Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-10-08
with FLOWERS"
BY JANETIE q. PRATT.

much ambition and energy that she
fretted over the obstacles In her path.
Even her dear father, with his broken
leg, and broken spirit as well, was
one of her greatest trials. Each day
she resolved afresh that clrcumstan-
ces should never conquer her as they
had conquered him.
Today she had read TO him until
he had fallen asleep--his kindly face
now reye,ling the worry and dlscour-
agement that he sought SO yaiantly
TO hide while awake.
The coy little place, just outside
the village. was typical New Eng
land home. Faithful care had made
ii really attractive, The holder of the
mortgage ON the home. Lucius Cal
lous, was a man who put no value ON
Sam Warren's improvements, at least
not In his talk with Sam.
Hope sat with her bare arms on
the piazza rail, gazing approximately
over the beautiful patchwork OF
plowed gardens and green fields,
spread like eounterpane across the
valley
Lucius Callous had said there was
no sense In wasting the front door
yard with flower beds, so her father
had sadly consented to have 1t plant
ed with beans.
But Hope had inherited some OF
her mothers spirit--the brave little
mother who had broken because she
refused to bend before adversely. So,
when the front-yard controversy had
ended, she had snatched hoe, rake,
and her tiny pansy plants, and had
marched like crusader of old, down
the path and across the road to the
triangular heater-pieee where the val
ley road lntersected the main high
way. There she had loosened the
earth, taken out all the stones and
grass roots, raked the surface smooth
and set out her sturdy seedlings In
symmetrical rows. She could see
them now, nodding to each other like
little ladies, no doubt dreaming of the
finery they soon would be wearing.
A rattle of wheels attracted her at
tention. and light buggy drawn by
a big sorrel horse came up the steep
valley road. The driver was Callous,
and Ruth's heart hardened as she
fearfully watched his shrewd unsmil-
ing face.
Callous at once backed his great
horse In wide are, shot his hind
wheels clear to the point OF the little
pansy bed, swung, with yell Of greet
ing to the sleeping man, and with
slash Of the whip went laundering
down the county road.
did You see that, dad?" said Hope.
Did you just see what that dirty, big
brute did to my pansy bed? Oh,
could kill him !"
Her father had seen, with the In
tensity which start from sound sleep
always gives. He was angry and
helpless. What more need be saidf
But Hope was already stepping
carefully among the ruins, straight
ening and re-setting the plants.
She rose from the ground and walk
ing toward the house, brave smile,
not at all forced, came to her lips.
Never mind, daddy, l won't give
Lush CallOus the rating he deserves.
But just watch me; I'll say 1t with
flowersr"
Into the house she dashed, and
brought out wooden box of earth
with hundreds OF little green plants.
1t was all she could carry, and she
wasted no breath In words.
Once more beside her pansy plot,
she began to separate the lender
stalks with loving, patient fingers.
Hope, girl. you've growed like
weed this year. Heavens, how / wish
could go TO work and help We go to
the college where we want SO to bew
Now, daddy, you know 1t won't
hurt me or my plans to teach for
year, first" said Hope. "And II i can't
manage 1t by then, just want to be
around to tell Lucius Gallons to keep
his nose at home and let us plan our
own crops. t0o!'
The rains fell-soft pattery rains,
and the sun shone, not fiercely, to
shrivel the young PLAINTIFFS, but Just
right to make them reach for heaven.
And one day the first pansy bios
sOmed, and looked around and liked
it's little three-cornered home, and
TINT night II must have whispered to
the others, for the next morning near
iy half the fat. lazy buds opened up,
and they, too, nodded and smiled and
made the world and Hope very much
happier. But the best was to come.
On a hazy day. after smart little
shower. the miracle began. and on the
second and third days IT developed so
that even an old dreamer like Sam
Warren could rot be fooled longer.
The heater.piece was talking Tell.
ing all whom that selectman had neg
Iected to tell, Of Lucius Gallons de-
destable act In trying to break the
good old New England spirit of one
Of her finest daughters.
In perfect Nv" of Vivid, living
white. Sweet Alyssum told the story
Of determination that will not be
downed.
And Hope did go to college.
-----------------------------