The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-09
Eocning Story
Things Optional.
BY MARTHA McC. WILLIAM


from Already. it was so filled with
dream-roses, and the singing of i'm
material birds. Together they laid
hold upon and possessed Melitta, as
she knelt IN her tiny garden setting
delicate seedlings delicately in place.
The garden was the trace OF poetry in
her prose existence, mere half-hand-
kerchief scrap of rich earth betwixt
the new paling and the asparagus bed,
the paling ran diagonally to straighten
the side yard. Miss Sarah Horne had
come home from college with a pas
sion for straight lines, clean cut angles
and trim-clipped neatness in general
Thus she had ordained wide gorgeous
flower borders either side the prim
gravel walk running from front porch
to stile. All manner of big gaudy
flowers flourished in the borders
even its roses were riotously big and
lusty.
Melitta had just three roses set
close to the paling-a Scotch early
yellow, shrinking white tea and a
Luxembourg that came to full glory
only in late blowth. The yellow rose
was full-budded, with a single open
flower, the tea promised blossoms
within the week, but the Luxembourg
stood half stark, not vet fully leafed,
with stiff long-stalked buds showing
militantly among its bronzed foliage.
In front of the roses every inch was
allotted to something of quicker flow
-ering--a stiff row of vari-colored hya-
cinths, jonquils xgelI past prime. tulips
still sending up jewel cups to their
lover-sun, beyond them, in massed
plenty all the ANIMALS dear to age
and youth.
Melitta tended her garden lovingly
and came to view it in her scant leis-
ure. She would not pick the blossoms
they were so much happier, there
| in the sun and dew She could shut
her eyes and see them when she chose,
no matter what her task. Yet she was
generous toward children and old and
poor folk passing by. They could not
stay with the garden-she felt they
| had a color of right to take something
| of. it away with them.
! She owned the place legally. tho the
Hornes, mother and daughter, bore
/ rule there in high handed fashion.
| They had taken up the mortgage that
would have dispossessed Melitta. and
got their board for interest on the
money. It was not strange they had
CDme to fee. themselves owners-they
must be acknowledgements when
Sarah married her husband preferred
to live elsewhere. The land was good
! for the debit might even leave a
| trifle over for Melitta. If it did not
we'll she could go away to work
| then she might possibly marry some
| d
a hypochrCndriac in need of nurse
L was sure as death or taxes she new
Ell would marry so long as she stage i
ar Sweet Eriar. Nobody to marry -
| the. sort she would have. The so-t
she wouldn't have were not to be con-
sidered.
This between themselves. Melitta
knew it tho she had never heard their
speech. She could have been very
gratfuI to them if they had ever let
! her forget the succor she owed thenf
Instead they kept her SO conscious of
| the foolish bargain she had made in
her extremity, she lay awake half the
long winter nights revolving plans for
undoing it.
| The latest was orchard fruit-her
| land was specially adapted to it-but
| the trees would cost more money than
| she could well spare. Yet she had bar
gained for them, tentatively. as she
\ thought. Her heart came to her
| throat as Mrs. Horne called to her:
''M'litter. here's some man wants to
see YOU
The tree man beyond a doubt.
Slowly she want to face him, her
hands earthly, her cotton frock faded
and patched all down the front. But
she forgot all that when the tree man
| let her know her order was following
! him. His firm had taken to motor
! truck delivery. also to sending along
with it's trees expert planters. Hence
his presence The bill? No hurry
about it--tho money was never in the
way This with a gay smile and a
I twinkling of fine blue eyes. Possibly
the twinkling made Miss Horne inter-
pose: "M'litter, while you're buying
! trees get some eVergreens for this
yard 1t does look so bare, nothing
but grass till you come to the front
road. I'm sick of looking at it,
4 can't Too late. Besides I can't
afford them" MeIitta said desper-
ately. Then TO the tree man, Angus
Mcclure by name: II didn't mean 4
straight order when I <wrote about
ANYTHING until sell NM wheat in
| July. Can't you-don't you think
maybe you can sell the trees to some-
body else 2"
"M'litter, I'm shocked at you. Why,