Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1922-09-15
BAlRDF ROSES
BY MILDRED WAITE

The little house stood back from
/, the roadside "A tiny house. indeed
but up TO Its doorway yellow ross
shrubs bordered path. barring
against lhtrpders. Constance. viewing
the picture from the car. was de
lighted. W. W.T.
"PhiIlp," she said to the man at hel
side. II will stop here to walt until yor
haye finished your law business"
Constance Dare's flance smilingly
agreed.
"All right, DEAR" be replied
Constance sank into a wide porch
chair and smiled at her host, 'whC
came through the cottage door. He
seated himself on the step with ar
apology.
~ ann permitted so seldom to set
strangers that to talk with them is O
treat. II you have stopped in the vii
tage,, YOU, no doubt. heard OF the hca
mitf'
I'VE did not stop In the village
answered Constance. II accompanied
friend, who is here on a matter of
law. and he has gone on to see the To-
cal Attorney. who lives. believe. fur
Their up the hill"
The old man nodded.
Farther up the hill are our fine
residences. Here is desolatIOn!"
Beautiful desolationi" said Con-
stance thea eagerly leaned forward.
NY9u were going to tell me about your
LKer@it tife1"
They were seated In the little porch
when the hermit told his story.
my home, as a young man, was up
the HILL" he began. There loved
and married. as truly believed, the
sweetest. truest girl In the world. The
sad part Is that, through all the years,
she has been to me the sweetest
and will ever be. My past love could
not alter. even In face of her faith
tessness, 1t was when our boy was
little lad, twining himself about his
fathers heartstrings, that Eleanor left
me. Her note said that love had
never entered into her marriage. My
money was the motive of her parents
induence-an influence that won.
But now, she wrote, love had found
her, and love she would not deny.
at was a poor sort Of divorce that
she was able to obtain from me In a
state where laws are convenient; but
1t answered Nellie's purpose, Six
mOnths afterward she came for my
boy, I loved him-so did she; there
was no doubt Of that-in the wreck Of
her life that love still bloOmed beau
tIfui thing. So 1 gave my boy to her.
1t was the emily thing that could do
when Nellie asked me. And she took
him away with her to that far state
where the man she cared for lived,
and never saw my son again. When
I had made the property on the hill
ever to him, that he might inherit It
only after my wife's death, 1 came
down to live In solitude with my books
-renounclng life that had taken
from me all j had and given moth
4ng
I'm q measure 1 am content. But |
will have No small boys crossing my
solitude; uttle boys, with all their
trust in life shining in their happy
faceS-boys that return for q fathers
greeting-8gainst these l set my bar
of roses"
Constance found her face wet with
tears. Into the roadway swung the
automobile. Philip Amsden, jumping
out, came to claim his f1ancee.
Slowly. at his approach, the odd man
arose from his chair. Across the worn
face flashed a white light. Philip,
waiting, gazed as one fascinated, into
the sOrrowful eyes.
Your name?" Philip asked, sharply,
In a whisper the old man gave 1t.
81 am Philip Amsden," he said.
Il thought there could be no mis-
take !" The young mans tone was still
curt. "It was my mother who placed
your picture in my room. | had nc
wish for 1t there-a father who DELHI
erately gave up his own son. And 1t
vas only after mothers recent death
that | learned Of your bequest to me ;
any errand today was to see that it is
returned. l will take no gift from a
man who fOrswears his son"
Dumbiy the hermit stood. Constance
put caressing arm around each.
philip" she said, "we have trav.
eled down no road Of chance today.
We came TO bring your father back to
his own. To make up to him in our
own home-yOU and for years OF
loneliness"
Above her head the men looked, in
sudden understanding.
How very sweet" said Constance
"the roses SMELL