Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1919-01-31
Among the
LilaCS
01
BY Virginia Leila WentE
Copyright. iSiS, BY Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate)

Syndicate)
1t was warm spring evening, so
warm that they had ventured to sit
out on the little wooden veranda.
There was a suggestion of approach
ing summer In the breeze and the air
was redolent with lilacs. BY glanc-
ing toward the right II was not diff
cult to see where the fragrance came
from. On the other side Of the hedge,
In the deepening twilight, was pur-
pie forest Of plumes, and beyond that,
white in the gray twilight, rose the old
Howard house-the oldest In the tiny
village, as well as the largest. Sell
den Howard was the only living repre-
sentative Of the family.
Presently the group on Mrs. Jones'
veranda began to speak Of Selden,
leading up to the subject from the fra
GRANGE of the bushes.
Them Hooks Is sicklishly sweet"
observed Mrs. Jones herself.
REALLY nause9ting, acquiesced the
boarder, who had been spending the
winter here in this little cottage
among the Berkshire hills. by the
way, l saw strange man at the post
office this morning, and I overheard
some one say he was Mr.. Howard.
Very good-looking man he was, and
seemed to know a thing or two"
That's him." confirmed Mrs. Jones.
but why shouldn't he know thing
or two2 He don't do nothin' but trav-
81 and trapse round the country.
Hardly ever home, and won't have n
thing to do with the people in the vii
lage."
The moon was beginning to show
red and low In the warm dusk, and
the lilacs made superb black shadow
effects on the lawn. The little tired
out city girl who sat on the lowest
step Of the vernnda and who had just
arrived that day had nothing to say.
She was filling her whole soul with the
beauty Of the coming night.
Pretty soon, carrying her lamp, she
went upstairs to her bedroom. She
looked at the high mound of feather
he'd, and at the small window at the
foot, into which was already flooding
the spring moonlight. For a moment
she stood irresolute. Then she low
cred the shade, slipped on a cheese
cloth kimono, drew the pins from her
hair, letting 1t fall about her Shout
ders, blew out the lamp and followed
her within to lean from the easement.
II had been very long while since
Katherine Hope had looked from a
window over a garden when the moon
was shining. True, from the window
Of their stuffy city lodgings on Elev-
enth avenue-her mothers and hers
she had leaned out at times when her
head was hot and aching with too
much work, and caught breath Of
outside air, But that was so differ
ent. From that window she could
look only on clotheslines, sheds, the
bnck windows of the boarding houses
on the next street; and there, what
ever restful thoughts might come to
her were made havoc Of by an accordl-
on, cheap coon songs, or the caterwaul-
ing Of feline creatures on the fences
below.
And now-oh, the feathery, pale flor
essence Of the lllacs over yonderi
Katherine drew her breath in with de-
light as their dormant scent came up
to her. II only her dear little mother
could be with her to enjoy the beauty
Of 1t all But that had not been posi-
BILE. When the physician had shaken
bis head gravely over his young pa
TENTS worn-out condition, and COM
handed an immediate change in the
country, It had been all that mother
and daughter could do to scrnpe to-
gether the meager savings for Kath-
q crimes rest Of fortnight. And Kath-
crime was not one to NEW and whim-
per over impossibllities. She was here
now-and she would make the best Of
every moment to grow strong and
well again, that she might go back
with new life to her Office work and
the companionship Of her sacrificing
little mother.
The mild country air and the thou
sand odors Of the spring played upon
her face, and lifted her loosened hair,
gilded by the moonlight into the like
ness Of an aureole. Her white XII
mono fell softly around her; from the
position in which she held her arms,
her soft elbows were plainly visible,
and her exquisite face leaning back a
bit against the dark-painted frame Of
the window stood ont like a cameo.
The girl was little conscious Of any
thing except the wonder Of the night;
nor was she aware Of one who watched
her moment from the shadow Of the
lllacs In the garden beyond the hedge.
Selden Howard was returning from his
dog kennels, whence he had gone to
look after a sick collie, when HIS eye
had CHANGED to fall upon the figure in
the easement, and In sheer artistic up
probation, had rested there.
"She's like some young princess" he
thought to himself, pursuing his way
toward the big house, cor a goddess
her hairs like the sllvery floss
around corn. Her name ought to be
Perdita, Marpessa or Arladne. How
ever In the world did the Jones family
stumble across such q creatureT The
glamor Of the girl wove Itself into his
dreams, and in waking intervals he
pOndered on plans for an acqualnt-
ance. "Ah-ha, have itw at last
laughed he.
Early the next morning he went a.
fishing. AS luck would have II, he Sc
cured a well-filed creel. On his way
home, without ceremony, he lifted the
la 81. - 4. a..