The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-04-29
z|oLA's OFFERING
There Were Many Beautiful La.
les, but Her Own Dear Self
Counted Most
~ GEORGIA LOTT sELTgR.

0v 0eOH0uA 1OVT 0e1VeWs
II Ziols Potter had lived In . larE(
town. she would doubtless have been
called . very charming woman. How
ever. in her own. plain.speaking little
community. people wondered Why on
earth she didn't marry and live lika
other folks!
There was no use In trying 70 con,
ceal such apparent facts - the leak
Ing Of the root. and the eoldness Of
rattling windows and loosened clap
boards. or that most Of her scanty Nv.
Ing came from the little garden and q
few hens In . house - dilapidated -
that Of their mistress.
But Ziola managed IN some unimag.
Unable way to wear frocks Of . dainti.
ness and style beyond most Of her
neishboFs. And she could loop back
her fEayed curtains. srraage her ~.
tieuated furniture o. her faded ca.
pets. and serve tea from her delicate
~ cups With - cir that every enc
Of them envied.
Having neither husband nor child b
absorb her attention. be- ona great u.
terest IN life had grown 70 b the ~
holding u family tradition. And just
what . task this 10 fos TIVE slsades
hands aad . still slsadsres purse. esly
those who have tried can know.
ooe 1ay In rumasiag through some
Old pagers. she cane acsess this sis.
nioeane item II eae q hes mothers @.
counts:
MADE our usual Easter eRssing.".
Usual Easter o&eriag. What %
eartA has she 10 e4eri But a oiIee
sho must maksl
ziola counted on her Angers-shs
had never had much experience with
figures except 10 subtraction there
were eight months Of Intervening
time.
But time was Of no account After
. sleepless night. tho great idea came
to her.
Flowers! She already had the best
garden In the little village. and her
flowers were all that ever graced the
bare. little church on Easter. But this
year-and every year to come-there
should be banks Of flowers, until the
congregation learned to look upon
them as her usual Easter olfering!"
A warm, sunny strip along the front
Of the garden was chosen. and spaded
painstakingly.
She knew every trick Of fertilizing
and working the soil, planting the
bulbs and protecting them through the
winter.
In the carly spring. when other gar.
dens were still wet and cold. the green
sprouts began to shoot up industrious.
~. She counted every stem. every |
leaf. every blossom.
Il love everyone Of YOU" Ziola wills.
pered. you beauties! There il just
one week left for you to grow-you
must hurry-hurry!"
Bending above them absorbed IN
their beauty and fragrance. she was |
Of all else. until q mighty
splintering and throbbins crashed
upon her. At her very feet lay Z
confused mass Of fence pales. crushed
flower stalks. an overturned runabout
and mans scared face.
Ziola. her hands clasped over her
throbbing heart stood In soundless
misery.
Are you hurt!" cried the man.
to his feet In the midst Of
the wreckage.
Ziola did not stir.
For heaven sake. madam. speak to
me! Are you injured!"
NO." said Ziola. bitterly, but look
It my beautiful howers!"
With . sob she flung her apron over
her face and dashed past his into the
house.
"Well. II that doesn't beat the
Dutch!" George Gibson stood still In
lstonishment-angry astonishment
Flowers! She does not think about
my life. or my ruined machine. or her
own narrow escaped"
He looked about ruefully. A farmer
irving slowly down the otherwise de.
serted street, came at his call. and
hey soon had the machine righted and
back in the uneven road. apparently
lone the worse for its escape beyond
he knocking OF Of considerable paint.
But the fence!
1T was about ready to fall down,
muttered Gibson. In no pleas.
Int humor. but expect Miss Pep.
,erbox thinks | had no business ca.
'ening into It. And I think the coun.
ry has no business to have such roads
hat . fellow can't stay In them.
ant see how en- earth came to make
uch q huke!"
He hesitated q moment
Il expect III have to tell her m
ONE back and mend the fence, or she
I'LL arrest me-" And he strobe up to
he door and rang the old knocker. Il
No response. {
But surely she hears" hs muttered,
inging for the third time.
well. IN come back tomorrow.
faybe Il 10 Just - well not to sec
er today" And he smiled grimly % a
Q climbed into his machine and .
'hirred away.
2lo1a set attn IN hitfsrm>ss ~ sus~. |