The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-07-08
THE N STORY
OPEN WINDOWS.

ing palled. She took up her knitting.
brown ball on the table beside her. At
started with it Tor Mrs. Cranes.
She mounted the steps tirnidly.
Through the unveiled windows. she
could see Mrs. Cranes bright sitting
room and Mrs. Crane herself sitting
comfortably with a magazine; Miss
run away. She wished h had not
come at all. She was just turning
to fly when the door was flung sud-
denly open upon her retreat.
Why. it's Miss Lois!" exclaimed
Mrs. Crane. Il thought l heard some
body. Come right in, Miss Lois"
oh, no-no," murmured Miss Lois.
Look at that"
She thrust the knotty mass into
Mrs, Cranes hands. Mrs. Crane
looked down at it and then at Miss
Lois. Her eyes twinkled. oh, a
fern ball. she said. Did you never
see one. They look perfectly dead.
you know. until they receive moisture,
life. Little by little the stems swell
and put forth delicate fronds. But
just let me show you NINE"
She drew Miss Lois into the warm.
delightful, flower fragrant interior.
1t seemed to Miss Lois that she had
never seen SO much color and light
in any n place in her life before.
Mrs. Crane directed her attention to
a mass Of feathery green suspended
in the bay window. there's my fern
ball." she said.
Miss Lois gazed in wonder. her
small hands clasped n%ervously. "And
you thipk mine will be like that?" she
asked.
"oh. certainly; you must soak it
tor a a or two in water and hang
it up in a window where it can get
Miss Lois looked obviously from the
growing fern ball to the unawakened
one. 1T doesn't seem possible" she
murmured.
Mrs. Crane laughed. Just treat it
as I've told you and find out for your
self" she said.
Miss Lois carried her treasure home.
life. but she vas ardently eager to
see what she could do with this one.
h pondered the matter of sunshine
a good deal. She would nave to open
n Of the .parlor windows and she
dreaded to do that. IL would be like
making a great hole in the wall
through which any ~passer-by could
aoon al ~ SEC xlCI. aoSOlueS pllSoGy
was a thing Of the past for her in
that case. Yet Miss Lois had already
begun to love the plant and wished
the best for it.
The second day after she received
the fern ball she opened the blinds
of her sunniest parlor window, flung
up the shade, n parted the cur
tains. Then she hung UP the fern ball.
Within a week 1t began to show signs
Of life. The second week Miss Lois
left her books and the seclusion of
the back parlor and moved into the
front room. The third week the fern
bafl became astonishingly active and
fairly radfated g~reenness. That week
Miss Lois opened the two remaining
windows and let the sun have its will
with her carpet and wall paper BY
this time Miss Lois had begun to like
he light Of day as we'll as the fern
did. She had indeed ceased to blink
when confronted by a sunbeam. At
night even she lit her lamp and sat
in the parlor. She had somehow
ceased to fear the eyes Of beholders.
II was signally pleasant to hear foot
steps and voices and laughter. Be-
sides, h had the fern to watch.
One day Mrs, Crane came over. 81
never saw anythiRg grow as your fern
ball does" she declared. "It beats
mine. Wouldn't you like a geranium
or W for your back parlor windows,
Miss Lois?, You can have some of
mine. as we'll as not"
Miss Lois took the g%eraniurns., They,
too, needed sunshine, so the back
parlor windows were opened.
1t was spring now. and the drab
house began to look rather attractive
with it's open windows. the fern ball,
and the geraniums. Mrs. Crane ran
in frequently. She and Lois we're be-
coming good friends. Other women
came. too. 1t did not make Miss Lois