Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-09-19
MEMORIES IHTERwovEH.
A short story.
ny RUBY DOUGLAS.
Ccpyright 1874 BY Mcclure Nswspap>
Syndicate.

Copyright. 1874 BY. Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate.
In spite OF the fact that Hugh whar-
Ton was that the boys called a regu-
lAr fellow. he had developed an art
In which he had become absorbed
namely. tho art OF designing and axc-
cutting the most beautiful OF old-fash-
Toned hooked rugs.
An architect by profcaaion. he had
Selt creative urge that took him out
OF the practical field OF his work and
had led him f,rst into designs OF fan
sastic colors for mural decorations in
some of the moro artistic buildings
which he had designed. Then. rcmem-
bcring that art Of his grandmother
he had decided 20 make a frame and
. design on canvas and try his luck
with IA rug.
Il can do II evenings when am too
tired to read. fellows" he explained
when the boys with whom he lived
chidcd him for his feminine task.
II guess Ill take the tattin'."
chafYed one.
And ! TO knittin." added another
but Hugh was not to bo put from
his purpose. lie soon had the big
frame constructed and had rolled the
canvas MT the end and drawn the de-
sign thereon. He Ind made an old
fashioned houque In tho center and
Intended TO work II out In all the
hollyhock, corn-tiower. lovc-in n mist
and colendula colors OF the natural
flowers.
Don't forget the forgetmenots, :"
h., t.>h. a
him hook In and out of the pattern
You'll be jolly glad to have IL i'm
the room when Il is done" he said
good -naturedly. lie could see real
admiration for his work behind the
teasing attitude of his friends.
Where do you get all the rags?'
asked Bob Taylor.
"oh, here and thcre--from the girls. -
admitted Hugh.
Whose red sport coat Ia that in the
center rose?" asked Tom.
Remember Helen Moore7"
The three men recalled at once the
eay red golf coat OF the Girl who had
married one OF their friends and gone
away.
When you are old and cranky and
CIT In reverie with your pipe. you can
think ot all tho girls who contributed
bit OF their flnery 10 your rug. eh
Hugh"
Hugh nodded. He was hooking bits
Of soft blue wooly material into the
design of n cluster OF orn-fiowers
His face had taken on a reminiscent,
expression.
~ wouldn't cry over IL. Hugh, old
boy" began Bob.
Hugh forced "A smile,
What's the idea? Whose soft blu,
's that YOU are moping over7"
The artist did not speak for n mo.
mont. He had stopped 10 clip or IN,
tops of the stitches and had made IN,
effect as soft IA ~ the flowers them.
selves were lying on the gray back.
ground
Florence Millions mother gave me
this material. II WAS in a suit Of Flor
cnce's--ye,rs ago when first met
her" he aid at last
"oh. and that reminds mo. I saw
her yesterday.
Hugh was startled. Saw FLORENCE
MiltonY wher7"
Here IN town. Of course. Didn't
think I'd been TO Europe, did your
But thought she wasn't conn
Ing home for another year" persisted
Hugh, rcsuming his work.
Bob Taylor smiled. He recalled the
fact that Hugh and Florence had one,
been sweethear,s-before Florenc,
had gone OF 10 Italy TO study sculp.
ture.
That night Hugh did not work wit,
any other color but the blue.
The next day he called up Mrs Nil
ton. ostensibly. he called her TO tel
her how well the blue was workin,
into the rug Really, he wanted 10 flnC
out the truth about Florence.
Why don't you bring IL over Il
show me, Hugh?" asked Mrs Milton.
"I-wen. / could, at that" he sale
guiltily. "Ill put IL in the car anS
bring II around tonight"
Il used 10 make them myself year.
aSo. My grandmother taught me I,
hook rugs out Of all the old ties an,
silks and make wonderful things. II
love 10 see yours"
But she did not say a word abou
Florence. Hugh had a suspicion tina
Bob had been chaffiing him
was thrown open that night the frs
glimpse OF the inside that caught hi
eye was Florence, herself. standing
there 10 greet him.
What" she began.
"Oh. it's a rug I've been hookin,
and your mother wanted TO see II,
he explained.
And then he took both her hand
and looked into her eyes 70 search 70
something that she had told him wa
not within her.
"Florence-is il there yeti Have yor
found out that you care? Isis tina
why you came back?"
Florence nodded. while tears file
her eyes.
Together they went into the grea
living-room where Mrs. Milton sat b,
the fre. Hugh showed her the rug an
che detected the blue of Florence
suit
Sec. dear" she said TO her daueh
ter. II gave this wolly goods to Hug
for his corn-flower blue. Isn't it pret
TYP"
Pretty isn't the word" corrscte
Hugh. 1T is wonderful. And into III
corn-nower i have woven all tn
dreams OF the past few years. ] ma,
have q memory"
You may have moro than a mem
ory-HuGh." said Florence. going owe
30 him and putting her hand in his.
Mrs. Milton discreetly studied tn
pattern OF the rug and recalled som
memories OF her own romance.
~
RGANAY