The Coolidge examiner., 1933-02-03
Many Flowers
By HELEN FIELDING
G by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNIJ Service

A u
\ last, she could safely s; that
an office could be artistic. honey,
attractive and yet be the place
where successful business was car
ried on.
She surveyed the room In which
she sat. French gray walls, ame-
thyst rug and hangings made
background for the gray desks and
chairs the small gray tea wagon
with its purple china and silver
She had started this employment
business on what her brother called
"a shoestring." but little by little
her business had grown until she
was known far and wide as most
successful woman in her line.
She was still young. and many
who came in contact with her won
dered that she had not married.
They did not know that the only
man she had ever cared for had
been married and that fate had
Kindly taken him out of her path.
Absorption in her work had
nealed the hurt, but nothing had
ever come along TO take the place
of her early romance. Sometimes
she accused herself of having hired
Young Frank Barlow because he re
minded her in certain expressions
of the other man. Frank was only
two years her junior but she had
taught him nearly all that he knew
abont the publicity and advertising
end of her employment business
and she felt superior attitude to
ward him. in years.
Their work brought them very
closely In contact. They had lony
conferences together; they frequent
ly had lunch together.
Agnes always had flowers In her
office. In lavender vase on the
tea-wagon there we're rose or two.
sweet peas or daisies. In a bowl
on her own desk there were al
ways frag ANT blossoms.
One spring evening when the Of
flee had been very busy and there
had been little time for quiet, pence
ful. concentrated thought, Agnes
had fancy that she would like to
go down TO her private office. There
was no place In the world In which
she felt so much at rest, so com
pletely AT home as In her business
environment where she had at last
surrounded herself with the things
and colors that radiate happiness.
''Why shouldn't have a lovely of.
tice?" she would ask II spend the
greater part of my day in it. 1t is
home 70 me-"
She entered the outer hall quiet
ly. and looked through into her own
sanctum through the open door. A
silver crescent moon was framed
between the soft amethyst hang
ings of the western window. A per-
fume from the flowers greeted her.
# was warm and soothing. She
stood drinking in the beauty and
peace of it all. strange loneli-
ness caught at her heart strings
and a sigh escaped her before she
stepped within the room.
Then she started back. Sitting
in her chair. his head buried In the
smock she always left hanging in
the ofice-was Frank Barlow What
could be wrong? Why was be here?
He
She felt herself breathing quick
ly. Could IL be that he-he cared
for her? lie seemed always just the
business associate. friend, com.
panion.
She heard him move. Had he
heard her?
She switched on the light in the
outer office and he quickly rose to
his feet.
Miss Osborn" he stammered.
"Are you wOrking?" she asked. as
calmly as she could
"N0--not yet. came down be-
cause felt that perhaps ! might
do a little work There seems moth
ing else half so interesting as"
He could not 20 on. He knew
from the way in which she was
looking at him. that she had seen
hin with his face buried in her
Smnck.
Agnes sat down in the big gray
reather chair near the desk.
"Do you care so much about-the
business. Frank?" she asked.
lie did not reply at once. but his
fingers frightened on the folds OF
the garment he had tried to conceal
81 might as well tell yOu that !
have been trying for months to keep
from loving you so entirely, so COM
pletely. so utterly" he said. 81 have
come down here. night after night.
inst to touch the fragrant garment
that is so much part Of you. TO
sit in your chair. To breathe In the
personality of you that makes this
office a heaven"
Frank Frank" was all Agnes,
the business woman. cOnld say.
81 know have no right. real
tze that you look on me only as
business help that"