Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1921-01-28
A BOUTONNFERE
BY E. M. BANGS.
Clure Newspaper Syndicate.

nnshed away her block of paper.
"Truly, girls" she exclaimed. my
brain is a complete fragile. Seems to
me | can't think of another rhyme to
save my life!
Frances and Margaret laughed.
~ imagine ours are in about the
same condition." said Frances. "We
must nave enough. Let's not write
any more"
These three friends-who had been
called the Blue Triangle, as all had no.
ticeably blue eyes-were to have
charge Of the flower booth at a bazaar
to take place the following week, for
the benefit, of a local charity. Some
body had Conceived the pleasing idea
of making a quantity of little bouton-
nieres, each n to contain a fortune
telling rhyme, either original or a quo
tation. So it was for the preparing of
these that the three girls were racking
their brains on this September eve
ming.
Truth to tell, however, Madeline
had not been thinking of rhymes for a
good FIVE minutes. Instead she had
been asking herself over and over
again. why it was that Donald Hunt
err had not called. or even telephoned.
for three weeks, when up to that
time few days had passed that she
had neither seen nor heard from him.
Whenever she had met him on the
street either he or she had been with
someone else, and he had passed On
with a most formal lifting of his hat.
"Wait a moment" Margaret broke
10 on her thoughts a little later. 1--WE
lust evolved another rhyme, partly
original. Listen:
"'Happiness waits that you little ex-
pect,
Gold from vessels you thought were
wrecked"
THAT'S fine." Frances commented.
at might NEAR most anything"
"Oh, Madeline" Margaret began,
after a pause. what do you think |
heard the other day?"
Madeline shook her head. enc
idea"
well, l heard that you and Leon
Brown were engaged"
"How absurd |" :.
"Well, you know you have been seen
with him rather often lately"
Had she? Yes, and usually when
she had come across Donald she had
been with Leon.
"Guess that's what makes Don Hunt
er look so sober of late" suggested
Frances.
Does hep Madeline assumed an
indifference she was far from feeling.
II haven't seen him lately"
81 like that last rhyme Of yours,
Margaret" Frances approved. I'VE
can put it with some b%outonniere not
as pretty as the others, If there is
one, by the way of compensation"
On the evening of the opening of the
bazaar Madeline put on a pale blue
gown of which Donald has once ex-
pressed his unqualified approval. Her
golden brown hair curled about her
face, a faint color was In her cheeks
and a sparkle in ner eyes. and with
Margaret's black hair and ''eyes OF
Irish blue" and Frances blond beauty,
the Blue Triangle found a fitting back
ground in the green Of the flower
booth. The boutonnieres with the for
tune-telling rhymes were arranged in
two lots, one for ladies and one fol
gentlemen.
Among the first to buy a b~outonniere
vas Leon Brown. He stood a m
after making his purchase, and reading
his fortune, then finding Madeline too
busy to give him much Afternoon. he
wandered away, only to return a little
later and repeat the process n
when for the third time he was seen
approaching their booth, Margaret said
in an aside to Frances: Mr. Brown
seems to visit us early and often"
"Tf Madeline doesn't want him" was
the laughing response, "she might hand
him over to one of us. Hes not hair
bad"
Meantime Madeline had seen Donald
across the room, but it was toward tne
end Of the evening when he paused by
the flower booth.
What is this ] hear about some
magic button-hole ~bouquetsT' he asked.
"They are wonderful" Madeline as
sured him. "You want one, OF
course"
She turned the bouquets a little tln
a certain pansy was conspicuous.
wont you select it for meT' the
V0unu mon ocEQd
Madeline seemed to hesitate, as she
looked over the flowers.
I'm afraid most of u prettiest
ones have beer sold," she said, regret
fully. "You should have beer mere
earlier in the evening"
"But as 1 understand it, 1t is 0
their beauty. but the fortune they tell
that makes them attractive In thls
case" he returned.
"Well-pansies for thoughts, you re-
member" The girl handed him TWO
nurplo nanSfoc nc she spoke.