Ellsworth American., 1920-05-05
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PINK ARBUTUS
BY RACHEL e. FELcH.

before Lillian Lowell was complete
ly awakened that morning she knew In
stinctiyely that something nice was go
ing TO happen to her. She gazed dream
lily at the handicapped wall paper with
which her would-be artistic Iandlady
had adorned her room, but somehow
she didn't see the absurd little boat.
man and the miniature lake which
was represented again and again upon
the walls. Instead her thoughts had
Ieaped into the country, for spring was
In the air, and In fancy she was back
in North Conway climbing the granite
studded sides of Kearsarge or toiling
iaboriously up Moat mountain in search
OF trailing arbutus. How beautiful
II was, the fragrant waxen blossoms
And the deep pink ones
Package for you," called her land
lady. Mrs. Lemon, just outside her
door. IT'S marked North Conway"
Lillian flew to the door. SIT must be
flowers" she said when she saw the
package. Her busy fingers made short
work OF the wrappings and soon dis
closed a huge bunch of arbutus. MY
little sister Ruth must have sent them.
You must have some, Mrs. Lemon" and
she chose some of the large white clus-
ters for her friend. who soon became
incoherent In her remonstrances con-
cerning Lillian's generosity.
When she dressed, Lillian stood
looking at the flowers moment. II
hate to leave you here with no one to
enjoy you, you little stars. I'm going
to take some Of you down to the office
and put on Mr.. Hartford's desk. Per-
haps you'll cheer him up"
For Mr.. Hartford was reported to be
suffering from misplaced affection,
so office talk had II. At any rate he
had never smiled on any of his fem.-
nine force, they knew he was unmar-
ried, and by the inductive method of
reasoning. the man who never takes
any of his girls out to dinner, hasn't
kind word for any of them, never
even notices If girl has done her hair
rev way. must be In love. Since
he had never been seen anywhere with
girl, they reasoned that he had be-
come a woman hater. Down at the
Office she found vase, and arranged
them so that the fragile tints deepened
to rose, and right In the center of her
bouquet she placed a dainty spray of
the most blushing pink of all. Blush
ing herself at her temerity, she placed
the beautiful blossoms upon his desk.
She hoped he would like them. She
rather thought he would. Still men
were queer, and had strange proclivi-
ties for rising on the wrong side of
the bed. She heard him coming, and
there, but the eyes of the other girls
were upon her, and she dared not re-
move them. In came Mr.. Hartford,
His customary good morning said, he
seated himself at his desk.
"Arbutus, and such lovely colorsl
Where did they come from?'
He swung around in his chair. Al
eyes were fixed upon him, except one
pair, whose owner was rivaling the
arbutus In her bushes.
"Oh, see. Thank you very much
Miss Lowell"
"They came from New Hampshire
My sister sent them"
And you shared them with me-
Thank you"
II. too, have picked arbutus in New
Hampshire"
I'm New Hampshire" she repeated.
"where?"
I've picked bushels of these" he
touched the flowers gently, "just below
the White Horse ledge. why, there's
one spot up there that 1 used to go to
every year. never told any where it
was, but there they are all this deli
cious pink"
white Horse ledger"
"Why, yes. Odd name, isn't Ii? They
call it White Horse because you can
see a white horse on the side of the
cliff. 1t really does look like a horse.
Some people have found other things
on the ledge. An Indian, canoe, a
dog, but those things require too
great a strain on my Imagination. The
horse, though, l can truly see."
$50 can l." replied Lillian, though
II took me full half-hour the first
time dad showed him to me. But
didn't know you came from up there"
"But I knew you did, and on the
strength of the fact that we both came
from one little town tucked away
among the White mountains. I'm going
TO ask you to have dinner with me to-
night. and because we are both bit
lonely tonight for some of the master
pieces that God scattered around so
freely up In the hills. yon are going to
take pity on me-"
'Yes, Mr. Hartford" she said as de-
murely as he could wish.
"Pve been selfish brute and picked
out the very prettiest one for myself.
so you must wear all the others"
So ii was that the two young people