The Hope pioneer., 1920-12-09
A CARNATI0N
BY REeEccA 7. FARNHAM.
99Re9ge9e9RR9RgS
by Mcclure Newspaper Synt

SSSS99gg SSSS99gg99ee99ee99ggsgesg9ggeesss9e@99ee99egSSSS
Eleanor was delighted with the car
nations sent by her fiance.
"How lovely Of Ralph!" she muir
INJURED. "Mv favorite flower! l must
thank him right awayw
She was soon carrying on an ami
mated conversation Mt the phone and
summoning the most delighted terms
possible to express her undying graft
tude for his gift. II shall keep them
always" she asserted, lin memory of
my twenty-tirst birthday"
"All Of them?"
"All, shall not throw one away"
"Well, I'll be around tonight. Good
by"
Ralph hung up the receiver and went
on with his work. He was also young
and to him any statement of Eleanor's,
however exaggerated, was infa:lible.
IF she isn't the most adorable" he
thought, ito promise to keep those
flowers forever. My dear, sweet grill"
That evening Eleanor was standing
on the piazza waiting for Ralph. Nest
ling in her brown curls was carnation
selected from the big vaseful on the
parlor table. and its color ratched
that of her cheeks and her beruffled Or
candle dress. A gentle breeze was
blowing and as she was gazing down
the street for sight of Ralph curl
was waited into her face. She pushed
1t back impatientiy, unconsciously dis.
turbing the flower IN her hair.
Again breeze came and Dlew the
lock into her face. Again she pushed
1t back and this time the carnation
fell to the ground.
But Eleanor did not notice this. Far
down the street she saw the broad
shoulders Of Ralph turning the corner.
In a flash she had left the piazza and
was in the parlor. She snatched book
from the table, arranged herself care
fully in the chair by the window, and
began to read industriously.
snow, he'll think he's caught me nap
ping" was her thought.
The steps rang as they came VI the
walk, but stopped suddenly rs they
reached the piazza. Eleanor kent her
eyes fixed on the page while the color
crept more deeply into her checks. If
he thought that just by staring at her
he was going to make her look up, he
was mistaken. A bit of a smile Dlayed
about her lips.
Then the steps began again, but
they were receding! Surprise held
Eleanor in her chair. When she at
last jumped up and ran to the door
only Ralph's back was visible as he
turned the corner.
HE must have forgotten the candy"
said Eleanor after moments thought,
though he never has before"
The nearest candy store was three
minutes away Eleanor waited 80.
Then she strollcd out into the sitting
room where the rest of the family
were.
"Didn't Ralph Gomez" asked her
mother.
Detained at business at the last
minute" said Eleanor, feigning q
yawn. "Guess III get my embroidery"
She went up to her own room and
flung herself upon the bed and cried
until she finally dropped into trou-
bled sleep.
The following afternoon Eleanor
ont h0 NJ tn
breeze on her hot, aching forehead. AS
she stood there faint odor was watt
ed up to her, and looking down she
saw wilted carnation lying at her
feet.
"Why, the flower I had on last
night" she marveled, and then there
came great light.
Ralph had not felt very we'll that
morning. His pride was deeply wound
ed. That ''she" should promise to do
something and then deliberately not do
it. An awful realization-his loved one
false. In the afternoon came tele-
phone call.
"Hello."
''Is that you, Ralph?"
Those honeyed tones were only too
familiar. "Yes," he said, icily.
"YOu didn't come last night"
Silence. Then, finally: "Why not?"
Business at the last minute" said
Ralph coldly.
There was something like gasp at
the other end of the wire and then the
answer: "Oh, Ralph, I know that
! wasn't it! Tell me why you went
away after you had come as far as the
steps,"
II cannot explain fully here"
"Then come out here now. Never
| mind your work."
"All right, I'll come at once," he an.
swered, the coldness almost gone from;
his voice. He would explain to her
his attitude and say goodby-forever
Eleanor was quietly waiting for
him. Look" She said. and showed
him wilted, stemless flower which