The Press., 1920-01-01
GRANDMA DIXON
By HELEN PATTEC cCN.

OOCOCOCOCOCOC 0COCOCOCNCEC e. 1919. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate)
 Carefully Grandma Dixon loosened the moist earth around the roots of her famous larkspur, shook the particles of dirt from the trowel and, before standing erect, touched the tender shoots lovingly with her fingers.
 The larkspur meant more than tall blue flowers to her. It meant memo rieS of the past; memories of the morning when a young soldier in faded blue uniform had found her re- joicing over their first blossom. There had been four weary years of war and this, their first meeting, the larkspur had witnessed. Since that morning the flower had occupied a place of honor in her garden.
 "Want any help, grandma?' asked a young man looking over the fence. "You know, Pm great on digging"
 "Bless you, Dick. Of course know it, when I look at this garden, but there is nothing to do this morning. Thank you. Come here and tell me about your work"
 'Tll come over, but there is nothing to tell. I haven't any yet"
 Do you mean to say, Richard Haw- kins, that you are not going back to your old work?" asked grandma, as the young man vaulted the low fence and stood beside her.
 "That's just it, grandma. Your hum- ble servant has to find a new job. You know, the girls are doing our work so we'll that many firms are keeping them, and Bolton & Masons is one of them"
 But the girls will certainly resign when they know you are home again" said grandma. "I remember when Ab- ner came home from the Civil war, l gave up his school l had been teaching and we were married"
 'I'll bet you did, answered Richard, 'but whose coming through the gate?'
 "Why, bless me! if it isn't Betty" said grandma, hurrying to meet young girl dressed in stylish suit and a very becoming small hat. Come on Dick, you know Betty. Why, you used to play with her when she was tiny girl. You remember, she is the only grandchild I have"
 Nothing lOath, Richard followed Grandma Dixon down the garden path and was reintroduced tO Betty. For a moment pair of laughing blue eyes, the color of the larkspur, looked into his while they uttered few common place remarks, and then Betty fol- lowed grandma into the house. It was not until Richard had walked the length of the garden that he remem- bered, with queer feeling, that he had seen those same blue eyes in the girl that occupied his desk at Bolton X MaSOn'S office.
 In the meantime, Betty in the house had casually asked grandma "When had Richards people moved back to the old homesteadT'
 "They haven't moved back" an- swered grandma. "Richard is spend- ing the week with me trying to re- cuperate from his work of the last two yearS.'
 "Was he in all of the war;" asked Betty.
 Most of it," replied grandma, Gal though it's little he talks about it. Just now he's all upset over not get ting his old work back"
 But grandma" protested Betty, "perhaps the girl needs the money she is earning as much as he does. l know some of the girls in our office are talk ing care of their mothers and younger brothers and sisters"
 "It may be all right for those girls to keep our returned soldiers out of job, but what about the girls like you Betty Dixon. that don't really need to work?" indignantly asked grandma.
 "Why-grandma-y know we girls took up their work so the boys could go and fight, and we have all bought Liberty bonds and worked for the Red CrOss," stammered Betty as she thought of the young man she had casually glanced at at the cement works yesterday.
 "Yes, you all did your best while the war was being fought and won, but now that it's over, show your grati- tude to the boys in a more substan tial way than cheers. I'm ashamed of you.'
 'You won't need to be ashamed of me any longer, grandma" said Betty i meellly. "Tll make good. I just hadn't | thought about it before; and now I'm going to look at your tulips" But it wasn't tulips; it was Richard that Betty found sitting disconsolately on an old seat by the lilacs. No one could resist Betty when she wanted to | be extra charming and soon they were l talking and laughing like children. The next day Betty returned home and the day afterwards Richard re | ceived two letters; one was from Bet ty, which after reading, he kissed and put in his inside pocket The other | one was from Bolton x Mason, in- viting him to call at their office.
 It was at the close of the summer on one moonlight night that the tall blue flowers aWoke from their sleep to near a low voice say:
 "Betty, I'm to be made sales man. .,ycr next week and the salary is very | good-and-oh Betty, dear, I've al ways loved and wanted you. Won't you please say '1es?
 But as Richards arms closed around Betty the larkspur discreetly turned away and whispered:
 "D;d you hear that?' 1 "IrS.' answered another sleepily, "and it reminds me of the story of ali other young girl and the soldier in | blue"