The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-04-23
The Euening Story
Primrose and Purple.
(By Dorothy Douglas.)

(By Dorothy Douglas)
81 have an idea for making a little
money, mother said Polly Dayton,
drawing her chair close to her moth
! er,s in the bright living room.
| And remain at home, dear?" Quer-
led Mrs. Dayton, anxiously. She had
not yet adjusted herself to the mod
ern scheme of society which permits
from home in order to be economi-
cal1y independent.
Polly nodded definitely. VERY
much at home, mother mine. Let me
there is a large and flourishing or
ganization in the city which has for it's
colorS, primrose and purple; there is
another equally flourishing organiza-
ton of women which has for it's color,
yellow Now, these clubs will, this
year, have many and varied social and
public functions, at all of which they
will their club colors in flowers,
if possible. 1 know women in both
sets through whom, I am confident,
can get contracts to supply all the
purple and primrose and yellow flow
ers that are to be used. think we
can market all we can raise of the
flowers that exactly carry out the col
or schemes of the clubs" Polly was
waxing enthusiastic in the telling,
even though in her own mind, she
turned the matter over and over ever
since it's incipiency therein, she had
had qualms as to the practicability
of it.
The stone wall that surrounds the
whole of our pretty garden is the
very place to grow primroses. 1t was
in rocky banks all along the sea down
in dear old Devonshire that 1 first
learned to love the dainty primrose.
Do you remember the summer we
spent there, mother?"
Mrs. Dayton sighed. "Ah-do I
not?"
'And who ever thought that those
ton to help US through this stressfu1
time? Surely Fate has things very
cleverly tangled in for US ALL phil
osophized Polly.
But to continue-the primroses we
can plant in the wall, and they will
grow and bloom for us 1 know, for
we both love them so. AS to purple,
we shall have our lilacs; we can plant
purple tulips, crocus bulbs, purple as
tiers and zinnias, some wistaria vines
and purple clematis vines, and have
violets by the Thousand if we man
age properly. And there are a dozen
yellow daisy to the great dashing yell
low sunflower and it's more refined
sister, goldenglow. Don't you see it,
mother?"
'.Oh, I do do see it, dear daugh-
ter. 1t is a wonderful conception, and
believe you and 1 together, with the
help of good old Joe Fisher, whose
very hands seem to caress the flowers
ne plants, can make II q success.
Polly jumped up and Rugged her
mother in sheer stress of emotion.
And Polly was not demonstrative.
She had tried SO hard to find a way
In which to help to tide the family
financial affairs over the exigencies
of the present situation. And now
that her mother approved her plan
and felt confidence in it, she was al
most overcome with joy. The Euro
pean war had placed her fathers
business in very precarious position
and although he owned the property
on which their home was built it was
expensive to keep it up.
Polly made practical and definite
plans for her business venture, and as
spring approached she and her mother
and the old day gardener who had
ed every available spot in the grounds.
They made room among the rocks for
rich earth and took out stones here and
there to permit of growing the flow
ers. Thus it was not long before flow
ers were coming up everywhere, and
every bloom was to be primrose pur-
pie or yellow.
The organizations which Polly ap-
preached with her plans were more
than glad to know of a place where
they could obtain their own sorts of
flowers and have them shipped in
good shape.
about the Dayton home was exquisite
to behold, and Polly and her mother
rejoiced in the fact that neighbors
brought their friends to see it. They
watched automobiles stop to admire
1t and felt proud of their work
One day when Polly. in her great |
hat and simple summer |
frock. was standing outside of the wall |
cutting blooms, an automobile stopped |
before the wall.
Polly did not look up, but she could |
hear that there was conversatin be-
tween a man and a woman about the
flowers.
Finally young man approached |
her Il beg your pardon he said,
his motor cap in his hand Mother
cannot longer resist the temptation
to ask you If you will let her have a
few of your beautiful primroses'
'Why-of course Polly said,
quickly. She looked out toward the
auto and smiled at the woman who
sat therein.
Mother was prevented this year
from going to her home in the south
of England on account of the war
homesick for her own land
the very country, by the way, where
slant sight of your primrose wall as
we pass each day has made her more !
So She thinks if she might have a
few of the flowers it would-well, it |
would help some laughed the young
man, somewhat embarras sed by the
fact that he was asking a favor from
4 strange-and very lovely-young
woman.
DO let me speak to your mother"
said Polly, quickly, running over to
the car, scissors in hand
She stood for long time talking to
Mrs. Noble and her son, George. And
when the elderly woman left her
hands were full of Pollys primroses
and she had promised to return when
ever her bowl at home was empty
1-xxrfo ire