The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-05-14
Flower Magic
By CLARISSA MACKIE

/ the twilight Of an April day.
And so the beautiful princess who
had suffered so much pain and known
so many sorrows. hardened her hear
against all the world and was very un
happy indeed. One day she wandered
by chance into the gardens OF q
strange prince who loved flowers sc
much that he devoted all his time tt
caring for them. He had fields Of
pinks and mignonette and peoples and
pansies and roses Of every description
There were lilies and forget-me-noti
and every beautiful flower that
blooms.
When the princess came suddenly
upon the flowers and stood In the
midst OF them and saw their beautiful
fragrant faces turned toward her. oil
the sorrow In her heart melted like
Ice in the sun and she cried for sheer
happiness Of living In such beautiful
world.
After . long time she married the
prince and came to live among the
flowers and whenever anyone VA
stricken with pain and sorrow the
prince and bis wife brought them u
once to tho flower fields and the rose
gardens and they forgot their trou.
bles at once"
Il wish there was q magic garden
like that near New York." sighed Don.
his wistful eyes fixed on the sunset
glory shining beyond the rooftops.
Darling. Wish there was!" cried
Agatha. hugging him closer. I'VE
would go to It together and forget how
poor We ars-and everything!"
IT would have to be a really true
garden" declared Don. because rye
been In the flower shops and although
they're lovely-they don't smell Just
like outdoors ought to smell"
"Of course they don't! I haven't
known what It was to smell real flow.
ers since I came here to this terrible
city," Agatha's voice broke slightly.
Mother. dear! n you could only
have gone with me to Grandmother
Lynde's that summer! That was .
garden!" Don smiled In ecstatic recol.
lection Of the only time he had ever
been In q real garden-and after all
that was merely the prim suburban
backyard Of Grandmother Lynde's
place In High Hills. Agatha had not
been invited to 90 because tho Lyndes
did not approve Of the wife Of their
only adored son. Pierre. who played
first violin In wellknown orchestra.
Agatha Dale had been very young
and foolish when she defied the man.
dates Of her family and eloped with
the handsome violinist
She had led lonely life there In
the big city until Don came to bright.
en- her existence. Pierre was TEN.
peramental and exceedingly selfish
and his love had been a thing Of a
day. When he was taken sick she
had nursed him side by side with his
mother. who would have driven the
hated wife away. but Agatha had stay.
ed until the last breath had sighed
past his lips. When Madame T.ynde
passionately declared that Pierre
might have lived but for Agatha's In
experienced nursing. the girl-widow
had packed her few belongings and
gone away with her son-dsappeared
In the maze Of tenements of the East
Side.
So Agatha had grown cold and hard
to the outside world which had treat
ed her none too well. Sx-year-old
Don was the one thing In the world
that she loved There was not one
memory that she dared cling to. for
each one sent out a stabbing thorn
Of pain to shock her.
Her stern father had been unforgiy.
ing. her mother had died In Agatha's
Infancy. and close relatives had taken
pattern from her fathers attitude and
frowned upon the girls unfortunate
marriage. Even Sandy Mcintosh
that Scotch cousin Of hers whom her
father had adopted-even SANDY haA
never sent her . word and vet she
knew at the time that Sandy wa fan.
Ing In love with her. Doubtlesa nv
this time hs had forgotten her ana
was married to anothsr-a woman
Who he'd not made . foolish ma,riaee
All these things ranked In Asstha's
heart md made her - soerowful ana
proud md unhappy - the beautiful
psancess whose stosy che had been n.
lAelAg . little Don.
n oos corner q the room vh,.h
ooeved them - bedroom ana na,ao,
eAese vos . typswsiting machine ana
b dat Of her skill - Z co.viet
Agatha managed 10 earn q I,v,ns ~
hssse0 and her boy. She sm,IeA
seosnfally so0seinss q che rec.,..
esrsd the luxury n which aha h.A
eesa rsArsd and sAs Vas grateful 80
eAe idlsasss oe her 6rss married A.,.
w1sa she turned to the nr,..,s.,
study Of typsvri:ins q . HOSTAGE -
the bad days that might follow IN her
reckless marriage.
All day loas the machine c,,...A
forth page amer Page Of manu.c-,,.
Tor the industrious author vho.. -
sne nad secured. Little Don plaved
about the two rooms wistfully 49,
fcf the nnal sheet to slip from the m.
cnins 20 that he might claim |. mn.
snare Of his pretty mothers com,..