The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-12
Euening Story
Tony the Florist.
By DOROTHY DOUGLAS

held the tragedy and beauty of Italy
in their brown depths, gazed during
all idle moments in that same direc-
ton.
But the girl in the shop behind that
window was not aware of Teny's gaze
nor in any way conscious of the flor
lists existence.
Had both the tiny fragments of shop
been rolled into one there would not
even have been space worth calling
a shop-not real Broadway shop.
But within the heart of Ruby Vale
was an ambition and the sense OF the
artistic quite big enough to fill far
greater space than her slim means
could measure in actual possession.
Ruby was not exactly one of the great
herd of interior decorators that were
filling all available Easements with
oddments Of antiques and orange can
dlesticks, but she carried an -assort-
ment of accessories to the homey
AS Tony gazed acros the avenue
each morning when he opened his own
fragrant shop, he knew that some new
exquisite color scheme would greet
him in Ruby's window. Try as he
might to rise early, the girl opposite
always managed TO be down earlier
and to have arranged her display for
the day before he could get there.
He would then arrange his own
beautiful flowers and was beginning
to take his color effects, as far as was
possible with SeaSOnapl6 blossoms,
from the window opposite.
| Only the day before there had been
an exquisite twisted silver candlestick
with an amethyst chiffon shade, and
I lying careiessiy beside it a cushion of
amethyst taffeta with great silver tas-
+ sells. Tony had sighed rapturously.
Asters were in season and within ten
minutes after seeing Ruby's window,
Tony had a display of lavender asters,
with here and there a touch of silver
/ birch.
Today the color was softest maize,
and Tony had gloried in the palest of
chrysanthemums, with a few nastur-
tiums for character
Had the two shops been side by side
they would have lured the most indif-
| ferent passer-by and drawn many
customer. first to buy a dainty lamp
shade and then into Tony's shop for
| cluster of flowers to match it.
How Tony longed to go across the
+ street with just a flower or two and
/ thereby add the necessary finishing
touch to Ruby,s window display no
one but himself knew. And perhaps
had Ruby been other than an amber
eyed, golden haired girl to make one
dream of, Tony would have found
courage to make his small contribu-
/ ton. But the heart of the florist
beat thunderously at the very Gisht OF
Ruby and he feared to seem foolish U
her eyes.
Had Tony been a scheming lover ne
could easily have gone boldly into Inc
| shop opposite and purchased any
amount of lovely things for the little
apartment which was perched hlgh
up on Riverside drive, with its win
! 6ows turned toward the broad Hudssl.
He could have had endless trips TO
| the shop, first for hangings for those
! windows, then for candle shades and
finally for cushions, and in the end ne
might have carried Ruby herselI OUT
Tor the shop and into his heart Hut
Tony was not wise in the art of WOO
ing He was far wiser in the art Of
| making and investing money, ana
I bTaver at fighting, as medal or two
pinned on his old uniform could
| youch, than he was at winning a gill
| Mcdesty forbade Tony eVea sup
posing that Ruby had east eyes in MS
direction.
Eut modesty was greatly IN error
for Ruby had not only cast maav ad-
n,irins gis noes at young, good-lookluS
Tony, Lut she sent many longing
eve at tie wonderful flowers that 40
often matched the color of her own
window decoIs:tion.
Ruby had put all her small hoard
inss into a very lovely stock alru
could not afford to buy the few flowers
she would love to have had daily to
adorn her window. She, with Tony,
realized that the few living blossoms
would add a touch to her color scheme
that would attract even the most eluS-
i've eyes But flowers in the city were
too expensive for struggling decor
ators 20 buy, so Ruby contented
herself by planning for the day
when she should not only have all she
wanted but a full garden of her very
own.
The morning that gave Tony time
| advanta sc over Ruby was record
day He arrived at his shop before
the blinds opposite were even drawn
or the color scheme there for him to
copy Tony wondered whether he
should wait but decided to develop a
window effect of his own and was NOT
1 without a faint hope that Ruby would
see it and take his lead as he had
SO often aiken hers
| Chrysanthemums were in from the
4 Ms rket-great shaggy wonders of the
flower kingdom, and Tony, unable to
resist the warmth of pink, threw him
self with CHARACTERISTIC swiftness- into
the arrangement of window that
sent its glow along the entire block.
Certainly it cheered the early bust
ness humans as they dashed into the
subway's yawning mouth.
Had Tony been anywhere but in the
extreme hack of his shop he would
have seen Ruby emerging hurriedly
from that same subway. stand for
moment entirely absorbing the
exquisite colour of his flowers. then
fit across and insert the key in her
own door and pass within.
When he next looked across the
street his heart jumped joyfully.
In Ruby's window. with its soft
background, was luster ware lamp
of exquisite pink with a chiffon shade
that fairly took ones breath away by
the cEiffeny softness of it. a pink
wastebasket and billowy cushion COM
pleted the dainty picture.
Tony was no longer shy. With
swift fingers he selected the most
| wonderful of chrysanthemums - pink
and shaggy and exhaling that stra nge
fascinating edor that was neither
sweet nor bitter but just fresh and
| pure.
He faced the little door opposite
now with the same feeling of a con-
queror that had been his when facing
the enemy guns Boldly he crossed
the street with the huge pink blossom,
a splash of color amid the Broa YaY