The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1913-07-03
A
Flower Thief
BY ESTHER VANDEVEER

A young girl at midsummer was
eva . along road past a gentle
man country place. Between her and
u flower garden was low fence.
Climbing the fence, she entered the
garden.
Somehow or other the flowers seem
ed to be more beautiful the farther she
advanced. She was not the first girl
to be led to her doom by their seduc-
tive beauty. At any rate, she was
drawn farther and farther from the
fence. What made the advance into
the enemy's territory more dangerous
was the prisoners she took. In case
of retreat they would be burden
some. Her prisoners, by the way, were
the flowers she had plucked.
Finding herself among some belated
roses, she made more captives and
while bending to her work failed to
see the enemy at a window in the
house He ran downstairs, out the
front door and, skirting the fence,
gained a position in the girls rear be-
fore she saw him at all. Then when
he had cut off her retreat he walked
toward her. Having her back toward
him, she was not aware of his pres
Alce until he coughed to attract her at
tention.
Had this young man been bent on
Furnishing a poacher he would proba-
bly, have been too angry at her depre.
dations to be moved by her discom-
fiture. AS it was, he thought 1t the
prettiest sight of his life. She stood
with the flowers in her skirt looped
to hold them, some of them falling to
the ground, hanging her head, a pitt
full but beautiful sight. The young
man who had trapped her had done
so for amusement and, though his
heart melted toward her, he determin-
ed to play his game.
"If you had called at the house." he
said, land asked if you might gather
some flowers you would have been
given permission"
She looked down at the flowers she
held In her skirt, to avoid the gaze Of
the young man who had reproached
hCl. iCOChLiy ohC lOuhO hCi tOhBuC.
you might take them," she said,
"and put them in vase and use them
to decorate the drawing room or the
dining table"
mo; that would not do at all. The
sentiment would be spoiled. How
would you like to have flowers about
you that would remind you that you
had not been permitted to pluck them
yourselfT'
The girl hung her head lower.
"The flowers in these beds are spoil
ed" continued the young man. "You
may as well take the rest Of them"
And, whipping out his pocketknife,
he began to slay them by the dozens.
Roses, violets, lilies, fell, and as fast
as he cut their stems he tossed them
in with the others. She looked at him
with an expression more troubled than
ever.
"I'm very sorry" she faltered, "that
l have spoiled all these flowers for
you. / don't see why. haven't
touched them"
"You have spoiled the whole gar
den," he replied. "Come over here.
These are our favorite beds, since they
contain the choicest varieties" And
he began cutting them ruthlessly.
"Please DON'T" she faltered. Surely
I cannot have contaminated these"
Gall blighted," he persisted. And
as they fell he tossed them at the re-
ceptacle, which was now full to over
flowing.
you'd better sit down on that
BENCH" he added. "And for a pun
ishment I'll bury you alive with bios
sons"
The flowers were falling about heI
in such profusion that she was glad to
be seated so that she could hold then
in her lap. He continued to pelt her
with them for time, when, seeing by
her quivering lip that she would moi
long be able to restrain her pentup feel
ings, he desisted.
II think l should have something II
exchange for all this waste" he said.
Indeed, should be glad to pay"
"In what coinr
II have some silver with me-"
The young man smiled. What limo
| cence!
"There's just one little thing which
If you would give 1t me, would ampl.
repay me for the loss I have sus
tained."
The girl looked up hopefully. Wha
could 1t be?
"A kiss"
Again the eyes dropped to the flow
ers in her lap. She was silent 70
some time; then there came In a wea
little voices
II shouldn't think you'd care to kis
a-thief,"
She looked up. He was squared bt
fore her, smiling at her. Her eyes fe
and were raised several times, and q
last she seemed to understand that b
had been guying her. She should hav
seen through it all before, but she wa
barely sixteen years old.
BE gathered up the flowers for he
remitting the penalty, and insisted o
| CARRYING them home for her And thf