Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-14
II -

II have always thought the cook kept it quite neat
out here" Anna demurred, looking round her in mild
surprise stretch Of bare EARTH swept daily clothes
line, lone tree, and disused croquet ground con-
fronted her.
@Not shrub, not vine, not blossom" Penelope
insisted. you've nice lawn in front; but here at the
the abomnaon of desolaton where there should
be the soul of home, your retiring ground, your pa
vilion from the strife of tongues.
"Good gracious, Pensy! One would think was living
in nest of magpes instead of having dear old lady
the street and recluse the other side. I'll
turn the yard to you Child; but / you
that gardening is an expensive fad"
IF had but two loaves OF bread in the world,
should sell of them and buy narciss to feed my
SOUL Don't groan Anna and say that you've read
that in every Gardening Number this spring It always
makes me feel if must stretch out hand the
centuries to grasp Mahomets lean brown and give
it good American shake"
They strolng the stone wall, and Peneopes
clear voice might have been heard the other side
The wall with its ivy crown six feet high,
that no one could see over it on tptoe
Penelope had spent the winter since she left college
with her brother in New York, pursuing her music and
reveing in the theater Her hafsister, Anna Reade,
was many years older than she and gave almost ma
terna tenderness to the young girl Reades business
qured his coming South to i've in of those pleasant,
hospitable places, just between city and town.
YOU never knew such kindness as has been shown us,
Pensy," Anna went on to say. Everybody has been
neighborly, the only exception being the who
lives next door He is Mr. Lawrence, the illustrator,
and he spends nearly half the year here in the old home
tat1on OF being very reserved"
Penelope had hardly heard word after the name.
4John Peyton Lawrence!" she gasped. @Next door!
Somehow I've thought of him as an actual human
being who could fuss if his coffee was cold"
why, what do you know of him?"
3His work, and that is enough to know All the years
| was at college had his pictures my wall simply
loathe those narroweyed women with gorgeous gowns
and kissing their necks!' Penelope declared with
force than grace @But the Lawrence girls are the
kind love: strong and 1.-THE, beautiful and well bred;
not ornaments nor intoxcants but splendid natural,
wholesome women! Sunshine and dew and outdoors
and the old faiths are in their makeup"
Anna gave her customary, 3Good gracious, Pensy!"
and added after moments thought, Though I've
never met Mr.. Lawrence will say this for him-he
doesn't raise chickens My other neighbor does and
they scratch up my lawn
WHEN Reade home one afternoon he found
bags of bone meal and kegs of lime in the freshly
powed back yard and old Uncle Isum with his tools
1sum preached Sundays and held in great repute
by his colored brethren but week days he pursued
the avocation of gardener.
The scene of Peneope's activities was graced by
new bench under the lone tree Anna sat there danng
placldly, while Penelope dissected seed catalogue
ats the right time to plant sweet peas isn't ito" she
asked her brother in law 3I've marked many
shades because they look like bright varcolored but
terfies, and do love them"
Pearl blush, peppered with carrnine dots, wings