The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-06
The Euening Story
Over the Garden Wall.
(By Alice Duryee.)

was planting seeds, and as David was
in the act of STOPPING the pot hit him
on the head.
1.-The dickens,' he said rubbing the
sore spot and looking around for the
enemy Whence had the bomba
ment come? And then he saw the
terra Gotta flower pot at his feet.
didn't put you there, darn you, he
said, giving it a kick.
Just then a head appeared over the
top of the wall, or rather a pink sun
bonnet did, and the latter was vibrat-
| ing with excitement, not an emotion
| of it's own, but palpably that of the
wearer. "Oh, did my flower pot hit
you? I'm dreadfully sorry but
didn't know you were there"
It's all right" said David reassur-
| ingly, land 1 beg your pardon for
saying what 1 did. But didn't dream
there was any one around. The house
has been quiet so long that you are
really more of a surprise than was
your method Of announcing yourself.
Is Miss Wayland here, too?"
Marjorie started. and then remem-
bering that she had on blue morn
| ing dress, big garden apron and sun
bonnet decided that it was perfectly
natural for the Pearson's gardener TO
mistake her for an underling- And
| after all it suited her purpose ad-
mirably She was tired of the social
mill of a long winter and had retired
to this suburban retreat for a rest
She looked forward eagerly to the long
| days of spring and early summer In
this place she had loved so well as
child She felt almost a stranger to
the community now, however, for 1t
| had been so many years since tne
| family had moved to the city The
Persons had lived next door then Old
Grandfather Pearson used to scare her
with the way he tapped his cane on
the porch when he argued with her
father. And there was family, TOO,
Tfln
one boy she could remember with any
idistinctness He had collie dog that
used to shake hands with her upon
request and often tried to kiss her
without permission.
The role the gardener gave her IN
| stantIy suggested a plan. II she was
to have a summer of quietude and
peace without having to entertain call
ers or accept invitations to teas ana
things wouldn't it be perfectly good
plan not to declare her identity and let
things take care Of themselves? And
| then there was another thing. She
loked furtively at the gardener. and
away again! How the city men had
! bored her with their small talk and
flirtaticrs. And instinct told her that
although the man across the wall
might be of the working class he was
; a gentleman, and she longed to talk
to some one who was of the earth,
earthy' She wanted to know about
flowers and the way things grew. She
craved conversation different from
; the maddening twaddle of handles, and
. so she decided that maid she would
remain.
: NO. Miss Wayland has-has gone
away"
I'm sorry We hate to feel over
; here that the big house is empty. II
used to be such a beautiful place"
His eyes, intent upon the attractive
face in the depths of the rosy bonnet
' [ n
/, lips dare not utter. IT'S a pity you
; are not to stay said the eyes, lever
if you do hit stray gardeners with
I flower pots" And somehow or Other
Marjorie had a feeling that hey add
ed: And gardening is lonely bushes.
I no matter how we'll you like flowers
y ! At least it's much nicer with some one
: else around So she said kindly:
a ''Ot, the house won't be empty. In
going to stay. You see, Miss Waylant
e is-she and THAT is she is very kline
. | to me, and she thought 1 needed {
: change. So here L am doing jus
a what I've longed to do for years
2 planting flowers" She laughed. "Ane
!. | the joke of it is 1 don't know anything
at all about them
a IF you'll let me, I'll be very glad t.
' teach you" answered the gardene
d eagerly.
I'd like it very much" smiled Mar
u jorie. do the Pearsons still live
mean-Miss Wayland spoke of fam
lily next door, think Pearson was tn
+? NAME
l. Yes, but the family is scattered
! Only two sons are at home now ant
one of them is away most of the time
>, The other he heStitated, the Othe
o was away, too, for awhile, in the wa
IT in Europe-but he was wounded an
: sent home. He's all right now though
Improving in great shape
tel rta inc IA or
She was about to say, I'D love to NEE
him. when she rememb ered.
What are you planting she aske
lie almost sharply.
"Hollyhocks. And you?"
- "Pansies!''
They won't grow there. They nee
IS sum-
"Oh. And I have nearly a doze
p plants in
IF wait! I'll come round by the gat
and help you" which rather astonish
a ed Marjorie, for the wall wasn't NOR
/ than breast high and she felt that sh
could have climbed it herself.
30 HE improves on acquaintance, sh
'e thought Its hard to tell these day
TO- with colleges running courses on fol
n estry, farming and gardening, jus
who people are. A gentleman, that
to patti
k So the man came through the gar
den gate and lifted the pansies an
c set them Wnere they WOulQ grow an
ps mapped out beds for flowers who's
;, names she didn't even know. 81
at give you all the seeds and slips yo
need" he offered. I'll bring anothe
a man over first thing in the mornin
. to do the heavy spading and we
soon have things in fine shape
Id Days passed and weeks, The gal
~ den flourished and grew. There wei
d columbines Canterbury bells, 70,
glove. larkspur, peoples. coreopsi
cosmos. sweet william, marigolds, no
lyhocks, snapdragons and bachelo
tn buttons. Marjorie, in spite of ht
sunbonnet. was brown from sunbuI
:" and felt better than she had for year
Every day she had seen David an