out. Daisy's
eyes filled with tears and her voice
Quavered.
It's not altogether the looks" she
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