Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-03-16

The oardenere,

l. ,S .tF - ~ n, 's@t
The Gardeners.
He raw them coming through the
eats on the Red Road-the major and
Shirley In . lilac muslin By his side
and strobe to meet them. Behind
them Ranston propelled . hand-cart
filed with paper bundles from each Of
which protruded . bunch Of Towering
stems. There was . flush in Shirley's
cheek % her hand lay In Valiant's.
As for him, his eyes. like . wilful
drunkards. returned again and again.
between the majors Compliments. to
her face.
"You have accomplished wonders.
sab! had NO idea 20 much could be
done IN such q limited time. You
have certainly primped the old place
up. could almost think was look.
ing at Damory Court in the sixties.
sah!"
That's quite the incest thing you
could have said, Major" responded
Valiant. But It needs the flowers"
He looked ct Shirley with sparkling
eyes. "How splendid Of you to bring
them! I feel like q robber."
with our bushels Of them? We
shall never miss them at all. Have
you set out the others!"
II have. indeed. Every one has
rooted, too. You shall SEQ them" He
led the way up the drive till they
stood before the porch.
"Gad!" chuckled the major. "Who
would think It had been unoccupied
for three decades? At this rate, you'll
soon be giving dances. sah."
"Ah," said Valiant. That's the very
thing I want to suggest. The tourna-
ment comes OF next week, I under
stand, and It's been the custom to
have . ball that night. The tourney
ground 10 on this estate, and Damory
Court 10 handler than the Country
Club. Why wouldn't 1t be appropriate
to hold the dance here? The ground
floor rooms are in order. and IL the
young people would put up with 1t, it
would be great pleasure to me, as
sure you"
"Oh!" breathed Shirley. "That
would be too wonderful"
The major seized his hand and
shook it heartily. Il can answer for
the committee" he said. They'll
jump at It. Why, sab, the new gener-
alton has never set eyes inside the
house. It's q golden legend to them"
"Then I'll 60 ahead with arrange
ments."
He led them around the house and
down the terraces Of the formal gar
den, and here tho majors encomiums
broke forth again. ''You are going to
take Us old folks back, sah." he said
with real feeling. This garden In
its original lines was unique. It had a
piquancy and picturesqueness that.
thank God, are to be restored! One
can understand the owner Of an es-
tate like this having no desire. to
spend his life philandering abroad. We
all hope, sab. that you will recur to
the habit of your ancestors and count
Damory Court home
Valiant smiled slowly. II don't
dream of anything else," he said. my
life, az map it out. seems to begin
here. The rest doesn't count-only
the years when I was little and had
my father"
Tho major carefully adjusted his
eyeglasses. His head was turned
away. "Ah. yes" he said.
The last twenty years" continued
the other, from my present view
point, are valuable mainly for con-
trast."
"As . consistent regimen Of pate
de foie gras." said Shirley physically,
"makes one value bread and butter?"
He shook his head at her. "As star
walton makes one appreciate plenty.
The next twenty years are to be here.
But they hold sidetrips. too. Now
and then there's . 1aunt back to the
city"
Contrast asain?" she asked inter
sstedly.
"Yss and no. Yes. because no one
who has ever known that blazing
changing life can really understand the
peace and blessedness of . place like
this No, because there are something's
which are to be found only there.
There are the galleries and the opera
need q breath Of them both"
And semi-occasional longer flights,
too" the major reflected. "A look-see
abroad once in . blue moon. Why
not?"
Eyes. For mental photographs-im-
pressions one can't get from between
book.covers. There's IN old cloister
garden know in Italy and particu-
lar river-bank In Japan in the cherry
blossom season, and tiny island with
q Greek castle on 1t in the Aegean.
Little colored memories for me to
bring away to dream over. But al
ways I come back here to Damory
Court For this is-home!"
They walked beneath the pergola
to the lake, where Shirley gave a CRY
Of delight at sight Of its feathered
population. Where did you get them
from?" she asked.
Washington. In crates"
THAT explains it, she exclaimed.
Zone day last week the little darkies
In the village all insisted circus was
coming. They must have seen these
being hauled here. They watched the
whole afternoon for the elephants"
Poor youngsters!" he said. IT'S
. shame to fool them. But I've had
all the circus I want getting the live
stock installed"
ssrto,, ~,on,< .,,<Ho, - reid thu major