Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1919-03-22
SUNB0NNET SUE
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BY ANSTiS M. RENEAR.


Susan was slim and very tiny. The
surbOnnet had been her. mothers and
had always, during the thirty odd
years of Susan's life, hung on the third
hook. Although she had been alcne
In the homestead for over a year, 1t
would have been sacrilege to hang the
bonnet on a lower hook AS she bent
over to picl: up her garden basket and
shears, her long brown braid escaped
it's pins and swung over her shoulder.
"Bother" said Miss Susan; she
paused irresolutely a moment, then
pushed open the screen door. No one
could see her from the street and
there was only the silent suffered
house next door, vacant for years.
Swinging her basket gently, Susan
crossed the velvety lawn to the south
trellis, where her roses grew. Quiet
ly she moved about among the great,
rich blooms, until spying perfect
rose high on the treilis, she climbed
upon the garden bench. to cut the
flower. She leaned eagerly forward.
slipped and in clutching at the trellis,
dropped the rose. 1t fell. with soft,
little sound, fairly upon the open book
of a man in the garden, next door!
Startled, he looked up, dropped his
book and seized pair Of crutches at
his side. When he had risen and faced
her Miss Susan saw upon his uniform
a majors insignia.
"Hello, Sunbonnet Sue." he said,
twirling the rose, sis this posy for me?
Many thanks !"
Amusement widened Miss Susan's
dark eyes, Indignation lent rosy
flush to her cheeks, but suddenly. as
realization of the mans very natural
error came to her amusement tilted
the corners of her mouth and revealed
dimple.
II dropped it," she said in pretty
embarrassment, "but you are quite
welcome to 1t. Would you care for
more? I have so many"
The majors cap lay on the grass,
and the sun turned the gray in his
black hair to silver.
81 should like some immensely; my
orderly, who keeps house for me.
doesn't care much for 'gew-gaws' and
the old place needs d bright touch or
two"
Susan was shipping busily; she had
gotten down from the bench, but the
major was tall and could lean over
the fence easily.
81 have come to live here" he con-
tinued. "for the summer, at least. Ar
rived last night. The place was left
me by a great-aunt whom I'd never
seen I didn't take the trouble to in.
vestigate until the surgeons agreed
that several weeks rest was impera-
tive for this leg of mine. So 1 packed
up and brought Thompson along"
Susan's cheeks We're pink as the
roses she handed over the fence; al
most in panic she picked up her basket
and fled to the house.
The major was in his garden that
day and the next and the next In fact
even when it rained, the major found
his back garden.
The summer passed and with it the
roses. But nasturtiums bloom faith
fully and persistentiy. with care, UNI
til late in the autumn. Never had
those on Miss Susan's back fence been
such riot of color and when one
cannot have roses to tighten ones
rooms nasturtiums do splendidly.
The crutches We're abandoned and a
cane took their place. Over the fence
thrilling, sad or humorous Miss Susan
listened with shining eyes but she said
very little. She did not exchange con-
fidences with the major. but always
she wore the frilly sunbonnet with the
braid over her shoulder.
One golden morning In September
the major said a brief good-by. Susan
clutched wildly at the fierce.
"But-are you able? Your leg"
she began. The major was very pale
and stern, his voice was hoarse.
when man is on the point of
making fool of himself, dear child.
II IS time to say good-by. l am forty
two and you are mere baby. Forget
me. little Sue, but don't forbid me to
remember you. Some day when you
are older think that his love for you
once made a man better"
And then fate Incorporating in the
fat. unwieldy form of the grocer's
wife came putting along the quiet
street. Her loud voice carried dis
tinctly into the back garden as she
declared TO her companion:
"Wal, I've known Susan sence the
day she was born, thrty-four years
ago next month and I never see her
cut sech caper! Hair down like a
young un, they say, a-handin' flowers
over the fence every day to tibet SOL
dier-feller. | shd think"
The voice died away as it's owner
waddled on, leaving tense silence in
the back garden.
Susan met the majors eyes squarely.
''If it is any consolation" she said
unStaadiiv s'lat mo confpSS that-I-