The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-03
EVENING STORY
The Flower of Happiness,
BY s. B. HACKLEY.

beautiful keith'S singing Isl! thought
Eleanor Garrow, as a clear tenor came
in from the sitting room adjoining.
Think I'll do to do musical cheer
up work at one of the Y huts over
there, HALF" she heard Keith Litsey,
her husbands friend. saying presently.
"Pye been wanting to go until the
son yesterday. Sure, we'il take you,
he said"
I'm glad for you, Keith. it's
wonderful opportunity"
Eleanor detected a wistful note in
Halbert's hearty voice.
II wish--' he hesftated. L wish
1 could go to johnson and, offer my
self, too. What does Jessy say
KEITH"
..she doesn't know yet. 1 vas to
finish paying for that bungalow that
Jessy's set her heart on in dnother
year, and then we were TO De tnarrieu;
tut--" he smiled a bit ruef'illy,
can't add much to the fund while I'm
doing " work. l meant to take my
butterfly girl out of that stenograph-
er's place she hates next May sure. Dull
now I'll have to ask her to wait:
Eleanor sighed. Jessy Glynn. she re-
nected. for all her dainty prettiness,
was as devoid OF feeling as oisane
doll. Who but the embodif1catlon OF
Sc if;shness would put on her you.is
brother the entire upkeep OF tneiI
little home and mother, and speno hel
weekly s20--every penny-on rrs..a
llothes for herself? If only Keith heo
had some clearness of vision WIN re-
rard to Beryl Arlnistead, who hNea
ai.re in that graat house ner PaIe ',.a
lief. her.F with only her oid ,nvan ,,I
| cousin and the ervants-beryi. W.
with all her money cared Hos hsnni-
social life and whose greatest ndp3..
ness was in listening to ke1ths vc'ce
| e., the Ninth stree. Church choir:
when Keith left, Eleanor sat down
| 70 mend. There were So many h'ele
| garments to mend! -Four little poy ..
every one of them as roiiicne' ua1
| JOYOUS. as unself1shly gooo as IL,
himself. had tumble.l into existence II,
| a surprisingly short space OF t,me. a an
| IT took the interest on that So'oVo
Hars aunt had given him (along with
their little home) and most Oh l11i
| earnings to keep things gong: bu, ,
they'd been happy-oh, SO hanpy!
Eieanor thought a little breathletsly.
For a long time Halbert sat silent,
| thinking: then he rose and come TO
kiss her goodnight. She ore" his
| curly head down on her shoulder.
| "Oh, honey" She whispered loving
! ly, II know you want to go; L kho"
"I'u come back" he murmured.
God would let me come back to you
and them-but oh. Nell, there
wouldn't be enough for you ana the
i little fellows to live on while ia DC
away. But don worry. dear. ne
raised his head and kissed her down
cast face, Maybe they don't need
me over there!"
| The next evening Beryl Arniistead
sitting in her car with the old cousin
in the city park waiting for the patri-
otto concert to begin, heard Litsey's
| voice.
| I'm going over to France. Jessy.'
i he was saying. ito work at nut
Veil have to ask you to wait
longer than we thought, dear.'
why, Keith famed the girl when
she understood. Whatever do you
want to do that for? You don't have
to go, even as a soldier! Max thinks
they will just take men under 80
when they begin drafting, and you
Il am 81, Jessy, but 1 want to &C
to- do this work and I'll come back
The conversation ended in the girls
pulling his ring from her firger and
hurting it from her. You don't love
me or you'd stay here and try tc
make money for home for mel" she
walled softly.
And in her car, Beryl Armistead
felt the pearl ring that had fallen In
her lap burn her fingers like a Goa
of fire!
The next day at noon Keith Litse,
had u visitor az his offIce-Beryl her.
self.
"r have just learned" she told him
that Halbert Garrow Is very anxious
to go to France as q W worker ant
he's so tactful. SO genuinely good he'd
make a splendid one-but his family
needs his earning here. 1 know what
they are. and have brought you VIVA
is one years salary for him. Take II
to them and tell them a woman Of
means, who has no son to do the good
work he wants to do sends it. ant
each year he is over there. will send
them the same sum- You might make
them think" she added, coloring q
) little, 1.-THE lady is somewhat elderly
q do not want them to guess who send.
Keith look at her in establishment
Was this beautiful woman with the
angelic light in her luminous eyes tht
pale, quiet Miss Armistead who hat
sat in Lawyer Vardeman Hughes
Sunday school class with him for tive
years?
May I come to you this evening"
he heard himself asking, land tell you
| what Halbert and his wife said?'
They were the happiest people you
ever saw he told her that eve
ming. land IL had been feeling blue
until you came to me at noon--I fell
like a messenger from the skies!"
| When he was going she took from
table the pearl ring Jessy had
thrown away.
/ This fell in my car last night
she spoke with an effort-"I-I coulc
not help hearing the conversation
, Can't you, let the same old lady bur
that bungalow so there need be NJ
putting off of your happiness wheT
. you get bac ok from France?"
A strange emotion shook him. bu
he could only gaze at her.
Let me- she went on. st want t,
see the flower of happiness growing
in everybody's gardent"
IT did not know the earth held on,
so heavenly kind" he said presently
but won't need the bungalow. l.
i-am going to France. but before com
back some other man will be the hus
band of the girl who wore this ring
: She's discovered I'm not her kind o