Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-17

Amaryllis found at Jane Smcad's exactly
the state OF things she had anticipated. Jane
was not at home She was a single woman,
with a small income at her disposal, and she
loved shopping in Warfield beyond all the
joys OF life. Nearly every pleasant day
lane drove to Warticld and invaded the
shops She owned a horse and buggy and
drove herself.
Amarvllis had calculated confidently upon
lanes absence, and when she saw the win
dow's shining blanks. with their lowered cur
tains. she nodded triumphantly. She, how
ever. for. forms sake, raped and rang.
Then she took a piece OF paper. She sat
down on lane Smeads doorstep, and, rest
ing the paper on the floor beside her. wrote:
DEAR JANE want to buy your lilies. There
is something | want to use your lilies for |
have cut them and took them away and have
left thirty-fve cents. | think that is about
what they are worth, and Anne ia says they
have things at the Ten-Ccnt Store.
Maybe 1t will come in handy.
Yours to command. Mrs BEAN.
Amaryllis Bean had not written three let
tiers in fifty years, and had firm conviction
that yours to command" was the only
proper ending for a business letter. She
folded the thirty-tive cents carefully in the
note, and tucked it half under the front
door; then she proceeded to cut James lilies.
When at last Amaryllis walked back to
Mrs Applctons, she looked like a walking
sheaf of splendid lilies. diffusing fragrance
all about her. When she paused before the
Appleton gate, Mrs. Appleton looked up.
Land said she.
III take Your lilies now" said Amaryllis.
Her old face looked forth from the silvery
glory of flowers like a discord. There was
something rather terrible about that aged
face sharpened by worldly greed, set about
by those great lilies, symbolic of the cndur
ing gain beyond the world.
YOU amt going to try to carry all my
lilies besides them you've got there?
"Of course | be.
Sydney he amt doing anything He
can carry them lilies for YOU just as we'll as
not. Sydney, YOU take the wheclbarrow
and put all them lilies in, and just wheel it
across lots for Mis- Bean.
He must hurry, then said Amaryllis,
Il amt got any time to waste.
When Amaryllis and Sydney Appleton,
wheeling a barrow laden with lilies, were
nearly arrived at the garden wherein John
Mearson was working, Sydney stopped and
shifted Seems to me | smell an automo-
bile. said he.
Il don't smell nothing except lilies.
John Mcarson and Sydney exchanged
grlIf Salutat1OTS. JOnn stared Il minute at
the lilies, then wiped his forehead and hocd
again. as the others passed him on their
way through the garden. Steady grubbcr,
in his appointed way of life, was John Near
son; good, but exasperating, to people who
swerved and hoped from their paths, like
his sister in law, Amaryllis Bean. However,
she was thankful at a bit of information nc
vouchsafed. "Ameliar and Louisar they
have gone to town. said he. "Mis' Cyrus
Hopkins come with her wagon and asked
them to go.
Amaryllis felt relief She had not exactly
understood how she was to manage her
financial deal, if she had to reckon with her
sister and niece. Come round to the front
Of the house she ordered Sydney Appleton.
Jest take them lilies out OF the whcclbarrow.
Now YOU can go, said Amaryllis, who had
4 strain of arrogance.
Sydney went.
A MARYLLIS raced out into her lily field
and cut a few, back where they would
not show the gap from the road. Then she
returned, placed them beside the other lilies,
sat down on the porch, and waited. After
awhile she heard the chug of the motorcar
and the long whistle of its siren. Then it
came to a gasping stop before her gate, and
the Young man sprang out. He looked de-
termined, and the chauffeur, who sat with his
face straight ahead, looked sulky. The young
man had seen no lilies on the back road,