Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-03-30
Even;;ng Story
THE EVENING STORY.
MISS BRADFoRD's HoLLYHocks
BY Ella N. Bangs.
Copyright, 1911, by Associated Liter
ary PresSO

.. ~ Ella N. 6anQS.
Copyright, 1911, by Associated Liter
airy Press.)
Look here, Hannah, see what a
large flower this u.s."
The old servant pushed up the win
dow screen. and looked out my
| land. Miss Elinor!" she exclaimed,
them hollyhocks will be blowing out
Dig overs your head first thing you
know"
For fifty years the Bradford place
mad been known for it's beautiful
nollyhocks. The present owner, Miss
El1nor, was no longer young, but as
she stood In the old garden, straight
and slender, a soft color in her cheeks.
and the breeze ruffling her brown
hair, she seemed fitting occupant
for the place she loved so we'll The
roses phlox. marigolds, and hosts Of
other flowers were all dear to her,
but singularly her most sentimental
memories were associated with the
hollyhocks. They recalled the one
love of her life, and her youthful
lover. Eugene Sargent. he whom her
father had forbidden to come to the
house, and who. at length. had gone
from the village declaring that he
would come back some day and claim
her. She was thinking now of how
they had stood on this spot. When
turning to leave he had said. II shall
think OF you always standing here
among your flowers. and you the
prettiest flower Of ALL"
she he'd never see him since that
day. The woman turned half I'M
patiently. for IT vexed her that with
this memory Of Eugene there should
intrude that Of another, Tom Wyman.
She had never cared for him, and
that fact had blinded her, perhaps. to
the seriousness of his feeling for her.
for a year after Eugene had gone,
Tom had spoken, finding her there In
the Old garden, and her response had
been so decided that he had seen how
unwelcome his attention was A pink
hollvhcck had dropped from her
hand. he had ricked II NJ holding 1t
for moment against the pink Of her
dress with the words:
"It IS like YOU"
This she had resented somewhat
Had he compared her to a rose or
li'v, there would have been something
rcetical about II. but hollvhock!
Tom too. had gone ont Of her
knowledge wears ago Turning to the
house E1iror left her sentimental
memories and went about her usual
duties.
One afternoon a wee', Or two later
she was sitting ont on her woodhine-
-, xoso h>~ hnr
when a shadow fell, across the walk
followed a moment later by its sub
stance-and solid one 1t was-a
man. rotrrd and ford with heavy
mrstache and consnicnous watch
chain All this Tlinor's glance took
In with the fact that he was a
|stranger. AS he saw her, however.
he reached out his hand.
"F]inor." he began. "you amt for
gotten me, HOMER
Who was this calling her nv name?
There was something vaprelv. famil-
lar about him. Then a shock OF nm
rleasant surprise driving the color
from her face, she said SLOWLY. "Fu-
gene--can this he Eugene Sargent p
"Sure thing" returned the man
with laugh louder than the circnm-
stances seemed to warrant. Didn't
exrect me. dare say"
Elinor murmured some response
and sank into her chair. She could
not at once adjust her old ideal to
the possibility Of this presence.
Words did not fall him. however.
and he was soon speaking Of himself.
Eyes" he Informed his hostess.
"I've been in Kansas City most Of the
time since shook or New England.
There's something about the West
that brings out man. Now, If I'd
STAYED here all my life shouldn't
been the man I am today. I amt the
hoastin' kind. but-folks in Kansas
CITY know who Eugene Sargent Is"
"You have familv?" Elinor ques-
toned az at length he paused.
"Cns son, he's comm in with me
as soon as he's through school My
wife she died wear ago"
The man readily accepted an invi-
alton to stay to supper, and Elinor
vert to tell Hannah.
"I heard somebody out on the piaz-
Ia the old servant responded, "and
mistrusted what was comm My
land! II he's got an appetite to match
his voice I'd better get Joel to go kill
another chicken"
The visitor remained late into the
evening. and before he put 1t into
words, Elinor could not be blind as
to the reason Of his coming. and she
lay awake long that night thinking
over the almost unbelievable fact
that Eugene had come back. had
asked her to marry him, and she had
refused
The following morning she said
to Hannah, do you know who my
last nights visitor was?"
The woman turned abruptly. eager
curiosity alive in her face. mo"
Eugene Sargent"
Eugene Sargent! That man? Why
Land Miss Elinor, guess it's a
lucky thing you never married him
Her mistress smiled while the other
went on, "'Pon the whole, when
see how different folks turns out
from what you think they're goin
to when they're young, wonder hall