Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-06-17
Always Comes Resurrection

Hello; And what are you doing here.
I'm working. Big Boy"
i see"
It seemed that Alec had known her
| when she wore socks and white shoes
and refused to allow her nurse to
carry her pail and shovel from the
Keats terrace TO the Keats private
4 beach.
Her grandmother's hobby was rare
I bulbs. Alecs father on his trips TO Hol-
land and Africa had kept an eye open
/ Tor rare bulbs for old Mrs. Keats.
/ he had not spoken to Virginie OF the
! granddaughter. But Virginie recalled
that on day In that first June, they
] mad passed huge white stone house
| with acres OF terraced sward. and he
had flecked a forefinger and remarked,
] InoSe greenhouses, my pet, hold
Americas finest collection OF hybrid
/ lotus"
Along with Bemby In this slushy
January came terror to Virginie Benz
by knew what she wanted. Did Alec?
BENNY would be a prize wife for
any young man. Beauty, money. pOise,
personality.
Along with the queer terror in jan
uary came what once would have been
wonderfully good news. Triple good
news.
Dennis got a raise, besides a chance
to do work on the side for a success
full architect who had been attracted
by blueprint entered by Dennis In
a prize competition. Doris finished
nigh school and was engaged as as
sistant manager in neighborhood vo-
cal school. Oh, sort Of glorified err
rand girl. But Doris was ecstatic.
Marcia Kerrick had gone to school
with the head Of the institution
And Marcia Kerrick herself, gray
haired and wiry, but pensioned off by
her city, declared that thenceforward
she would assume half of the expenses
OF the Wharton apartment.
Because Il Is the only home I'll
ever like" she said matter-of -factly
to Virginie and Doris. And your moth
er doesn't look well lately. I don't
want her to die of worry Where would
be? Homeless and lonely. So Virgy, !
you can tell that good-looktng Alec he /
can set the day. You've been a good /
girl, Virgy." Then Marcia Kerrick got !
out hasty handkerchief and went I
into her own room.
And Virginie wished that she could /
diel
Tell Alec she was free to marry2
Tell him-When?
When he laughed with Bemby Keats .
crepe uniform, looked like sleek Slav /
doll? Or when he was dating her up
Or she was dating him up-for dance
or late news reel?
Or when he was promising Bemby
a new Easter lily, freak variety, not
yet named for the trade, with a fleck
of rose in its white?
She did not tell him In January.
Nor in February, cold and rainy. Alec
was IN Florida in February, buying
extra blooms against an unexpected
northern deficit.
Always March Is a rushed month,
to nursery trucks and corsage makers
Yet Enthusiastically Alec avoided Viz
gtnie more than the rush involved.
No pronounced avoidance. Just reason
ably.
In the week before Easter Sunday.
old Hanny saw nothing but lilies and
more lilies. Men from Mars might
slaughter his whole town and he would
merely shrek, you fool Those are
laid away for the chancel Of st.
Peter'sl" Or, Look, should work like
talked about for its second-grade flow
ers?"
One day, Bemby laughed to a group,
Hanny doesn't understand debs. A lot
they care for the flowers The stag
line counts"
Virginie heard. She understood Benz
BY. And she wished that Bemby had
appeared sooner. Then the pain might
nave begun by now to lessen. Or would
L ever lesSen2
Oh, 1t was not fair. And she knew
Why. Because Bemby Keats was not
woman. Any good-loOktng
young chap, with an unusual back
round, might have pleased that force
III girl. ,
F'orceful-over that word vtrginie {
vinced. If she had somehow been more I
orceful, would everything have been
different? She had failed nfe-or life
lad failed her. Which? :
1t was, however, Bembyis forceful- S
less which shortened matters. {
Several days before Easter Sunday, 1
semby graciously allowed Hanny to {
earn that her whtm was over. She
lad shopping of her own to do, and G
he was bored with early rising.
Two other girls had the flu, and \
be head salesman had been knocked {
own by a taxi. Hanny threw up hor-
flied hands. pleaded with Bemby, then
honed all employment agencies.
The result, among others, was De-
IRA Siciliano, a sloe-eyed darling who
)oked as If she belonged among lilies. a
I'D Hanny purred over her, well Y
leased, hardly hearing when Bemby