The northwestern bulletin-appeal., 1924-01-19
Orchids to Mary
~ by Mistake
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By CLARISSA MACKIE
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OpCh
Of the living room.
"Ah, howersT' asked Mary, a little
breathlessly, because no man had ever
sent her flowers before. OF course,
Jimmy Lane had brought her violets
now and then-Jimmy was sentimen-
tai about viOlets-but to receive a
mysterious box like this-square and
deep, lavender tinted and tied up with
ribbOn-a box bearing the magic name
Of the most expensive florist in town,
that was almost like a dream. A sud-
den thought shattered the dream.
Perhaps Jimmy had sent the box!
Now she had lifted the cover, pulled
aside the waxed paper and sighed with
delight.
d OrchidsI
OF course Jimmy had not sent them
Her pulse quickened-who in her
circle Of friends would send her
orchids? She, who was almost en-
gagged" to Jimmy Lane, could name no
man who admired her enough to risk
offending Jimmy. "Some unknown ad-
mIrer," whispered Romance, when she
had searched the box for a card and
found nothing.
Mary was still gazing into the
hearts Of the exotics when the door
opened and in walked Jimmy, unan-
nounced as usual.
With her arms full Of paper and
fiower-filled box Mary lifted her shy
eyes to his face; her smile was as
lovely as ever.
Jimmy saw the orchids, stopped
short and stared hard. "Orchids7
HuhI"
Aren't they lovely"
Beautiful"
II shall wear them tonight"
"At the club dancer
"Of course!'
Then you have changed your mind
about going with meT
"Why-why- Mary's eyes spar
kled. Why not make her faithful
knight jealous7 "Why do you ask
thatT' she ended.
II brought violets for you to wear
some other man has sent orchids; II
you wehr his flowers I suppose you
will 60 with him." explained James
Lane doggedly.
"0h, never thought of that"
"Who sent the orchids?" he asked
suspiciously.
"Must 1 tell, JimmyT she asked
plaintively.
"Suit yourself"
"Then I won't-and I will put them
away In water and" she stopped
short with the flowers In her hand.
Jimmy had picked up the box cover
and outside paper, and suddenly
rOared with laughter.
Amusing, isn't itT asked Mary
crisply.
He turned sharply, his mirth gone.
MARY, will you tell me who sent you
these fowers7" he asked gravely.
81 cannot tell you that, Jimmy"
coldly (and 1t was the truth-she
could not).
May guessT
"H you can"
He pOndered moment. "John
Flint" he hazarded
"rm not acquainted with him"
"Walter Mann"
HE Is engaged to my cousin, May.
! thought you knew that"
young Lamson-the pie-faced oner
"Pooh," said Mary, flushing at her
own duplicity. Why not tell Jimmy
that she did not know who her un-
known admirer was? But no, 1t was
a new experience, this one Of trying
to make Jimmy jealous.
Mary left the room and returned
presently with a vase of water into
which she put the orchids. First she
held them against the pale-gray gown
She was wearing and admired the cf-
feet of the delicate mauve tints,
touched with deep violet. Suddenly
she thought Of the violets.
"Where are the violets, JimmyT
she asked.
"Dldn't they conner
II thought you brought them with
you-you always do"
"Not this time-had them sent from
Ridder & wid's. Ordered them this
morning"
"Ridder & wid'sT" she asked
family.
He nodded. 81 was there with Wal
ter Mann, and sent them along Well,
must get back to the office. What
time shall come for you tonight-or
are you going to wear orchids?"
81 d-don't know" she faltered.
He looked down at her diminutive
height from his six feet two, and his
good-looking face whitened with anger.
His gray eyes blazed.
"That Is quite plain enough, Mary :;
/ surely do not mean to annoy you
with my attentions. expected that
you would go with me because you
had said that you would, but l will
gladly yield to more agreeable es
cort." .-.
Mary-oh, so contrary--had lost her
lovely color and looked like a marble
cherub so white was she. Pride held
her lips fast and her tongue, which
could have so easily explained away
all the Misunderstanding, was silent.
In that moment she hated orchids,
Jimmy, and her unknown admirer.