The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1917-03-16
D0RcAs' DAY LILIES
Dy lsABxL FROST.

garden. Spider lilies and nasturtiums
grew In their season around 1t. but In
the tub Itself were planted only day
lilies.
They bloomed late. Dorcas used
to watch and wait Tor them the year
round. Somewhere she had read that
they were the aAphodels Of the gar
dens OF heaven, and surely their per
fume confirmed It. 1t seemed the es-
sence OF all the lilies.
It made her think OF all the things
she had ever longed for and missed,
all the little unqualified hopes Of her
girlhood. 1t swept away the years Of
nursing her bed-ridden mother, then
her father, and keeping house for her
brother Luke at the old home. She
was thlrty-five now, gone BY" as the
saying was out In the country. Yet
to those who loved her Dorcas was
like one OF her own fall lilies that
bloomed late and sweetest OF all in the
garden.
And as she leaned over the lilies, Doc
tor Fellows buggy stopped at the gate.
Heard the news, Miss Wimbledon
he called. "Cary's sold his farm and
he's going West"
Dorcas bent her head over the tub
tot lilies.
I'm SO glad for him." she said.
Hes always wanted to get away, ever
since he was boy"
They had been sweethearts once,
back In Dorcas' girlhood. And then,
when Cary had asked her to be his
wife. she had laughed at him.
"Tie myself down to a lifetime of
Homework right over there7 Don't
you suppose I'm tired OF looking Out
at this valley every day Of the year.
Cary Roberts? I'm going away to
study and make something Of myself.
You can stick here If you want to,
but I'm going"
She had meant 1t, too; meant II
with the belief back In her heart that
he would never stay behind, that he
would follow her. And instead, they
had both lived on there, with her
words between them.
And now, at last, the barrier had
fallen for Cary. He had sold out. ano
was going away. She saw Luke ano
the hired men coming slowly down
from the hill pastures where they had
been stacking cornstalks, and realized
she was delaying dinner. When they
came up to the house she was in the
kitchen, and Luke. after one glance
at the hhlf-set table. grumbled. She
heard him 60 outdoors again, but paid
no attention until she went to the door
to call him, Is minutes later. He had
been cutting out some dead canes from
the bushes along the side Of the walk
1 and pulling up dried flower stems.
But all Dorcas saw was an emptied
tub tossed over the paling fence and
scattered earth with some day lilies
on the ground.
"Why-Luke-" she faltered. "What
are you doing to my lilies?"
Il needed the tub" said Luke curt
ly. Dinner ready?"
She knew Luke's action was due to
pure sullen spite, boyish, in way
because she had been late with din
ner. Yet 1t seemed to typify every
thing, all the years OF crushed 70
nance and sentiment, and the lack
OF them in her brothers nature She
turned without word, and went back
to the kitchen. And later In the after
noon, alone in the house, she sat up
lcfO in hat cd
across the river. watching Cary's red
chimneys and making up her mind
It wasn't too late. She packed rapid
ly. dragging down an old-fashioned
Handicapped trunk out OF the attic
and filling 1t with her best things. She
would go away, too.
/ Suddenly she heard knock at the
side door. Hoping 1t was no woman
neighbor, she ran down the from
stairs lightly, and found Cary stand
ing there.
"Hello, Dorcas," he said, with Il
boyish ring In his tone. Heard ths
news, amt you? I've sold out, ana
Eve come for you. Took long time
to do 1t, but I'm here"
why, Cary Roberts !" Dorcas said.
biting her under lip and backing away
from him. after all these years?"
1T amt too late, is it, l had to
stick to my price, and I've got 1t, three
thousand, seven In cash, Dorcas! And
I've got some put by In the bank. be-
sides what the stock will bring. You
amt going to stand back now. and say
no. nre your"
Gary" her voice was full of deter
mination now. She gave a swift glance
at the sun just dipping to the West.
"Luke's been real small to me today
and didn't give him auy reason,
either. I've lived here and done for
him for years and all I've had Is the
egg money. And, Cary. do you know
what I've been doing all the after
noon1 Packing up to 60 away"
you poor little thing" he said
gently. one hand laid on her shoulder
How soon would you be ready to go?''
1t was after six when Doctor Fal-
lows drove along past the Wimbledon
house. Luke stood by the front gate