The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-03

| lOi lDt new Nao "a NhNt 1885,
institution.
So he submitted with good grace and
the next afternoon picked all the chrys-
anthemums in the parsonage garden to
bedeck the Immediately neat but rath
| er severe rooms
As he wandered about Arthur Frake
was conscious that his home lacked the
feminine touch. Mrs. Wells was an
excellent cook and housekeeper. but
she was not home maker.
| He thought rather ruefully that 1t
might be many years before he had
wife. Certainly he had never met the
J girl of his dreams, and he was not like
| ~ to find her in this remote village.
There was not speck of dust to be
seen in the parsonage when the kero-
sene lamps were lighted 1t would be
an hour vel before the donation party
would arrive. and some one was talk
ing voIubly to Mrs. Wells in the sitting
room. Their voices reached the minis
ter in his study. Mrs. Wells wheezy
tones were punctuated by another wo.
man S shrill utterances.
"A1illie Rhodes says it's the first time
they've never been able to give five
bushels of potatoes to the new minis
ter, and | says to her. | says: Don't
cry, Nlilly. Mr.. Frake will understand
how it is-your pa being sick so long
and your ma dying, and ALL But she
only said she wished she had some.
thing to give, because she had to stop
putting anything into the plate at
church. Seems to me, Mrs. Smith,
says she. seems to me poor folks are
just squeezed tight to the wall. The
Bible says not to place any value on
money, and yet it's the only thing that
seems 70 count in this world = The
speaker drew a long breath.
poor child" sobbed Mrs. Wells. Il
hope she amt going 70 stay home just |
because she cant bring anything"
81 told her she would have to come |
anyway Ann Dent is going to stay |
with Mr.. Rhodes for spell
The doorbel rang. and Mrs. Wells |
heard her exclamation of pleasure.
"Why, Millie. child, | am glad TO see !
you" she cried. "Come right In and |
meet Mr. Frake. You've never met
him. your pa being sick ever since Mr..
Frake came Oh. Mr.. Frake, here's !
the first one. Miss Millie Rhodes, from
the Hollow farm
In this diSiointrd fashion Arthur |
Frake met parislloner whom he had
never seen. Millie Rhodes was tall,
fair girl. with soft blue eyes and a
sweet mouth. She was dressed in
black. and he recollected that they had
said she had lost her mother. Her
arms were filed with f1owers-chrys.
anthemums Of every color, great
branches of crimson dogwood berries,
trailing lengths Of orange and scarlet
bittersweet and bunch Of pink gera-
NUNS with sweet smelling leaves.
ut was all | had to bring" she said |
a little wistfully as she dropped them
on the study table.
"And beautiful donation. Miss |
Rhodes. thank you." said the minis.
ter sincerely as he took her hand. |
Twill you add another favor-arrange |
them about the rooms? No, only in
this ROOM" he added whimsically.
So Millie Rhodes stepped lightly TO
and fro. arranging vases and bowls of !
flowers on mantelpiece and tables. |
trailing the dogwood and bittersweet |
berries over pictures and mirrors and |
at the minister's request placing the
bowl of pink geraniums on his desk.
Rose geraniums are my favorite |
flowers" he said gravely. And they
were from that instant
Then came the sound of laughter
and .oud ringing at the front door
The house was filled with a merry ,
crowd of the minister's flock, all push.
ing forward to shake his hand and ut
ter good wishes. Each one brought
something-a bag or bundle or basket
and soon the kitchen tables were heap
ed with bushels Of potatoes, apples
dried fruit, bags of -four. jars of pre-
serves and pickles, toothsome layer
cakes and pies and all the goodies that
farmers wives know how to manufac.
ture.
Millie Rhodes sat quietly in a corner
with group of friends, and there was
a quiet happiness in her face that no
one save Mrs. Wells and Sarah Smith
and. of course. the minister quite un.
derstood
Miles donation beautified the min.
listers own room. and unconsciously
her fingers had given the deft won.
AMY touches that the room needed.
BY and by some asked her to sing.
and she arose and. unaccompanied,
sang In sweet, flutelike voice many
Old ballads that brought tears to the
eyes of the older people
u should like my wife to sing like
that," thought Arthur Frake as he
moved among his people.
This donation was not exactly like
other donation parties. Even Emma