The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-07-30
THE EVENING STORY.
White Nancy.
Copyright. 1913. BY w. werner)

In broad white flood. Under II the
flowers stood still as II waiting for
something to happen. Something
had happened. A man stood half way
down the coal ash path bending over
the tangle of white nancies. His h,
was In his hand. He stood motion
less as II he had forgotten himself.
His face. the curve Of his head, the
square line Of his spare. trim shoul-
ders had almost PHOTOGRAPHIC
clearness to Jenny's staring eyes.
She knew. of course. that she was
asleep and dreaming She dreamed
that John Mortimer stood there In
the moonlight gazing at the flowers
no had always admired. Oh, II she
might die before she awoke! All,
but she was awake all the time!
This man moved. She moved. She
rose to her feet. He came toward
her. She heard him say. They said
l should find her here" Then she
advanced fully into his view.
II am here" she said.
They stood looking at each other,
half bewildered. half curious. She
heard him draw deep breath. She
saw him hold out his hand and she
reached forth her hand to meet 1t.
This brought them a little nearer
still.
We'll. It Is q long time since was
here last" he said.
She nodded. "Twenty-one years
next month. The 18th, Thursday"
Eyes. hadn't forgotten. The
trumpet vine has gone some. That's
about the only change I see." He
gazed at her eagerly.
About the only change" Jenny
replied. She sank down upon the
step and he took his seat beside
her. They gazed at the garden in
silence.
Il notice you're still growing
white nancies." he remarked at last
This seemed to drag Jenny out of
her daze. "Yes." she replied.
II carried one of those flowers
with me clear to Argentina" he
said. 1T was that brought me back
partly" He drew forth his pocket
book. opened II and showed her q
carefully preserved pressed flower.
Its gone wherever I've gone for 81
years. I guess it's been a kind Of
talisman. You see, they didn't grow
white nancies down there. So kept
this one. And now I've brought 1t
back. Funny. isn't it," But the
catch in his voice did not sound as
though he thought SO. Jenny" he
asked. tentatively, did you ever
wish that-that you'd gone with me
that timer"
"Oh, John" Her voice came In a
sob. IF you knew how have
wished! God only knows what made
me change my mind. I wanted to
go with you, but that night She
shivered. He put his arm about her
and drew her gently nearer. THAT
night" she went on, more bravely.
1T was Just such night as this.
Remember? The white nancies were
all out and II was all so sweet and
familiar and cosy. / couldn't bear
to leave II. And father and mother
were coaxing me to stay. l never
did have much mind Of my own, and
when they said that II you really
cared you would stay with me IN
stead Of making me go with you
II guess there was some truth in
that" she said sadly. 81 was wild
for adventure. and | didn't under
stand all was asking you to do. l
have since. But never heard. /
thought probably you'd married.
And then | said to "'yself: I'll just
60 back and look at the white
nancies anyhow"
He kissed her tenderly. Jenny's
face was sweeter than any flower I'M
der the moonlight as she lifted It to
bis. John" she mt nv. |, "the
white nancies-I-I-I've kept them
growing-for you!"