Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-25
THE EVENING STORY.
The Posy Lady.
Copyright. 1913. BY ". Werner,

Copyright, 1918, by W. Werner.)
Necessity had driven Ellen to ma
| ture-the necessity that comes from
poverty and Ill health and discourage
ment. suddenly had come time when
she felt she could no longer endure
the city. But this was after she had
been pushed out of her place in the
great department store by some one
| VINO was younger and keener and more
attractive. She had been bred to the
one method of bread winning and
when that failed she was left resource
less. Her means were small. She had
not been able to save much.
| Sne came at an opportune time. when
| al Things were at their best. She had two
[ days OF boarding house life and then
white house. tucked in between larger
| houses, with a garden behind it and
green grass in front OF it, with a
| front porch and n maple tree and a
rambler rose climbing ambitiousiy
toward the sky.
| Mrs Belts of the boarding house in
| structed Ellen. You can get that
house for So month" she said. I'll
you can get some other things at an
auction that's to be held tomorrow.
You don't know anything about auc-
lions? Well. ! do. And I'll go with
you. Well make dollar go the far
thest you ever saw. You'll need quite
a few things to housekeep with, see
ing you haven't got anything. Soon
as you get settled you must make you
a garden. You'll pretty near live out
Of it. II you're going to live in the
| country you got to learn country ways.
| Ellen was very willing. She rented
! the house and she went to the auc-
1 ton, where she bid off a table. a small
cook stove some rag carpet and few
1 ttIpI rnn -
! with what Mrs. Belts generously loaned
her, she contrived to make a home. Ellen
| had excellent judgment and thorough
acQu aintance with makeShift. She began
| to be almost happy as she worked, or
dering and reordering. Outside the early
May sunshine danced and she felt al
| most young. She began to sing as she
worked.
| She hired Josie to make her gar
den-a village jack of all trades She
watched him seriously; she even aided
| him, setting cabbage and tomato plants
with her own hands, and smiling to see
how quickly she tanned. After day
| in the garden she slept like chiid-she
who had dreaded the cruel sleeplessneSs
Of long nights-and woke refreshed ana
keen for another day.
The garden grew narvelously. one
early morning as she was diligently pull
| ing weeds the old woman VINO HVeu IN
| the house on the other side OF the picket
| fence came out and spoke to her.
| Amt you going to raise anything but
garden saSs2" she demanded.
| Ellen looked almost startled. II was
1 the first time a neighbOr had spoken to
| her. whats garden sass?" she asked,
| bewilderingly.
What you're raising there-carrots and
SUCH
| ''Ohr' said Ellen. She smiled. Yes.
see now. But what else should raise?
| why, there's pOsies.' answered the
| old woman. dryly.
/ "Posies, yes.' Ellen looked over the
fence into the next yard. 1t was vivid
/ tangle Of every kind of old-fashioned
| flower that grows. Her heart beat fast
| She had never dreamed that she could
grow flowers, although she hungered Tor
| them. Il don't believe l could grow
| flowers she said.
| Don't you like 'em?" The old wom-
| ans black eyes snapped with query.
| Like them!" Ellen drew long breath
| II love them. Oh. you'd understand how
much love them if you'd ever seen the
| place I lived in-brick, brick brick. SO
| hot in summer and SO cold in winter.
| Not a green thing in sight And no
money to go to the florists with. Some
| times they decorated the store with
roses and carnations. and when they were
pretty well faded they'd let us bring
them away They were all the flowers
ever had Oh. / love them, l guess,
plenty. but when it comes to CROWNS
them-I don't know enough"
"Pshaw." said the old woman. Don't
let me hear you say that again. Flow
ers amt half as finicky to raise as