Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 January 1920 — Page 2

TONY THE FLORIST.

By DOROTHY DOUGLAS

<AI 1111, by McCMm N»wip»p«r Syndicate.) Tony stood In M» little florist shop and gated longingly at the window across the avenue. His dark eyes, that > held the tragedy and beauty of Italy In tbtir brown depths, gazed during Mil idle moments la that same direcBut the girl in the shop behind that window was not aware of Tony’s gaze nor in any way conscious of the florHad both the tiny fragments of shop been rolled Into one there would not even have been a space worth calling a shop— not a real Broadway shop. Bat within the heart of Ruby Vale was an ambition and sense of the artistic quite big enough to fill far greater space than her slim means could measure In actual possession. Ruby was not exactly one of the great herd Of interior decorators that were filling all available basements with oddments of antiques and orange can<Hestfcinr. but she carried an assortment of accessories to the home. As Tony gazed across the avenue each morning when he opened his own fragrant shop he knew that some new exquisite color scheme would greet him in Ruby’s window. Tty gs he might to rise early, the girl' opposite always managed to be down earlier and to have arranged her display for the day before he could get there. He would then arrange his okm beautiful flowers and was beginning to take his color effects, as far as was possible with seasonable blossoms, from the window opposite. Only the day before there had been an exquisite twisted silver candlestick with an amethyst chiffon shade, and lying carelessly beside It a cushion of amethyst taffeta with great silver tas•eis. Tony had sighed rapturously. Asters were in season and within ten minutes after seeing Ruby’s window Tony had a display of lavender asters, with here and there a touch of silver VUvU. Today the color was softest maze, and Tony had gloried in the palest of chrysanthemums, with a few nasturtiums for character. Had the two shops been side by side they would hare lured the most indifferent passer-by and drawn many a customer, first to buy a dainty lamp shade and then Into Tony's shop for a cluster of flowers to match it. How Tony longed to go across the street with just a flower or two and thereby add the necessary finishing touch to Ruby’s window display no one but himself knew. And perhaps had Ruby been other than an amber-eyed, •Aden-haired girl to make one dream of. Tony would have found courage to make his small contribution. But the heart of the florist beat thunderously at the very sight of Ruby and he feared to seem foolish in her eyes. Had Tony been a scheming lover he could easily have gone boldly into the shop opposite and purchased any amount of lovely things for the little apartment that was perched high up on Riverside drive, with its windows turned toward the broad Hudson. He could have had endless trips to the shop, first for hangings for those windows, then for candle shades and finally for cushions, and in the end he ■night have carried Ruby herself out of the shop and Into his heart. But Tony was not wise in the art of wooing. He was far wiser in the art of making and investing money, and braver at fighting, as a medal or two pinned rm his old uniform could vouch, than he was at winning a girt. Modesty forbade Tony even supposing that Ruby had cast eyes In his direction.

But modesty was greatly in error, for Ruby had not only cist many admiring glances at young, good-looking Tony, but she sent many a longing eye at the wonderful flowers that so often matched the color of her own window decoration. Ruby had put all her smaU hoardings into a very lovely stock and could not to buy the few flowers she -would love to have had daily to adorn her window. She, with Tony, realised that the few living blossoms would add • touch to her color scheme that would attract even the moat elusive eyes. But flowers in the city were too expensive for struggling decorators to buy. so Ruby contented herself by planning for the day when she should not only have all she wanted but a full garden tof very own. . . ~ ~ The morning that gave Tony a time advantage over Ruby was a record He arrived at hi* shop before ajw, blinds opposite were even drawn «r the color scheme there for him to -copy. Tony wondered whether he should wait, but decided to develop a window effect of his own and was not without a faint hope that Ruby Would UM it and take his lead as he had so often taken hers. v nthcmums were in from the

moment entirety absorbing ths Mb qulslte color of-his flowers, then flit across and insert the key In her own door and pass within. When he next looked across the str tot his heart jumped joyfully. In Ruby’s window, with its soft background, was a luster ware lamp of exquisite pink with a chiffon shade that fairly took one's breath away by the chlffony softness of It. A pink wastebasket and billowy cushion completed tiie dainty picture. Tony was no longer shy. With swift fingers he selected the most wonderful of chrysanthemums—pink and shaggy and exhaling that strange fascinating odor that was neither sweet nor bitter, but just fresh and pure.

He faced the little door opposite now with the same feeling of a conqueror that bad been his when facing the enemy guns. Boldly he crossed the street with his huge pink blossom, a splash of color amid the Broadway traffic. Raby flushed brilliantly when she saw Tony In her doorway, but her smile went deep into the florist's heart. . "Oh-b!" she breathed softly, "what ■ wonderful, wonderful flower!” “I wanted you to have It In your window," Tony told her simply. “It will bring me in clients by the dozen.” Ruby accepted the flower so graciously that Tony chided himself for not having come over weeks before. "Let's put It in this pink vase.” Together they stepped outside to get the full effect and both marveled at the artistic whole. “I will bring you flowers each dhy," said Tony, “and as I am supplying many hotels and restaurants with flowers I know I can get you orders for candle shades for the same places —that is—if iyou want me to.” Tony’s habitual modesty rushed to his rescue. “Perhaps you don’t" J A swift tremor of emotion seized Ruby. She had a desire to cry, but decided to laugh instead. The idea of her not wanting orders was amusing, but Tony was so Innocent in his doubts. She knew that the coming of the florist into her life meant great big work and something even bigger than work. The quiet expression in Tony's eyes as they looked Into hers told Ruby many things. “Of course I want them,” she told him, “and in return I shall send every client I get straight over to you to get flowers to match every color scheme.” Tony laughed. "I see people swarming to my shop now, so good-by for the time being." He was out before Ruby quite realized that he had been there. Only the pink chrysanthemum reminded her throughout the day of Tony. Shp carried It home to her small room at flight rather than to leave It alone in the shop, and as the evenings wore on a different flower was added to the collection, having served its duty during the day. And each morning that Tony came over with his flow-ers and his orders found Ruby curiously ready to receive him. A scant three weeks had passed, busy weeks, however, before he told her about the apartment with the windows looking fhr up-the Hudson. “Whenever to® design anything especially artistic,” he said, “just smuggle it away for me. There are just five rooms, but I’ll say there won’t be five more wonderful rooms in the world when they are decorated with some of these chlffony things.” “And many flowers,” Ruby suggested. "One wonderful flower," said Tony.

Fishing Frog Hideous.

There is a hideous reptile, known as the fishing frog, which angles for its game as expertly and with as great success as the most adroit fly fisher. He is a clumsy, awkward swimmer, but nature has compensated him for his unwieldiness by furnishing him with an equivalent for arod and line, with bait always ready for use. Two elongated tentacles spring from his nose, which taper down like actual fishing rods. To the end of- them is attached, by a slender filament, which serves the purpose of a Une, a bait in the form of a shiny bit of membrane. The books are set inthe mouth of the fisherman below, and in order to induce the fish to venture within reach of them, the angler stirs up the mud at the bottom with his fins and tail. This attracts-the fish and conceals him from their observation. He then plies his rod; the glittering bait glows in the water like a living insect The dazed fish are taken in great numbers, perfectly circumvented by the trick of the crafty' angler, who can give pointers to the best trout fisherman.

Had to Wait for Fame.

Dryden and Scott were not known aS authors until each was in his fortieth year. Thomas Carlyle was thir-ty-nine before he published “Sartor Resartus,” and forty-three when he produced his “French Revolution.** Richard Hooker was forty-one when his famous “Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity” was first published. Dr. Samuel Johnson was thirty-eight when he* announced the plan of his Dictionary of the English Language, and was for-ty-six when, after a heroic struggle egainst penury, he succeeded in pubIlshing the work.

Little Guam’s Expensive Pasts.

The rat and Iguana campaign is still continuing. Rat catching has become almost a habit With the natives as a line of them with their quarry Is always in evidence in front of the jail on rat flays. From the inception of the eampnfgn *n September. 1916, up to and including December 18. 1818. l»nM3rnts and 49,053 iguanas were destroyed at a total cost to the Mdnd of

THIS EVENING BEPUBLIOAN. BENSSELAEB, IND.

TRUE BLUE

By ANNA M. GORDON.

(A. PIK «>y McClsr* Nawapapar oya«lMtw> Somewhere in the prosaic little town of Ironton, there lived a likely lad by the name of David Glen, to be exact David never had been a handsome boy, and two years of trench life bad added no new beauty to his appearance. His deep gray eyes were still weak and watery from the blinding effects of gas; there bad grown a slight stoop in bls thin shoulders; afifibAtehes of Iron gray hair bad mingled with the black along his temples. Not one person In a hundred would throw more than a,casual glance in his direction on passing him In the' street. Blueeyed Hazel did, though, and now David doesn’t want anyone else to, that is, not in the same way.

Back In the days of the world war not a handful of people had ever given David Glen a thought. On his return from France he found that his reputation, running ahead of him, had paved a royal road for his feet to travel as he marched into Ironton. Buildings were decorated with banners; speeches were being made and crowds if people- thronged the streets. — In the midst of It all, Djvld was homesick and lonesome, until a slender girl, stopping by his side as he rested from the march, -rewarded him with her praises and with the light of her eyes for all the hardships through which he had passed. That Is why Dhvid ®len sat every pleasant evening on blue-eyed Hazel’s piazza—by Hazel’s express command, and Invitation. Under ordinary circumstances they might neVer have met, for Hazel was as rich as David was poor. This fact caused Aunt Caroline, Hazel’s guardian, many sleepless nights, and as yet she had arrived at no definite conclusion. regarding how to dispose of David. For that matter, David’s concerns were even then bothering him quite as much as they were bothering Aunt Caroline. Totally oblivious of anything or anybody save himself and Hazel he discussed them. Two hours they had sat on the wide front piazza of the red brick house talking over plans, and the topic was still fresh. The afternoon sun had slipped away; dusk had fallen f a solitary woman coming into the house by the side entrance, and passing through the hall, had paused by the screened piazza door unnoticed. Still the young people continued to discuss plans for the future.

“I can understand, Hazel, just how you feel," said David. “You want to hlre ! this new house beside Aunt Cardline’s and furnish it well, because Aunt Caroline has a big house.” At the words “Aunt Caroline” the quiet woman inside the doorway gave a slight start. A puzzled smile wreathed her mouth as she listened. Then, deliberately standing farther back in the shadows, she cupped her hand over her .left ear that she might near a little plainer. "Now, I say,” continued David; “let’s start honest. Let’s live our own lives where I can afford to. You know I lost what few clients I had when I went to war.” The quiet woman in the--doorway leaned breathlessly forward awaiting the reply. It cape at last, slowly, but yielding. “I know you’re right, David, but Aunt Caroline has been like a mother to me, and the new house is a dream.” Try as hard as she could, not another coherent sound could the listening woman hear. As for the incoherent ones l —they were not meant for her.

“So they plan to leave me,” she sputtered, all Indecision about David Bown. “They plan to leave me all alone in this big house —no honest man to advise me about my property —no little girl to help me fix my clothes decently—those two, out there —the only man Eve ever heard talk honest —and the little girt Tve brought up from a baby. Not much I Not if I know it!” Back through the hall Aunt Caroline hastened. Opening ’ the door with a bang she confronted the guilty miscreants. “You come in here with me, both of you,” choked she. “We’ll soon make some headway abqut your affairs.” Blinking painfully at the bright light, David and Hasel meekly followed after the irate little woman along the hall to the living room. There, standing hand in hand by the round center table, they surveyed her with questioning eyes. . “Nbw children.” she ejaculated, gesticulating with both hands. Tm an old woman, and one who must have her own way. Don’t interrupt me until I finish. That new house on the right has come into my possession, and I intend, just as soon as I can, Io make it over to you for your wedding present.” * “We thank you but we can’t afford to live " began David. - f “Walt until I finish,” commanded Aunt Caroline. ‘TH give you thia house on one condition —that David takes me as his client. I want to be relieved of my business worries. lam going to take a rest” With her hand on’David’s shoulder, Aunt Caroline anxiously watched the results of her maneuver. < Then David looked gleefully down at Hazel, and Hazel, patting his gray coat sleeve, looked almost jealously at Aunt Caroline. Not for one moment did she rieubt but that Aunt Caroline saw David as she dld-s hero, gigantic and brave, ready to tackle and cote goer the whole earth.

AN ATTRACTIVE BRICK BUM

Popular Style of Comfortable ' Five-Room House. NOT EXPENSIVE TO BUILD City AMI Rural Homa Builder* Like •mall Houma That Contain All Present-Day Conveniences— Always Finds Ready Sale. -f-r- By WM. A. RADFORD. Mr. WUHam A. Radford will answer question* and give advice FREE OF SSL’S IS paper. On account of hie wide experience as Editor, Author and Manufacturer, ho to, without doubt, the highest authority on all them subjects. Address all Inquiries to William A. Radford. No. 107 Prairie avenue, Chicago, l!L. and only undose two-cent stamp tor reply. This Is the season of the year when those who expect to build a home next spring are studying home building designs. Undoubtedly they have fixed in their minds about the sort of house they will build. But the decision will be influenced by the designs of houses they see and by the exteriors and interiors of the homes of the friends they visit. z Nevertheless, building a home is an important step, and the house should not be selected without a careful study of plans and consideration of what the family needs. One of the first decisions to be made is in regard to the materials to be used. In a great many minds, the thought of a house brings a picture of a frame building of wood. To others, brick will be the material, while some will consider hollo# building tile, or cement blocks, fetch material has Its advantages and disadvantages. But. when arguments for and against the different materials are summed up, it finally becomes a matter of individual-

taste. In practically every city the majority of houses erected at the present time are of brick, either of solid brick or of brick over frame, or hollow tile. Brick has a good, substantial appearance and has the advantages of providing a home that is warm in winter and cool in summer. And at present price? there is tittle difference in cost between any of the materials. Herewith is shown a home building design that is most popular: It is a five-room brick bungalow that is attractive in exterior appearance and has a room arrangement that is-convenient and will make a most comfortable home. While the rooms are small in number, they are of good size, and will provide accommodations for the average family. The attractive feature of the exterior of this house is the porch. It is 86 by 10 feet in dimensions, which is a

size that makes it a place the members of the family.will congregate In summer. The pergola effect of the roof, the artistic columns, the panel effect in the front wall and the stone trim combine to make it pleasing in appearance. The house Is of standard brick construction with a veneer of face brick. It is 26 feet wide and 48 feet long, a size and shape suitable for a narrow city lot However, its lines are such that it Will fit almost any size lot, and when surrounded with shrubs and flowers on a large plot will be an exceptionally good looking building. The five rooms, as shown by the floor plan, are living and dining rooms, two bedrooms and kitchen, and, of course, a bathroom. How conveniently these rooms are arranged can be readily seen by a glance at the floor plan. The living room is 23 feet long and 13 feet wide, extending across the front of the house. The entrance door te at o-3 end, and there are two broad windows In the front wall and two smaller windows In the end wall, which makes the room sunny and cheerful. Cheeriness In the winter is contributed by the open fireplace. Back of the living room on one side are ranged the dining room and kitchen; on the other, connected by a short hafl, are the two bedrooms, with the bathroom between. The dining room is an exceptionally large room for this type of house, being 12 by IT feet It has aaet of four window? in the outside wall, making It a light and cheerful room. The kitchen is 10 by Th feet and has additional space la Ute pantry and entry way, the latter opening onto a small rear porch. , The front bedroom is 11 feqt OtodMß by 12 feet and the rear bedroom Is 10 feet 6 inches by IB feet The location of the bathroom, oppoaite the entrance • - ->yV'■ ■■ a

A narrow stair, opentar out of the I dining room. leads to tbaatdc over the rear half of the house. It will be noted that the roof is raised sufficiently to permit of a good-etaed room In the attic, to be used either for storage or as a sleeping apartment. The basement extends under the whole bunding and provides ample space for the heattag plant, the fuel room, and rooms for the storage of fruits and vegetables and the various garden tools, etc. This type of house Is not only economical to build, but it is a good in-

Floor Plan.

vestment It is of a size that is readily salable and tats a room arrangement that will appeal to a majority of buyers. The most satisfactory way to secure a home of one’s own Is to build It When plans for the building have been selected, the owner knows exactly what he win get, and that it will be the sort of house that he and his family want

Keep Community Buildings.

One result of neighborhood and community activity during the wdt haft been the increasing desire in many regions to make this work permanent. To this end certain neighborhoods are preparing to acquire Landings originally erected for other purposes and transform them into community centers. Other towns which have temporarily • maintained headquarters for soldiers camping in their vicinity propose to make these headquarters per-

manent and broaden the scope of their service to the benefit of all. An interesting feature of the movement is the construction of community houses as memorials to the soldiers who died in the great war. Many of the community buildings are designed for the use of farmers and their families on business visits to the cities, according to information reaching the United States department of agriculture.

Be Glad You Have Not a Billion.

What does a billion mean to you? Well, rate* the Brooklyn bridge—one of the engineering wonders of the world—as a basis of comparison. Thirteen long years were required to build it. Thousands of lives went into its making. It cost $21,000,000. Yet with’ $1,000,000,000 s we would have sufficient to build forty-eight Brooklyn bridges says the Popular Science Monthly. Here’s another way of comprehending 1,000,000,000. Suppose that in the summer of 1870 a paying teller ‘ Mad started counting $1 bills. Cqpnting 'at the rate of 150 a minute, and working eight hours a day, 365 days a year.’ allowing for Sundays, holidays and al short vacation, he would have handed out his last bill in the summer of 1916.

Removing Ashes by Suction.

Ashes are now being removed from

A HOUSEKEEPER

By GRACE E. RILEY.

McC3«r» ara4toM«.> Hester Blynn started the trouble. Hester had lived with Melissa for 14 years. Now she was married and Melissa was left alone. “I bdleve rm lonesome/’ Melissa gurgledto bersdlf. Gurgled describes IL Her conversation always sedmed on the ragged edge of a laugh, -g Fifteen years before, the heart Of Ned Coffin, Melissa’s sweetheart since her childhood days, had been captured by-a summer boarder—a pretty girt and gay, who, when urged by Ned, had given up her school In Boston and married him in late September. Their wedding day gave birth to Melissa’s gurgling laugh, a disguise for her aching heart; and to all intents and purposes Melissa bad bought a farm in New York state, where, with her cousin Hester Blynn, she had lived and had gained a name for herself, both for her excellent cooking and for her flne frlendMUes* to the world in general. z "Yes, Tm lonesome,”-she reiterated. “When a woman gets/to pitying herself, she’d better look elsewhere for an outlet for her thoughts," and. lighting the lamp, she settled down to devour her farm paper. Everything from the president’s Illness to the want ads fell under her appraising eye. Then an ejaculation escaped from her lips. Someone in Nantucket wanted a housekeeper. She’d love to answer It I She was a good cook, and was alone in the world. What was to prevent? Sho read again : “A widower on Nantucket Island has a place for a housekeeper with prospects. Address N-24, Farmers’ Home.” “Seems like writing to a white post or some equally inhuman thing. Maybe he’s that sort. Well, we’ll see. Guess Fil send him a Jar of my plums as a wedge to his approval,” said Melissa, suiting avtion to word by making a raid- onher choicest preserves. With great case she packed the jar, and, as with the letter, signed “Melissa Crosby,” her mother’s name, and addressed it, too, to N-24. “Melissa, you’re an old foot, but, as the saying goes, 'no fool like an old fool.’ ’’ So saying, she bolted the door, put out the lamp, hanked the kitchen fire and mounted the stairs to her cozy bedroom. '

The next day, Ben, man of all work, carried her letter and package to town, and for a week Melissa was as near to nerves as a healthy woman can be. Then came a letter from N-24, expressing his desire that Melissa Crosby come on Oct. 1, to Boston, where he would meet her. He signed himself "Faithfully yours, N-? 4.” To say Melissa was -in a state of excitement would little describe her .perturbation. “Now, Meliss, What have you let yourself in for? Probably he’s 70 years old and feeble. No, he can’t be feeble, he couldn’t come to Boston,” she argued as her laugh filled the room. She wrote again to N-24, telling him to come to the Y. W. CL A., Boston, on Oct. 1, and ask for her. Then followed the busiest two weeks of Melissa’s life. In .the midst of packing preparatory to closing the house. Heater and her husband unexpectedly returned. “Oh, Melissy, -we’re in awful trouble,” said Hester. v ’“This is the place to corner then, Hester. What’s wrong?” “You know we were planning to buy the Hiram Brown place, had the pa : pers already to sign, when Hiram got one of Lis tantrums on, and refused to sell. Now we ain’t got any place to go.” “The Lord will provide,” read Melissa'from an old sampler hanging over the kitchen door. “You surely came to the right place, Hester; you qan rent my farm.” “But I don’t understand, Melissy." “Course you don’t, so Fil tell you. Fm going to Nantucket for a spell, and will be only too glad to rent the farm if you and John will take IL” After a discussion of terms and conditions, the matter was satisfactorily settled, and in a week Melissa was on her way to Boston. October L found N-24 at the desk of the Y. W. C. A„ inquiring for Miss Crosby. “She’s sitting in that telephone room over there,” the attendant told him. He crossed the hall, then stopped suddenly, but not before Melissa’s glance had fallen on him. “Ned Coffin, wbat are you doing here?” Ned took in the situation at once. to bo my housekeeper?** %/a iwxf Qvktoh gnunod her cheeks. ■ A UVL - gjFj “don’t be silly.” [ «Que» I am, until it beeniM lllftferty wW du vou look so ' my was thinking ’bout my tin- aye*