Smyrna times., 1926-11-17
Roses for James
Birthday
BY CLARISSA MACKIE

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escape outside splashed dismally.
1t was her twenty-ffth birthday
and she had only received one birth
day card in the days mail, and the
package that always came from home
must have been delayed.
Not even a birthday cake-not
even a rose, and it is June back home"
said Jane woefully. 1t had been a
dull day at the Office, and the dinner,
eaten alone at a tiny tea-room, was
total failure for poor Jane. She had
seen the young man who occupied the
next room to hers eating his dinner
at the opposite table and he looked
so hllariously happy over it that Jane
knew 1t was her own hOmesick self
that mattered-nOt the rain or any
thing else. She did so want the
fragrance of roses on her birthday
her June birthday. How they would
have frightened the dull, little hall
bedroom at Mrs. Cready'sl She
fingered for q moment at a florists
window on the corner, and there in
side was the happy, young man next
door, buying rOses-long- g-stemmed
American Beauties and lovely plumes
of white lilac. The man was cram
ming them into long box with lots
Of pale green waxy paper. AS she
hastened toward home, the youngster
passed her running for a street car,
the box Of roses under his arm.
HE is about my age" thought
t. a. ii
Il hope she likes him for he is
rather a dear, and / know he has
been wildly extravagant about those
roses !" That was an hour or more
ago, and now Jane was staring into
the dripping fire escape.
"What an idiot am," thought Jane,
Il will change my dress and go to
the movies and buy some candy
and / will have a birthday, all ex-
cept the home box and the roses"
She raised the window to see wheth-
er it was raining very hard, and as
she did so she heard her neighbOr
come into his room. He was not
whistling. He just dumped up his
window and threw something savage
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edge of the fire escape, balanced and
fell inside, shifting Jane smartly on
the cheek.
"Ouch!" cried Jane, startled
Silence, and then, did some one
speak?"
Jane knew he was poking his head
out on the fire escape. "Oh, excuse
me- don't tell me | struck Sou with
the roses" he apologized "I am sorry
Il hope you are not hurt"
Not at ALL" said Jane stiffly.
81 did not Imagine anyone would
be out there" he went on, putting
his fair head out to explain. 81 just
chucked 'em out" he ended with
hopeless note in his voice.
Il am sorry" sympathized Jane.
1T was such a lovely bouquet"
"HOw do you know?" he demand
ed brusquely.
Jane blushed. "Why, 1 just hap
pened to see you buying them-I was
looking In the florists windOw-rOses
and white lilacs-and I did think how
glad the girl would be to have them"
"She wasn't" he went on roughly;
"she was going out with another fell
low-said she was engaged to him.
and she was wearing his orchids. /
was so mad, I just brought the box
home in a dream and when I found
them under my arm, I opened the
window and let fly, but / am so sorry
that 1 hurt yOu," he ended cOntritely.
.An
was looking out to see whether 1t still
rained."
"And you found 1t raining roses and
lilacs," he laughed.
81 am sorry about the other girl"
said Jane timidly.
II am not-thank you just the same.
I had to find out some time. If you'll
put your head in a moment, I'll toss
those flowers down-make a better
shot of 1t this time"
"Please don't throw them away"
said Jane In small voice.
"Why, / couldn't offer them to you
after she refused them," he protested.
Certainly not" said Jane, 'but 1t is
wicked to throw flowers away" Gent
Iy, very gently, Jane closed her win
dow and pulled the shade closely.
"The poor DEAR" she thought, "he
was so indignant at that horrid girl
and / had been thinking how happy
he was" About that time Hannah
came to the door with the big box
from home and Mrs. Cready had re-
membered that 1t was James birthday
and sent Hannah up with a long
stemmed American Beauty rose and
some sprays of white lilac.
"Young Mr.. Hunter gave Mrs. Cready
big box full" explained Hannah
proudly as she went downstairs.
Late that evening, Jane took her
birthday cake downstairs to share 1t
with Mrs. Cready and some of the
other roomers. "They didn't send me
any flowers" Jane explained, $50 that
yours are twice as welcome" A tap