The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-04-02
Loss and Gain
By MARTHA nj. WILLIAMS

sss~s."."s-."s-s-s-s"s-.~s y
e9. 1921, by Mcclure Newspaper SyndlcateJ
Rosalind sang softly ao she chose
among her name flowers. half-boWn
/ buds Of the clearest dawn pink ellis
tenlnS white Canterbury bells and
royal blue larkSpur went next into tel
basket; also trails of fine, feathery
! green. Her thought sketcheu Il pic
ture of how they would transform the
cottage, clean and drab, in which Nine.
Nane 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
to have stolen into her and illumined
her face
Thus TRANSPORTED, she tCok Royal
Vane by storm when they met half
way up the narrow walk running to
the cottage door. She had seemed to
him always alOof, cold and high
very perfect after her sort-a sort
that repealed him in spite of beauty
| or cleverness. Rosalind, he knew, had
both, along with blood, breeding and
| riches, yet until now he had rather
dreaded even casual contacts with her.
Up before the sum-" he said, not
ing the dew on everything. She nod
ded. 1T Is sinful to cut June flowers
any other time" she said; give these
to Madame, please doubt If she is
10
breakfast-but tell her l meant to
hang the basket upon the doOrknob
In honor of her birthday"
Thank you for reminding mel
had quite forgotten" Royal answered.
She will Understandable flowers
will speak for me much better than |
myself could" Rosalind said over her
shoulder-she was hhf way to the
gate. Royal wanted to run after her
to entreat her TO stay, breakfast with
him and go idling along the river side
In the delicious early freshneSS-but
lacked the courage. AS he stepped
within the cramped dull entry madame
cried from midway the steep stairs,
Are you a wicked robber? Or did my
name-fairy come to bring me luck?"
With the last word She had the
basket in her arms, almost grading
it, looking down at the blossoms as
a mother might look at Il tiny child.
THAT dear Rosalind!' she murmured
when | told her how we children be-
lieved in our name fairies, she insisted
Int hnx
in spite of motors and wireless and
all the rest of it,
Sure to come true'-when you
have the power to make them" Royal
answered, a tinge uf bitterness in his
speech. Miss Ray could have made it
come true by speaking ten words-it
was fine and gracious in her to take
thought for the day her very self"
Madame smiled, still looking ut her
flowers. Her joy was in something
deeper than their beauty. She had
caught the new note in Royals voice
he was not of her blood-but she
had loved her husband so dearly, she
loved ally who bore the name She
had been grieved that Royal and Rosa
lind had, 50 far, felt the opposition of
their like fiber. If only they might
come to see clearly, truly, she had
felt all along they would make each |
other blissfully happy.
Royal had genius, with sufficient |
money not to smother it, yet to save
him from the specter of want. He
was moreover ambitious, but in fine
high way-as he had shown by turn
ing his back upon easy early successes |
in comedy and light opera to strive for |
better things. Not that he was scorn- |
that he found them unsatisfying to |
his realest self.
He had not told Madame the whole |
story Of the turning-yet she knew in
tuitively that it had cost him a wOm-
ans promise-a woman who reckOned |
opportunity in dollars and cents, 50
had said, Possibly. To me it seems
instead-very foolish. We should new
er agree-better end things now, be-
fore i'll comes to worse"
back TO Royal the minute Of their !
parting. God, How it had hurt
Less to lose her than to find her
sordid of soul. Idly he wondered what |
Rosalnd-then caught himself up
sharply and took Madame into break
fast. After il he planned a small
festival for the day-to gather every
thing under twelve within radius
of two miles. and give the gatherings
a happy afternoon with games, sweets
and music.
Rosalind, he was sure, would help
he caught himself up sharply as
the name slipped Familiarity over his
lips. But he found himself a prophet
she was eager to do any or every
thing-with result that O'Clock
found the backyard, the adorable old
orchard adjoining it, blotched and
splotched with girls and boys, too full
of ioy and candy for nothing but
rolling on the grass and now and then
oouoaJinu delight