Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1921-08-18
The DAISY-G!RL
BY MOLLIE MATHER.
q. 1921, Western Newspaper Union

The very capriciousness which at first
charmed him, was now his trial.
Dorothea continually sought difficult
tasks with which to try his affection.
Though Dorothea had promised him
her heart and hand, this fact did
not deter her from encouraging rival
ry among those apparently van
pushed.
''If you cannot spare an afternoon
to take me out to the country club,
she would tell her fance sweetly,
Don Stewart will be glad to do it.
He called up to see If there was
chance, this morning"
SO Bruce would spare the afternoon
to the neglect Of business. Or, IF
YOU do not feel that you can afford
orchids for my orchid gown this eve
ming Brucie, Hamilton Dane is just
eager to get them for me from his
florist
Alas! Bruce Allan coul6 afford no
orchids from his hard-earned purse.
His one ambition had been to lay by
each month toward the feathering or
a dainty nest for DOrothea.
Poor Bruce was growing distracted
because of DorOthea's pOuting dis
pleasure. Pink daisies, or rather, pink
marguerites, were the latest insistent
desire of her heart. She had hap
pened TO pass bed of these tall
flowers and Immediately had been
seized with the desire to give a pink
daisy tea with bundles Of the unusual
flowers in evidence everywhere, and
herself, clad in pink with "a pale vel
low hat. It would all be so sweet
and odd" she told Bruce excitedly.
Bruce agreed that it would. But
this did not end his part in the mat
ter.
He had tried his best to locate the
coveted blossoms, but two afternoons
motoring with Dorothea, failed to dis
close the flower bed Of her vision.
She was put out about it, holding
Bruce accountable for the disappoint--
ment SO now, upon the sunshlney
morning when Bruce wandered mood
lily down the hill, not only Hamilton
Dane but Don Stewart as well, were
out on the quest Of the tall pink daisy.
The triumph of either, at a florists
shop, would mean his own defeat.
Dorothea put this plainly. The head
of the business office had sent him
this particular morning to a rural
township to look over some real es-
tate. Bruce had taken the trolley out.
Presently, as he walked across
cedar fragrant hedge, came a sweet
singing voice, the bees over the hedge
hummed accompaniment:
''My own he comes and he loves me
we'll,
This is the tale that my daisies tell"
sang a girl bending over a bed
yes, actuaily-a bed of tall pink mar
guerites. Bruce by his sudden en-
trance startled the girl into dropping
scissors and basket, but she picked
them up again undismayed.
"My customers" she told him laugh
ingly, usually enter in more conven-
tional manner than vaulting~the hedge.
What would you like?"
Customer" he asked hesitatingly,
"you mean that you sell things?'
The girl nodded
FLOWERS" she answered briefly,
that's what l raise 'em for"
"And I can buy the pink dalsles'
his tone was eager. "All of them, or
perhaps" he added lamely. "You ask
too big price"
Then. before he knew it, he was tell
ing her about Dorothea and the pink
daisy tea; of his own futile search
and the humility of failure.
isn't it funny" the girl remarked
with a whimsical twist to her red lips,
one girl in the city wanting, and plan
ming for pink daisies, just to make
holiday. And another girl out in the
country working since early spring to
grow the flowers and sell them to earn
bread and butter Mother and L live
alone and we have to plan many ways
to keep our home fire burning. Flow
ers are the best part of my plan. And
coaXing them along is pleasure"
You see," she said, Il am giving
them all. The price will not matter.
You must be-" she smiled, 1.-The
triumphant knight returning to win
your lady'S favor"
81 am not sure" he said, that /
care to win that favor. I've been
sitting here doing some thinking and
comparing. Looking back over past
weeks of my engagement, | cannot see
that either of US has been very hap
py. Dorothea told me when she was
disappointed last night that the man
who carried out this silly wish OF
hers. would be hereafter the one man
for her. Dane can buy all the rare
flowers he wants. AS for Newell,
I'll take your daisies, and keep 'em in
my own ROOM"
"You need not" said the girl quickly,
'T can sell them"
81 want" said Bruce gravely, "ev-
cry daisy that has known your care.