The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-04-13
RED CARNATIONS
BY LAURA MONTGOMERY


ated so long that we shall have to be-
come acquainted all over again?
am greatly changed. / sometimes won
der if you will be terribly disappoint-
ed and wish you had waited to ratify
old old love affair. I'm coming down
to meet you, and SO as to be sure that
you know me I'm going to wear a
red carnation on my suit Sounds
silly, but l want you to take good
look at me and if-oh, l can't bear to
think of that contingency, but If you
have any regrets, why don't speak to
me-"
The mans eyes were bit misty as
he read nina was always so sensi-
tive" he reflected, sensitive and high
ly strung. She has brooded over her
changed looks until she's lost her
sense Of values. OF course her recent
illness would pull her down, but q
few months will"
Pressing about the great iron gates
friends, and Dicks dark eyes roved
from woman to woman in search OF
the face he loved. Nina would, Of
course, look much older, fourteen
years makes a great difference.
Dick paused as his gaze fell upon
mass of color, not one carnation but
great cluster of them. He stood star
ing, growing diSmay turning his
eager anticipation into the gayness Of
certainty. The girls face was partly
averted, but the profile underneath
the spotted veil was palpably made
up. Layers Of thick white powder
struggled for place with red so
false that Dick was instantly remind
ed Of the grotesque adornments that
the Africans used for certain cere-
monies. A full, fringed cape with
crossed bands in front swung behind
her, billowed by the breeze. A great
black beaver hat, rakishly on one
side, adorned the masses of friZZled
bobbed hair. Nina had said that she
had her hair cut, but she had not
said that she had, also, touched 1t up,
and this she must have done, for her
hair had, formerly, been smooth,
soft brown, while this was reddish.
Even her mouth was distigured by her
passion for red, and sticky traces of
Hpstick formed a cupid's bow that
would have been. bold behind the foot
lights.
"Well, cutie" came masculine
voice, waiting to meet your sweetie?'
The frizzled head nodded gayly ::
Hes coming home to marry me-" she
answered, and Dick grew sick at
heart; her voice, too, had coarsened
and her speech was punctuated by
pauses in which she chewed gum.
"Tll be dashed if do any such
thing" decided Dick as he saw the
loudly dressed stranger lean down
and take a carnation from the clus-
ter, and he turned on his heel alertly
as he saw the girl turn in his direc-
ton.
He hurried out into the gray fog OF
the autumn day and stood on the
bridge modify. DaZedly he tried to
coordinate Nina's letters that had
been, filled with beautiful thoughts,
sentences that showed clearly her
high ideals, and the incredible crea-
ture who had smirked fiirtatiously at
the stranger in the checked suit.
A small person with a pale, wistful
face and blue eyes stopped and re-
garded him timidly: 1T looks like
him, allowing for the tan and" she
thought and then flushed as his alb
sorbed gaze fell unseeingly upon her
mo, it cannot be-
A fire engine Changed past, narrow
ly missing a taxicab which, swerving,
nearly run down the girl.
Marrow escape" cried Dick excit.
eddy, lifting her bodily and putting
her safely beside the rail Of the
bridge.
"Why, Dick, is it you," came a low,
soft voice that took the man straight
back to the past.
And then he looked under the little
velvet hat that so becomingly finished
the smart blue suit with the snowy.
frilled collar, and saw Nina, the old
Nina of his dreams why" he
gasped, you wrote that you would
meet me wearing a red"
She laughed a bit breathlessly and
one tiny gloved hand indicated a
small red flower among the lace frills.
There was q blockade on the car
track" she explained; that's why
I'm so late. i saw you right away,
but you looked so queer and stern
that didn't dare-that is"
Dick took her arm and signaled to
taxi. 81 cannot bear to have you
look at her, sweetheart" he interrupt
ed; "any one can buy red carnation,
but there is no one who can look like
you"
Then you don't think / have
changed SO muchY' blushed Nina as
the cab whirled them away.
He regarded adoringiy the soft
brown locks that lent her an oddly
childish look. II love It," he said
simply; "Nina, you are prettier than
you were when left you. Some
times" he added graphically, mis-
takes make one appreciate what a
man possesses" and smiled at her
mystified expression.