The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1916-06-19
OVER THE WALL
BY ALICE DURYEE.

A fiowerpot rolled off the top o
the wall at point precisely above
that where David, in blue overalls
was planting seeds. and as David wat
in the act of stopping the pot hit hin
on the head
"The diekensl" he said, rubbing tht
sore spot and looking around for the
enemy. Whence had the bombardmeni
come?
Just then head appeared over the
top OF the wall, or rather pink sun
bonnet did, and the latter was vibrat
ing with excitement, not an emotion
Of its own, but palpably that OF the
wearer "Oh, did my fowerpot hit
you? I'm dreadfully sorry, but
didn't know you were there.
TITS all right" said David reassur
ingly, and beg your pardon for
saying what did But didn't dream
there was anyone around. The house
over there nodding in her direction
has been quiet so long that you are
really more OF surprise than was
your method Of announcing yourself
Is Miss Wayland here, too?"
Marjorie started, and then remem
bering that she had on q 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 underllng And
after all 1t suited her purpose ad
nirably. She was tired OF the social
mill OF a Tong winter and had retired
to this suburban retreat for a rest
II had been many years since the
family had moved to the city, The
Peafsons had lived next door then.
The role the gardener gave her in
stantly suggested plan
No, MISS Wayland has-has gone
away"
I'm sorry! We hate to feel over
here that the big house is empty. It
used to be such beautiful place"
His eyes, intent upon the attractive
face in the depths of the rosy bonnet,
seemed to have meaning that his
lips dare not utter.
"Oh, the house won't be empty. I'm
going TO stay. You see, Miss Wayland
is-she and THAT is, she Is very
kind to me, and she thought | needed
change. SO here I am doing just
what I've longed to do for years, plant
ing flowers She laughed And the
Joke of it is don't know anything al
all about them"
''If you'll let me, I'll be very glad
70 teach you answered the gardener
eagerly.
Thank you. That will be nice and
I'd like 1t very much. smiled Mar.
jorie DO the Pearsons still live
/ Miss Wayland spoke Of fam
lily next door, think Pearson was
the name"
Yes, but the family is scattered
Only two sons are at home now and
one OF them is away most of the time
The other. he hesitated, the other
was away too, for awhile, in the wal
in Europe the family is Canadian
you hnow-but he was wounded and
sent home He's all right now though
Improving in great shape"
THAT is interesting" Marjorie
cried. She was about to say, I'D love
to meet himl" when she remembered
Wait! I'll come round by the gate
and help YOU" which rather aston
ished Marjorie, for the wall wasn't
more than breasthigh and she fell
that she could have climbed it her
self
"TTe improves on acquaintance, she
thought. ITS hard to tell these days
with colleges running courses on for
estry, farming and gardening, just
who people are. A gentleman, that's
pat!"
So the man came through the gar
den gate and lifted the pansies and
set them where they would grow and
mapped out beds for flowers whose
names she didn't even know.
DAYS passed and weeksl The gar
den fiourished and grew.
Every day she had seen David and
they had worked together. He looks
different somehow" thought Marjorie
watching him one day. He seems
healthier and stronger than he did
He never comes by the gate now"
AS she spoke she broke the seal Of
a letter that had come and glanced
rapidly over the contents. so Aunt
Mary has to come and spoil 1t am
she exclaimed. He'll find out who
| am nowl Oh, welll don't suppose
II matters much nowl I've had a no
tion a half dozen times to tell him
everything anyway"
That night she dressed as Miss
There was moon and she
wandered through her garden to an
old stone bench near the wall. A man
vaulted lightly over Just then and
stopped when he saw her.
"AIafjorie."
"Dayldi Won't you come and sii
DOWN
q was on my way to your house
But this is better. want to have 3
talk aud I'm not so much afraid OF