Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-09-05
Wherein Philip Ammon Is Shown Linn
berIost vioIets.
XIX.

SNS "a NOOL
of learning she had gathered from
field and forest was a wealth Of at
traction no other girl possessed. Her
frank, matter of fact manner was an
inheritance from her mother, but there
was something more. Once, as they
talked he thought sympathy was the
word to describe it and again com
~prehension.' She seemed to possess a
large sense of brotherhood for all hui
man and animate creatures. She might
as well have been a boy, so lacking was
she in any touch Of feminine coquetry
toward him. He studied her wonder
ingly.
AS they went along the path they
reached a large slime covered pool sur
rounded by decaying stumps and logs
thickly covered with water hyacinths
n blue flags. Ammon stopped.
SIS that the place." he asked.
ElnOra assented.
"The doctor told you?"
eyes. 1t was tragic. Is that pool real
~ bottomless?"
$50 far as we ever have been able
to discover
"And you were born here?"
He had not intended to voice that
thought.
"Yes,' she said looking into his eyes.
"Just in time to prevent my mother
from saving the life Of my father. She
came near never forgiving me. A
little farther along is my violet bed. l
want you to see it."
She led him into a swampy half open
space in the woods, stopped and step
ped aside. Ammon uttered a cry of
surprised delight. A few d%ecaying logs
were scattered around, the grass grew
in tufts long and fine. Blue flags way
ed, clusters OF cowslips nodded gold
heads, but the whole earth was purple
with a thick blanket Of violets nodding
from stems a foot in length. Elnora
knelt and slipping her fingers through
the leaves and grasses to the roots,
gathered a few violets and gave them
to Philip.
"Can your city greenhouses surpass
them?" she asked.
Ammon sat on a log to examine the
blooms.
"They are superb" he said. II never
saw such length Of stem or such rank
leaves, while the flowers are the deep
est blue, the truest violet I we saw
growing wild. They are colored exact
ly like the eyes Of the girl I am going
TO marry"
Elnora handed him several others to
add to those he held.
'She must have wonderful eyes," she
commented.
"No other blue eyes are quite so
beautiful" he said. I'm fact, she L
altogether lovely"
''It is customary for a man to thinl
the girl he is going to marry lovely.
wonder if 1 should find her So"
"You would" said Ammon. mo ont
ever fails to. She is tall as you, very
slender, but perfectly rounded; yol
know about her eyes; her hair is blacl
and wavy. while her complexion il
clear and flushed with red"
Elnora knelt among the flowers a
she looked at him.
"Why, she must be the most beauti
full girl in the whole world" she cried.
Ammon laughed.
mo, indeed he said. "She is not
particle better looking in her way thai
you are in yours. She is a type o
dark beauty, but you are just as pei
feet. She is unusual in her combina
ton of black hair and violet eyes, al
though every one thinks them black a
a little distance. You are quite as un
usual with your fair face. black brow
and brown hair. Indeed, I know man,
people who would prefer your brigh
head to her dark n It's all a Ques
ton Of taste-and being engaged to tn
GIRL" he added.
Edith has a birthday oon If thes
to send her?
II will help gather and pack ther
for you, so they will carry Nicely. I
she interested in nature?"
"What interests Edith Carr? Let m
think. First, l believe she takes prid
in being just a little handsomer an
better dressed than any girl Of her sci
She is interested in having a beautifu
home, fine appointments about her, l
being petted, praised and the acknow
edged leader Of society. She likes t
find new things which amuse her an
to always and in all circumstance
have her own way about everything"
"Good gracious!!" cried Elnora, stal
ing at him. But what does she do
How does she spend her timer"
"Spend her timer! repeated Ammo1
"Well, she would call that a joke. He
days are long enough. There !
endless shopping to find the prett
things, regular visits to the dressmal
-ers, calls, parties, theaters, entertain
ments. She Is ALWAYS rushed. I neve