The Paonia newspaper., 1911-04-07
St. George and
St. Daisy
By EPEs w. SARGENT


ming to decide whether the popularity
|of ST. Georges was due to the fact Of
lts being the first religious edifice in
dangoon or whether credit should be
given Daisy Homer. to whose endeav-
Iors st. Georges owed its existence
when. as yet, there were only three
saloons in the town. AS rule five
saloons preceded the first church.
Daisy was the daughter of the su-
perintendent of the Mangoon Mining
company. and Flemming was her cou-
isin. but lately graduated and filled
with a desire to benefit his fellow
man. He was clean-cut, sincere, and
q mans man, SO the little congrega-
Ition prospered amazingly. The miners
focked into the church and stared al
lternately at the minister and Daisy.
The latter sat on the end seat in the
choir and formed by far a more pote-t
attraction.
Even the Twisted Dog shut its
doors during the hours Of service.
and Mangoon was inordinately proud
of its church. it's minister and Daisy.
Mangoon was still 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. f1attered by their homage, ac-
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 l don't want to
give you all up for just one"
So It happened that when Easter
drew near a dozen young men were
interested in the preparations for the
special services. II 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
1y tended their flowers that they might
ho h.. haA a
had splendid luck with these and
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. It 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 a sharp frost through the
night and a wandering burro had
made objection to this odd-looking
stable encountered on his travels and
let fly with his heels. In the morn
ing Daisy had found her beloved
plants wilted and dead and Easter
only three days away.
n DurrO Win cut neelS was SnOt 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-
sponse to a 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 of 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
3ected to this as being uncharitable
and. therefore. unChristian, but he
had been overrufed and the Mangoon
Times had openly Dragged that Man
goon 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 jeer.
When the committee had concluded
its labors men set out to accomplish
things. Riders on stout horses were
instructed to scour the country for
lpossibles homegrown flowers, especial
lly lilies. Gus Humbolt took the mid
night train for Danvor IN coo 20 l. -