The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-08-21
A
Flower Thief
BY ESTHER VANDEvEER

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 a retreat they would be burden
some. Her prisoners, by the way, were
the flowers she had piucked.
Finding herself among some belated
roses, size made more captives and
while bending to her work failed to
see the enemy NJ 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
ence 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 diseom-
future. As 1t was, he thought 1t the
prettiest sight of his life. She stood
with the flowers in her skirt looped
the ground, hanging her head, pitt
full but a 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
her. Presently she found hcr tongue.
you might take Them" she said.
''and put them In a vase and use them
to decorate the drawing room or the
dining table"
no; 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
YOURSELF"
The girl hung her head lower.
1.-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.
"Fm very sorry" she faltered, ''that |
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 ruthiessly.
please DON'T" she faltered. Surely |
I cannot have contaminated these"
"AlI 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. Sand for a pun
lskment I'll bucy you alive with bios
Sums"
The flowers were falling about her
In such profusion that she was glad to
be seated so that she could hold them
In her lap. He continued to pelt her
with them for a time, when, seeing by
her quivering lip that she would not
ong be able to restrain her pentup feel
ngs, he desisted.
II think I should have something In
exchange for all this waste" he said.
Indeed, should be glad to pay"
"In what coinY'
IL have some silver with me-"
The young man smiled. What inno-
,ence!
There's just one little thing which,
you would give 1t me, would amply
CpuJ Aic AOt ihS iOoo dufC Su1- /
aimed"
The girl looked up hopefully. What
.ould it be?
"A kiss" I
Again the eyes dropped to the flow
rs In her lap. She was silent for
ONE time; then there came In a weak
title voice:
Il shouldn't think you'd care to kiss
thief" i
She looked up. He was squared be- !
ore her. smiling at her Her eyes fell !
nd were raised several times, and at
lst she seemed to understand that he
ad been guying her She should have I
cen through it all before. but she was
arely sixteen years old.
He gathered up the, flowers for her. /,
the penalty, and insisted on {
arrying them home for her. And that I
yas the beginning of it,
But he had to pay dearly for his fun.
he never entirely forgave him for hui I
liliating her. Years after the scene l
their meeting she said "You might =,
ave won my heart by offering me the s:
overs l was purloining. Instead you /
me by giving them to me O
! a way that crushed me-" a
The innocence that enabled him to i
-ush her passed off and was succeed f
] by woman's way of crushing him. !