The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-20
Scotch Heather
D. EART EEsTcerT

John Bowditch, botanical-case on
shoulder. hurried along the wood path
70 test his pet experiment For years
ne mad been filing hidden places in
tnese Maine woods with foreign plants
which. left to work out their own sal
Vauon for time, he later revisited
with almost fatherly delight. Today
ne would see how some Scotch heath
! or had weathered a year of New
England.
Suddenly with distant ru5tling of
leaves, girl came through the trees.
Following the winding path toward
MIN. John Bowditch, 40 years old.
ignorer Of women, saw only that the
CLEAN OF her crimson dress In the
light OF the September afternoon was
not unpleasing. Stepping aside az II
to examine tall sumac. he was lesv-
ing the narrow path TO her, when his
eyes fell on bunch of flowers in her
nand. He scowled. His near-sighted
eyes strained at her. She had not
seen him. He must get better look
unobserved. He slipped behind the
shelter Of the sumac. Now she was
only ten steps away-and he could
see. 1t was his heather. She played
with the ioweds, Embarrassing the
tiny, pink sprays. There was q
dreamy, sentimental look on her face
that reused an evil temper in the
man Of science.
He glared at her as she passed,
half-minded to protest, but, the right
second thought lost, stood looking
angrily after her retreating figure.
soon hidden by the curve Of the path.
Turning. he plunged ahead through
the tangle of asters and goldenrod.
with frequent stumbles over twisted
roots. He was too cross to watch his
feet. 1t was science VS.. sentiment,
and science seemed to have the worst
Of 1t. Before him in a clearing lay
the heather patch He stopped over
1t, smoothing the plants with loving
fingers. Broken stems, empty spaces
told their story. The roots would live
on: for that he was thankful, but for
the present this experiment must re-
main incomplete Rising with a
shrug he tried to turn his mind to
the other plant life around; but for
once even botany had lost it's charm.
Science and John Bowditch were out
Of tune, and he stamped homeward in
disgust
Meanwhile Scotch Mysie Cameron
rapturously arranged her plumber In q
bowl. The very touch Of its tiny,
prickling leaves made her realize how
the days of her visit to her American
were flying. and awoke in her a sud
den home-hunger. But how came
heather into Maine woods to make q
J Scotch girl homesick? The puzzle OF
It haunted her. Her neighbors had no
knowledge of the plant. One at last
suggested that she ask that old bot
anist, Bowditch, who lived alone on
the hill; and impulsiyely she wrote
him a note Of eager inquiry.
John Bowditch next day grunted
J over It and tossed 1t onto his crowd
} ed desk. But each time he glanced VI
} from his microscope he caught sight
OF its white back. Bother the thingl
Impatiently he turned it over.
"She writes fair hand-but Cae
sar, what. an ending! I, too, am Q
stranger from Scotland!' Sentimental
Sickeningly sentimental! Well, she's
got my heather. How the Dickens
} shall I keep her from my other stuff
out there, and from babbling all ovei
J town to set people hunting?"
At last he wrote her briefly, asking
her to show him the heather II
growth. Before the time came, ht
thought, he might contrive something
to tell her. Meanwhile, anticipating
such boredom, he felt himself truly I
martyr to science.
Two days later he kept his appoint
ment with her. He felt oddly out o
place In his familiar woods as he fol
lowed her swishing skirts along tn,
path. Sereneiy unconscious Of hii
embarrassed silence, the girl supplied
a friendly chatter. until triumphant,
she stopped over the disputed patch
'Is that anything but heather, Mr.
Bowditch?"
lie took the spray she handed hin
and examined II.
Conscious of her scrutiny, he pullet
scientifically at the leaves. Finally
with an air OF congratulation and sur
prise, he faced her.
TT Is Calluna vulgaris. vow. How
unexpectedly plants do turn upl Nj
grating birds, a hundred differen
mediums carry them. I'd rather no
commit myself to any theory here
Suppose we consider 1t one Of na
lures experiments. and watch the re
suit"
He flushed a little under her pleas
ed. unquestioning assent. He had
guilty consciousness which he hope
did not show. Yet as he stood lookini
awkwardly down at the heather in 1t
glow of autumn sunlight, and at tn
bright gfrl-face above it. he somehow
felt glad to be there. Less shyly h
began to speak again Of the plants.
First Of all we must keep this NOV
!. 70 ourselves" he said decidedly. 9Th
flowers are small and OF the beatei
track. Probably only your Scotch eye
could have noticed them in a doze
years. Shall we pledge ourselves 3
! keep the secret?"
with mock solemnity Mysie stretch
ed out her hand to him and he shoe
4 it as soberly.
: "of course" she added, I shal
: walk here now and then"
ooh naturally" John agreed.
.hau keen an eye on 1t myself"
walking home, Mysie talked G