The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1933-03-23
Many Flowers
BY HELEN FIELDING
@by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service

4 n she could safely say that she had
demonstrated the fact that an office
could be artistic, honey, attractive and
yet be the place where successful bust
ness was carried on.
She surveyed the room in which she
sat. French gray walls, amethyst rug
and hangings made background for
the gray desks and chairs, the small
gray tea-wagon with its purple china
and silver. Even her own smock Of
lavender toned in with the color
scheme as she sat at her gray desk,
elbows on lavender blotters.
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 a most sue
cessful woman in her line.
She was still young, and many who
came in contact with her wondered
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 TAX
en- him out of her path.
Absorption in her work had healed
the hurt, but nothing had ever come
along to take the place of her early
romance. Sometimes she accused her.
self Of having hired young Frank Bar
low because he reminded her in GER
tain expressions, of the other man.
Frank was only two years her junior
but she had taught him nearly all that
he knew about the publicity and ad-
vertising end of her employment bust
ness and she felt a superior attitude
toward him, in years.
Their work brought them very close
ly in contact. They had long confer
ences together; they frequently had
lunch together.
Agnes always had flowers in her Of
fee. In lavender vase on the tea
wagon there were rose or two, sweet
peas or daisies. In a bowl on her
own desk there were always fragrant
blossoms. And always, about the per-
son of Agnes, there seemed to be a
subtle fragrance as of many flowers.
No one could tell whether it came
from the blossoms or from her gar
ments.
One spring evening when the Office
had been very busy and there had been
little time for quiet, peaceful, concen-
trated thought, Agnes had fancy that
she would like to go down to her pri-
vate office. There was no place in the
world in which she felt so much at
rest, so completely 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 l have lovely Of
Ace?" she would ask. II spend the
greater part of my day in it. 1t is
home to me-"
She entered the outer hall quietly,
and looked through into her own sane
tum through the open door. A silver
crescent moon was framed between
the soft amethyst hangings Of the west
ern window. A perfume from the flow
ers greeted her. 1t was warm and
soothing. She stood drinking in the
beauty and peace of it all. A strange
loneliness caught at her heart-strings
and o 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
Office was-Frank Barlow. What could
be wrong2 Why was he here? He
She felt herself breathing quickly.
Gould it be that he-he cared for her7
He seemed always just the business
associate, friend. companion.
She heard him move. Had he heard
her?
She switched on the light in the out
er office and he quickly rose to his
feet.
"Miss Osborn" he stammered.
care you working?" she asked, as
calmly as she could.
"No-not yet. came down because
/ felt that perhaps might do little
work. There seems nothing else half
80 interesting as"
He couldn't go on. He knew from
the way in which she was looking at
him, that she had seen him with his
face buried in her smock?
Agnes sat down in the big gray
leather chair near the desk.
do you care so much about-the
business, Frank" she asked.
He did not reply at once, but his
fingers frightened on the folds Of the
garment he had tried to conceal.
II might as well tell you that have
been trying for months to keep from
loving you so entirely, so completely,
so utterly" he said, II have come
down here, night after night. just to
touch the fragrant garment that is so
much a part of you, to sit in your
chair, to breathe in the personality Of
you that makes this Office heaven"
"Frank-Frank," was all Agnes. the
business woman. could say.
II know / have no right. realize
that you look on me only as bust
ness help that"
"That 1 depend on you, entirely.
That, unconsciously. you have been
making me lean on you," added Agnes.
IT did not know until saw you with
YOUR head down on my desk that-that
l."
He had jumped to his feet and was