Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1920-12-31
WEDDING FLOWERS
BY MILDRED WHITE.

Elizabeth, walking down the long
country road. was a respondent little |
fugre. Ii was hard to glory In the
beauty of land and sea, when just be-
hn.d lay the untldy crowded cottage
that was her new home.
Elizabeth In her well ordered life
had known neither untidiness or con
fusion. The well ordered life had
Dassed abruptly with the death Of the
father, who had been to her both moth
er and father. and 1t had become nee
essary for the girl TO earn her own
living.
Elizabeth was glad TO get any school
| TO teach. when there were so many
! progressive young teachers seeking;
hut she had no idea that the spot des-
| ignated would be one of such desola-
ton. or that the only available board
| ing place should be n crowded cottage
| with an Indifferent, or perhaps dis
| couraged housekeeper. Elizabeth, with
| lipS pressed firm to keep back the tears,
| had decided to make the best of It,
! and in a measure she had succeeded.
! Della. the eldest girl Of the family,
! idolized the young teacher and, In her
way, sought TO make more inviting the
ktemporary home. But Della, before
Elizabeth's coming, had been untaught
and sadly submissive to dull exist
ence 1t was through Elizabeths ef-
forts that the routine dullness was dls-
persed and Della versed In better
ways; and 1t was during the making
of her first white muslin dress, while
Elizabeth sitting near fashioned the
ruiIles. that Della confessed timidly
and with bright and shining eyes of
her love for her old playfellow Joel.
and of his wish to make her his wife.
you'll have to ask Mammie for u.s."
Della ended "Mammie won't ever lis
ten to any one else" And Elizabeth
had agreed.
"What'm going to do with all these
children alone?" Mammie DAVIS asked
angrily. AS usual, the young teacher
placated her "While / am here"
Elizabeth promised, II will train Liza
to take Delia's place"
SO Della was going to be married.
Even the gruff, toil-worn father
evinced interest In the announcement
and Elizabeth found comfort in max
ing the cottage less dingy for the
coming event.
Upon this certain afternoon, as she
went down the road in search of flow
ers. Elizabeth left her pupil of happi-
ness trilling snatches of song as she
hung the clean muslin curtains. Eliza
beth was glad for Della, glad that she
had lightened one life Of care, but she
was sorry. In wistful sort OF way,
for herself She might find another
J school perhaps-and she would; but
, she felt at once very lonely, and but
toned her scarlet sweater close In a
chilliness, not altogether of the wealth
er. Then down I'm little glen she
spled flowers tall and white noddlng
In the breeze.
1.-THE very thing!" said Elizabeth to
herself, picturing Della in her muslin
wedding gown standing for the cere-
mony with white flowers nodding all
around her. So Elizabeth hurried into
the glen, and then she saw that the
flowers grew about the shabby door
wav of a sunken, shabby house, almost
hidden from view by overhanging
trees. Bare windows reflected the
! glow of the setting sun, and grass
about the doorway grew high untrod-
: den the house evidently had been long
: deserted. Elizabeth gathered her arms
; full OF flowers, and the sun glinting
back from the windows brought golden
! hrnNyn hair.
she worked dog came round the
: corner Of the old house and growled
q threateningly.
> Good dogw Elizabeth bravely said
n but the white flowers fell at her feet
I Don't let jim frighten you" came
u a pleasant voice. HE is unused &c
i visitors, but not dangerous"
1t was so long since she had heard
voice of that pleasing information
! that Elizabeth turned eagerly, as one
U welcoming n remembered friend ant
: the young man who approached was
pleasing, too, in courtesy
~ did not know" she murmured, as
he stopped to restore her flowers, "tha
the house was occupied VIII yOI
| DVTuOn me SIG luuSntu uhN'i fanny
. 81 was hunting flowers for a wed
!, ding"
: "Delia's weddng?" asked the younl
= man, smilingly. you see, l know al
. about II. Joel happens to work 70
;, me, and he's made me his cOnfidant
y From JOers condolences ! judge tina
!, you are the paragon school teache
who has made his romance possible
e 1T is rather hard" Elizabeth sai'
n ruefuly, ito be a paragon schoo
teacher here"
Hard. should think" he sympa
thetically agreed, ''for you TO be her
at all. find II so, I'm a civil en-
J. gineer," he explained, "and rattle