, 1920-01-01
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 Tony'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 a space worth calling
a shop-not a real Broadway shop.
But within the heart of Ruby Vale
was an ambition and 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 home.
AS Tony gaZed across 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 s~easonable blossoms,
from the window opposite.
Only the day before there had been
an exquisite twisted silver candlestick
with an amethyst chiffon shade, and
lying carelessly 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 q touch of silver
birch.
Today the color was softest maze,
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 a
customer, first to buy a dainty lamp
shade and then into Tony's shop for
a 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
Ruhy hnnn nfhar than on nrnhnr-arn1
golden-haired girl to make one dream
of, Tony would have found courage to
make his small contribution. But the
heart of the florist beat thunderously
at the very sight of Ruby and he
feared to seem foolish in her eyes.
Had Tony beer a scheming lover he
could easily have gone boldly into the
shop opposite and purchased any
amount of lovely things for the little
apartment that was perched high up
on Riverside drive, with its windows
turned toward the broad Hudson. He
could have had endless trips to the
shop. first for hangings for those win
dows, then for candle shades and final
ly for cushions, and in the end he
might have carried Ruby herself out
of the shop and into. his heart. But
Tony was not wise in the art of WOO,
ing. He was far wiser in the art of
making and investing money, and
PRAYER at fighting. as a medal or two
pinned on his old uniform could vouch,
than he was at winning a girl.
Modesty forbade Tony even suppos'
Ing that Ruby had cast eyes in his di-
rection.
But modesty vas greatly in error,
for Ruby had not only cast many adj
miring g~lances at young, g~ood-lookinG
Tony, but she tent many n longing eye
at the wonderful flowers that so often
matched the color of her w window
decoration.
Ruby had put all her small hoard
ings into Il very lovely stock and could
not afford t buy the few flowers she
would love to hav had daily TO adorn
her window. She, with Tony. realized
that the few living blossoms would add
n touch to her color scheme that would
attract even the most elusive eyes. But
flowers in the city were too expensive
for struggling decorators to buy. so
Ruby c%ontented herself by planning
for the day when she should not only
have all she wanted but a full garden
OF her YER own.
The morning that gave Tony a time
advantage over Ruby was a 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
without a ain hope that Ruby would
see 1t and take his lead as he had so
often taken hers.
Chrysanthemums were in from the
market-great shaggy wonders of the
flower kingdom, and Tony, unable to