Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1921-12-02
Turnips and
Cabbage Heads
BY MALCOM BROWN.

farmhouse, standing In its two acres
OF ground. 1t was the ideal of a
country home-such home as Alice
and Jim had always dreamed of, now
come to fulfllment.
And Wen grow our own vege-
tables said Jim, blthely.
"And flowers, dear" said Alice,
smiling.
But who'll take care of them?"
"Why, that's easy" Alice answered.
I'll take charge of the flowers, jim,
and You can mind the vegetables.
And-listen, jim! Let's each raise
our own plots secretly, and mind the
other is not to come into that part Of
the garden or look at 1t until every
thing Is blooming. Then the one that
has the finest display gets the prize"
(Which ISL"
"A kiss" said Alice, smiling.
9TH take mine now" said finland
he did.
They had only been married a
month and their experience of home
making was delightful.
And all sorts of things were planted
and actually began to spr0ut. Neither
of them considered II anything but
magic when the first green sprouts
appeared. And after Il while tiny
bloom made its appearance in the
flower garden.
snow. jim, no looking said Alice,
mischlevously.
"But-hang II, Alice, you're not 60
Ing to keep me out Of the garden the
whole summer are your he asked.
but Jim. you can look from afar.
And you can walk on the lawn. Only,
you must not come up to the flower
beds. Because ! have big surprise
for YOU in preparation"
II must be confessed that Jim did
look. And as the flowers hoomed and
the whole garden became one riotous
mass of blossoms, he began Emporium
ing Alice more and more frequently
to be allowed to see his surprise. At
last she fixed upon the following Sat
urday.
Meanwhile Jim had not been idle.
He, too had prepared little surprise
for Alice. He had taken advantage Of
her permission to plant flowers and,
with great dexterlty, had placed a bed
of sweet alyssum, as compliment to
her, setting ii out In such way that
the arrangement of the flowers
spelled out the letters of her name.
When the green leaves appeared and
actually grew true his delight was
unbounded
one of the hardest things he had to
do was to remember the various vege.
tables. He had hit upon an ingenious
method of overcoming this difficulty
he had planted them alphabetically.
Saturday came. Jim was in fer
ment Of excitement when his wife led
him into the garden.
Jim looked and stared Alice had
hit upon his own design. The flowers
were growing In rather straggly but
unmistakable letter j.
sweet Williams" whispered Alice
looking at him, trlumphantly.
"Yes-but--" stammered her hus.
band.
THAT'S a compliment to you, dear
est" she said. "You see, there isn't
any Sweet James, so | pretended that
your name was William instead.
Aren't you pleased?"
Pleased? I'm delighted" he cried.
But Alice, dear, do you know have
thought of just the same thing for
your"
"Show me at once, jim" command
ed his wife, delightedly.
Alice looked at the growth in per-
pleXity.
but Jim, where are the flowersT
she asked.
FLOWERS? l didn't know sweet
alyssum had any flowers You are my
flower he added, automatically, for
the expression on his wife's face had
become quite curious.
She stopped over the growth and
suddenly reached out her hand and |
pulled handful from the ground. |
And then she sat down upon the path
and burst into tears.
"Alice Dearest! What's the mat
terY cried jim Don't you like
them? Why, | planted them because
| wanted them to remind me always
of you"
"Yes, that's it," she sobbed. 81 al
ways knew you didn't really love me,
but ! never thought you would show
1t in such cowardly, mean way as
this. lists turnip tops. And you
said they reminded you of me-"
Good heavens" he exclaimed In
horror. Alice l planted them al
and II began at The
wrong end. Come over here. Here
here they are!"
Alice cast one glance at his new
find and began weeping anew.
Brute" she sobbed. "rhose are
cabbage heads"
They made up two minutes later,
but now they have hired man to
tend the vegetable garden. Jim helps
Alice with the flowers and they have
some real sweet alyssum blooming
round the sweet williams.