Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-27
THE DAILY NOVELETTE,
Liincs and Lyrics
By GERTRUDE NJ. BURNHAM

lilac time,
4, isn't far from London
The lifting refrain persisted in the
r,nd Of girl who stood irrcsolutciy
,,ron the London pavement one spring
morning, when even that dingy city was
bs,ng afforded glimpse Of blue sky.
well. why not go down to Kew? Ut
roslIy wasn't "far from London" and
nov that the war was over SIC would
,oon leave England for America and
the opportunity would be gone. With
sudden decision she hailed passing bus
and started on the journey to Kew with
ths haunting refrain still in her mind. :
Vilacs. that was the magic word. LII
,ocs, white and purple, how lovingly
thcy clustered about the little New Eng
land home. aud what memories the
thoupht of them sent surging over her:
memories of the walk where she had SO
Iovcd TO lugcr and plan, with another
tor future home whcre there should
slso be lilacs.
Ucr ewes clouded with n sudden mist
Che saw again two figures standing by
Tho bushes, a 1.-the, sturdy lad In khaki,
and n girl in n lilac frock who raised
,br adoring eyes TO meet his. The
heavy otlors Of the white and purple
Story with which he had hcapcd her
arms filled the air during those last
,ocred moments before his departure for
France.
After his departure she had written
Aim again and again. At first the re.
niles were received as regularly ascouid
hs er rpccted, then had come silence. un-
brokcn silence. All attempts to locate
| bim had been in vain aud the corroding
.rony Of suspense grew upon her.
FINALLY she had volunteered as II Red
Gross nurse for foreign service, and
,here found partial surccnsc from per-
.onel sorrow. Now her work was over
and che was going home. Going home,
% what? :,
bus had reached Kcnsington, and Kew
Gardens lay before her. She alightcd
snd walked slowly along. The birds
iii that broke the silence. The peace
~ II stole over her and she sank down
IN bench. half hidden among the lilac
bushes. and gave herself up to bitter
sweet memories.
man wearing the silver bars Of n
6rst lieutenant in the service of the
limited States stood beside London
bookstalI. idly turning the leaves Of n
book OF poems. His eyes caught the fol-
lowing lines:
Come down to Kew in lilac time, in
lilac time,
II isn't far from London.
He read absorbcdly to the end Of the
noem. then rcrcnd It. Turning with
how he could reach Kew. The book
selIcr gave him the necessary directions
and advised him to 60 by all means to
see the famed beauty Of the gardens.
The Young man thanked him and pur-
chased the book Of poems. The next
bus that rumblcd along toward Ken
,inyton found him on its top. immersed
in decp thought. His mind was far
away in a little New England village
which he had not seen for over year.
There stood farmhouse with clustering
white and lavender lilac bushes, and
beside them a girl In q fr0ck to match.
her laughing face bent over the lovely
blooms.
lie swung Of the bus at Kew and
strolled down the winding paths, en-
ioyins the rustic solitude to the utmost
lie turned corner and came upon ,thc
lilacs filling the air with magic sweet
ness. This was familiar. this was
home. and all that was needed to COM
plcte the picture was the girl, looking
up at him with the lovellght shining in
the depths OF her eyes.
Still held by the cnchantmcnt of his
dream. he turned and saw girl sitting
on one OF the garden benches with
bowed head. As he looked she raised
bcr head and he saw her face. As rec
ogniton came he swiftly stretched out
his arms and she flew to them like =
So swiftly had the dreams Of both be-
come reality that there was no con-
tcouSncSs Of abrupt transition.
One hour later a squirrel skipped out
from behind the bushes and cooked his
head to one side. He wns watching this
couple who were so close together on
the park bench. so quiet, save for the
low murmur OF voices and soft laugh.
ter.
The man had explained the long si-
lencs in a way which increased tho
girls love and trust. He had been on a
secret service mission OF great danger.
which had made it impossible for him
To communicate with any one. He had
since been promoted and cited for brav-
cry.
Then came the story of their appear.
,ncc in the garden, aud he unwrappcd
the book Of poems. Two heads came
close together and the listening squirrel
heard words which sounded strangely
like this:
Come down to Kew in lilac time, IN
lilac time.
II ism t. far from London
And the man. the girl and the squir-
.I all agreed with the poet that it was
an excellent thing to do.
Next complete noyelete-"A Woman's