Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-04-21

ed. There amt much blooming yet.
There's some violets In the corner
Here are some pansies-say, these
are beautiesr' sighed Jimmy, bending
over the little clump of gay faces.
They're all l have S far. Take
'em, boy said Aunt Lucy recklessly.
Jimmy vanished down the street,
still whistling. Once or twice he look
ed back, but Lucy saw that his glance
was directed to the Harlows.
"Harlows seem to get everything"
muttered Lucy as she thought that An
g~eline's daughter would steal away
the heart of Jimmy. And Jimmy had
denuded her garden of its only bloom
ing p~lants-the violets and pansies.
Last night her sister had told her
that Angeline Harlow had refused to
join the Ladies' Aid society because
Lucy was its president and was known
to be unfriendly toward the newcomer.
"She will have a dull time If she
don't belong to the aid society,"" Ada
had remarked as she hustled away.
At the time Lucy had felt a faint
thrill of triumph to think that her
AdioC lACha was hO" il6 "
she felt uneasy as she completed her
simple tasks and sat down to sew
Soon her carefully planned garden
would be a beautiful fragrant place,
admired by every one.
1t was Lucy's privilege to supply
flowers for the church every Sunday
throughout the year.
CLo I,1 .oo, -.Isn1 UIo,Io~~ o-J
Hester digging a garden in the hope
less sandy lot surrounding the house..
Lucy guessed that there was no money
to buy seeds to plant or shrubs OF
~rOsebushes or vines
"She's got everything else. My flow
ers are all I've got" Lucy reminded
herself. And at that very instant flew
into her thoughts the memory of last
Sundays sermon. 1t had been about
the m who had taken all that she
had-the box of precious ointment-and
poured it over the Saviour's feet.
And with the thought Lucy Simms
flung aside her sewing, and, catching
up the pot of white tulips, she rushed
out of the house and across the road
to the Harlow place. When she knock
ed at the back door it was young Hes
ter who opened it. The girl looked as
though she had been crying. She
stared at Lucy and the pot of tulips.
81 am your neighbor, Lucy Simms,"
said Lucy family.
"Come in and sit down. Mother.'
she called as she ushered Lucy into a
neat but bare sitting room.
Angelina Harlow came out of the
kitchen. She was very stout, and just
now she was worn and anxious look
ing. She glanced In a hostile
at Lucy and the pot of tulips.
Good morning" she said coldly.
Lucy said softly:
81 brought you some flowers. l
thought maybe you'd like a pot of tu-
| lips. You haven't had time to grow
any flowers yet"
Angelina Harlow sat down and put
her apron to her eyes. She sobbed
violently, while Hester, with a lovely
smile at Lucy, went and put her arm
around Angeline's neck, pillowing the
weary head on her young bosom.
poor mothers SO tired. / guess I've
been worrying her about clothes. You
see, we put everything into the house,
and there isn't anything left. l know
1t, mother, but she won't repeat what
I've said. She's kind and friendly or
she would never have brought us her
beautiful white tulips. l heard that
you were growing them for Easter
Sunday in the church"
81 guess | was growing EN- for
where they'd do the most good" said
Lucy thoughtfully. "And now, Hester.
do you go over to my house and bring
over the pot of variegated tulips and
the Lady Washington geranium."
Lucy and Angelina talked and talk
ed, and when they had concluded all
bitterness had been washed away In
tears and a new understanding of each
other and what life and it's lessons
mean for each one of us. Angelina
had consented that Lucy give Hester
the soft blue wolfe she had bought in
the city for her own summer gown,
and they schemed how they would
make it together.
And when Lucy went she called back
over her shoulder: Remember, Satur-
day is Jimmy's afternoon off. I'll get
him to help set out some shrubs and
vines. and there's no end of hardE
plants l can just as well divide with
you. Jimmy will do all the hard work
hes big and strong.' Her eyes met
Testers shining ones, and Lucy felt
strangely thrilled, just as if she was
bathed in the reflected glow of Jimmy
and Testers young love. And who
shall say that she was not?