The Holt County sentinel., 1921-05-06
Loss and Gain
BY MARTHA M. WILLIAMS

among her name flowers. half-blown
buds Of the clenrest dawn pink. Oils.
tening white Canterbury bells and
royal blue larkspur went next into her
basket; also trails Of fine, featl,ery
green. Her thought sketched O pic.
ture Of how they would transform the
cottage, clean and drab. In which Nine.
vane had found haven. But she had
no consciousness Of the picture she
herself made as she clipped her
largess-somehow the charm OF the
flowers. their grace and glory seemed
20 have stolen into her and lllumined
her face.
Thus transngurcd. she tc1k Royal
Nane by storm when they met half.
way up the narrow walk running to
the cottage door. She had seemed TO
him always aloof. cold aud high
very perfect after her sOrt--n sort
that repellcd him in spite ~ beauty
or cleyerncss. ROsaiind. h. knew. had
both. along with blood. breeding and
riches. yet until now h. had rather
dreaded even casual contacts with her.
Up before the sun" he Snld. not.
Ing the dew on everything. She nod.
ded. "Tt Is sinful TO cut June flowers
any other time" she said; give these
20 Madame. plcasca-I doubt II she IN
hnlf awake must run home to my
breakfnst-but tell her meant To
hang the basket upon the doorknob
In honor Uf her birthday"
Thank you for reminding me-I
had quite forgotten" Royal answered
"Shc will Understandable flowers
VIII spcnk fer me much better than I
myself could" l,psnllnd snid over her
sh0uldcr--shc was half way tO the
gntc. Royni wanted Ia run utter her
Ito cntrcnt her to stay. breakfast With
him and go ldling along thc river side
In the delicious early freshness
lacked the courngc. A. hc stepped
within thc crhmpcd duh entry madame
crlcil from midway the steep stairs,
Are you u wicked robbcrf Or did my
pniDc'Inlry couc 10 bring me luck"
With the lust word she hnd the
basket Ia her nrrIs. almost crndllng
H. looking down nt the blossoms Ms
mother might Look ut n tiny child.
THAT dear linsnllnd!" she murmured
"hei' '''' h'r now we chiihren ne
n'N'u Ih our "a"e l"'r'es sue insisted
thnt they were not dead even yet
h sp'ie oi ""'o's ana wireless anu
"'i u'c res, OF w.
sure 10 come 'rue--when you
""'e o"' P""'' '" mhkc 'hem' hoyn'
S"s"e'eu, uis' oi oi,tcrness IN his
SP"c'h' hlss Rhy could have made II
come true ny speaking ten Hords--lt
was nhe anu grnci"us IN her To take
thohehi Tor W" dhy her very self
Nadine smiled. still looking at her
nowers. Her JOY was In something
deeper than their brnuiy. She had
caught The new note In Royals voice
he was not OF her blood---but she
Ind loved her husband 50 dearly, she
loved any WHO bore the name. SHE
nau been grieVen that toynl nnd ROSA
Ilnd hnd' so fhr, felt the opposition OF
heir IKE hhcr " only they might
come 10 see clearly, truly, she Ind
Ieit hii along 'hey would make each
other blsnnliy happy
hoyni had genius, with suiiicieni
money NOT 10 sino'hrr ". yet To save
MN IRON the specter OF want. He
was moreover ambitious hut In hne
high why-as he hnd shown by turn
liH pls pncS upon easy early successes
~ soh'uy una ,Is',' olern 10 strive for
pr!'r 'n,hsS' 40, 'hn, ne was seorn'
iul 0, nose hrs' nchie'emen's' but
NV ns louhu 'hc'' uhSa'isiyihs To
ns realest se'i'
I've ""n n", '",u M""nhe 'he Who'e
s.ory y. NV 'u'"'s -yc, sue knew III
,u,'Ne's ,hu' u ""u Gust nun WON
hs pron,'S'-" Mon'nh VINO reckohed
"pp'r.u.''y ~ u"''"rs "hd cents No
,"u sn'"' r"Ss'n,S, 10 me u seems
',',rs a',a ,, '"'',,", wv; ,, wv snou'u new
- a., ,.a,. % Mss "o"' o'-
'',. :" w.
e""'e''''ms w ''o morning prongh'