Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-16
DAILY NOVELETTE,
Said With FioDers
RY LYDIA LION ROBERTS

Lewis Denton stretched himself with
weary sigh and ran his hand through
| his curly brown hair. He looked with
tired satisfaction at the pile OF papers
| on his desk, In his gray eyes the con-
tented light Of work well done.
"It's been n hard week." he NUT
tered" but I've caught up again now.
| Well, it's Saturday afternoon and 1
guess I'll take a holiday. told Bella
I'd sure be home early today and take
the childrep out, but guess I'll call
it off," -.
He reached for the telephone and
called his home number.
Hello, Bella, mind IL I take in a
show today? I'll be home to supper
with my usual appetite. The children
expecting me? Well, need a change
from this eternal grind at the Office.
good-by."
He hesitated n moment after he hung
| up, for his wife's voice had sounded
wistful, though she had CALAMITY told
him to run away and play as she knew
he worked hard.
| In the pretty suburban home Bella
turned slowly away from the phone
and faced the eager, anxious glances OF
the seven -year-old twins.
No. daddy is not coming home early,
after all, she said sorrowfully. Lets
put away his dinner and save the sur
prises for next time"
Hes always coming next time"
walled BESSIE, while Bob guped and
rubbed his eyes.
| Daddy works very hard and needs
cnange, explained their mother, but
we'll have good time by ourselves.
Wen take a little walk. No. I'm not
too tired to 80 as far as the park.
wen come home early and have
tea party"
Bella smiled brightly and the little
downcast faces lightened in response.
she sighed as the children scampered
full week and the position of house
keeper and mother, wife and nurse
maid kept her busy every minute. She
mad looked forward to the afternoon
holiday for the companionship of her
husband and the rest he brought by
sharing the care Of the children.
In the theatre, crowded with people
enjoying their half-holiday, Lewis
watched and laughed and forgot his
business worries.
That's a pretty thing" he mur-
INJURED as a quartet of flower laden girls
tripped on to the stage.
| They can sing" he thought as their
sweet young voices sang the old time
melodies, while the quaint hoopskirts
festooned with flowers swayed back and
forth In sedate minuets and graceful
waltzes.
At the hearty encore they smilingly
returned, bringing large flower filled
baskets on their arms, tossing roses on
the stage as they sang a tender little
love song:
'"The rose will tell that you love her
dearly,
The violets that you love sincerely,
The lily speaks of devotion
With love as deep as the ocean
Each little flower will tell that you
love her."
Over and over, as the quartet glided
away, came the chorus, first loudly and
then softly and hauntingly:
Say 1t with flowers, the fairest that
They'll bear a message from you.
Say IL with flowers
Tulips, carnations and violcts, too
Say 1t with flowers"
The lights and people faded away
and suddenly Lewis saw again the
square hall of the big, old church in
the little town of his boyhood, on a
drowsy Sunday morning. He saw him =
self standing at the foot of the stairs
waiting for Bella. She came down
slowly, her fair hair shining in the
noontime sun. her blue eyes sweetly
serious as she listened to the white :
haired lady at her side.
When they reached Lewis the little
old lady shook a playful finger at him
as she twinkled, Did you hear that ser
mon, young man Don't wait until pco :
pie are dead to bring them flowers. Your
sweetheart will need them all her life
flowers of tenderness and kindness as
well as roses that match her cheeks and
! forget me nots to match her eyes. "
Then she had chuckled at the young
, mans embarrassed face and the young
girls bushes as she walked away.
Say it with flowers" How long
! had it been since he had brought Bella
long since he had heard her delighted
cries as she buried her face in heart
refreshing roses?
present. He had lost his taste for the
show and glanced idly around him. He
saw women In furs with big punches OF
violets, girls in silk with arbutus tucked
in their coats, women with white hands
and flashing jewels, girls with sparkling
eyes and rosy cheeks.
Bella is as pretty as any of them, -
he thought with pride. "In spite of her
hard work she has kept her hands white
and her hair lovely and when she's
dressed up she looks good enough to 90
anywhere"
: 'Say it with flowers" Lewis stirred
restlessly as he thought of his desertion
that afternoon, the many nights that
, business had kept him working late and
! the Sundays he had been called away,
leaving lonely hours for his wife and the
children.
! Say it with flowers"
Yes, l will" he said half aloud as
he rose and left the building. Straight
/ to his former favorite florist he hurried
his quick decided step ringing on the
? pavement as II he were going to meet his
E sweetheart. He picked out dozen car
I nations, pure white and rose pink. hrl
. old favorites as he remembered tendcrly