| Show s nS t A N t T WAS December 23 there t would be a rush for Christmas Christ Christ- ChristI I cP mas lUas flowers at the Alpha Floral rooms that day and the tile girls were were already busy bURY citing the windows cleaned and re re- How fOllow did Miss Mies Anne say to put I Iese lese ese In inthe the east window 1 eked Ardus Ellington who was help help- I Ipg Dg rig out the holidays The old girl said paid Id to graduate pea hem answered Jane Duncan who ras as regular regul r help at the shop ot Of burse burs with you a n college etude stude rl means to turn torn out out to to finish j t i. That That's what Id I'd like to do with hse Arse flowers flowers finish them Im I'm Im I'm so Ired red of ot them thein Im afraid you OU dont don't love flowers to jolted Iced Ardus I I do You would retorted Jane who for everyone to think her so so- If It not depraved I like lie he little old coin I get at the end endS f S the week and Its It's little enough elleve me But Dut come here Innocent Ind md Ill I'll show you how v to graduate lIe ho posies Park the shortest ones text lext the glass the taller taUer ones next nd so lIke on on like this this this- and she laced four plants In to Illustrate Better netter water them first though Ardus saturated the black sand In Inho Inho inho ho flower pots and carried other jets its from another room while white the hers drained a n bit Miss HIlss Anne called from a workroom it mt the rear and J Jane Jana ne answered the theall theall theall all while Ardus worked at the win win- L 1114 fl r Ardus Carried Other Pots Pot From Another Another Another An An- other Room poW dow Just as Jane returned with an armload of at up made-up flowers to box Henry Von Yon Hagen Dagen came Into the shop I r better take him hes he's a regular said Jane Jano in an undertone and she deposited the orders on a table May I help you please she asked demurely enough Some poinsettias I think answered answered answered an an- I the man and Jane led the I way WilY to the table where Ardus was was wan working I Henry looked at the plant Ardus was lifting for the window He lIe also the girl This is a beauty beauty beauty- he be said lookIng lookIng look look- Ing at the girl though he be Indicated the plant Ill II t take ke this one and these two he continued selecting other plants Then Id I'd like UkI to have ve some of the cut blossoms which blossoms which the botanist tells us arent aren't a blossom at all aU Beautiful enough however Jane went before him Into ab ah adjoining ad joining room where he selected two t I. I A t fl II stems dozen VI UL 11 cn u VUk U ewers L L of or varied length Back Dack in the office he lie gave the address wrote a check In payment and left lert the shop lookIng look look- Ing at Ardus Ellington That nuts nut's it with poinsettias tins Td rd say remarked Jane going back Jack to packing the flowers Id say a n prince Instead of ot a nut It If if I were getting the flowers ers smiled Ardus Well Til rn say the way he hf I you Ou would Indicate that hed he'd say princess to you innocent yu u flirt a a bit blU Who Is he lie asked Ardus ignoring IgnorIng Ignoring ing her ber question Head engineer at the Public Service or something Names Name's Von Van Hagen Ills His old mans man's a a professor here for years years romantic romantic languages Yu ought to know him Maybe youve you've had classes under the old gunk gink I think I do know who he Is but butI I have no classes lasses with him till next year But nut who were the flowers for Inquisitive already asked the girl teasingly Well lies he's sending send ing lug them as a Christmas present to his mamma mamma she said accenting the thelast thelast thelast last syllable The conversation was stopped by a customer and for the tho rest rest- of ot the day daya dayn a n busy stream of ot happy shoppers ran In and out of ot th the shop Miss Anne was wrapping some poinsettias for the girls Ardus selecting se letting some violets for her coat collar and the Christmas greetings were being exchanged at the same time Jane exclaimed Well I r gotta heat bent It My rry sweetie sweeties taken me to the Orpheum tonight Suppose youre you're gain to one of the big T Y W parties that some of ot the professors' professors wives are throwing for forthe forthe forthe the orphan etudes Yes Yu and Im I'm mighty thankful for fora a chance to go to a party Its It's pretty nice when one must be away from tram home at Christmas The funny part partIs Is I. that there era all three parties and none of ot us knows t to which party he he's hes or going or at whose home the party part will be We are to be rolled tailed for andare and are to to uk ask no questions Isn't that thrilling almost startle a II turtle turtte dont don't ya ra know kno knoWell Well lVell good night dont don't do anything I And Jane was gone Ardus enjoyed the crunch crunch of the snow under her feet as she Bhe hurried to her boarding house where she removed the supper from the oven where her landlady Mrs Jullen Julien had left lett It T That lady ladr was helping at a 0 church bazaar and since Ardus was the only over left student Inthe inthe in inthe the house she had told Mrs lira Jullen Julien not to bother about her After a bur hurr hurried led ed and rather lonely supper sapper r Ardus' Ardus Ardus Ardus' bathed and dressed with and then came down downto to to sit In the cheer of the grate Ore tiro Three candles burned In 10 the cent center r of the big window Sweet of ot Mrs Julien to burn bum one for tor me me along with hers hers' and and Bobs Bob's said Ardus She wondered what the folks at home were doing and tried to visualIze visualize visual visual- ize every member of ot the family Perhaps Perhaps Per Per- haps they too would burn bum a candle for her When she became ame a little homesick she stroked again and again her shining nails nans She stood looking into the center of at a huge poinsettia on the table She remembered remembered tiered a dream she had had the night before and that she had not remembered remembered remembered till that minute but Just thenan then thenan an auto horn sounded outside She hurried Into her coat cont and hat pulling on her gloves as she went down the steps Some one lne she didn't know was was' coming up the walk lie He turned after greetings and th they r went together to the waiting car Warmer in front front he said helping her into the seat pat The car skidded now and then thenon on the Icy streets And Ardus had no more than buttoned her coat collar ollar high around her bel neck beIng beIng be be- Ing lug careful of ot the violets than the driver said Here we WEI are as he drew up uj In front of ot a large home and stopped topped He lIe assisted Ardus to alight walked to the steps with her lifted his hat and said good d night an sald g l Good night and ana thank waDle you rou answered an answered the girl Ardus Antus went tip up the broad steps and rang the the bell Lell Henry Von Hagen opened the door Good evening he said cordially taking her hand Mother this Is Miss lIss Ellington Im so glad you could come Go upstairs to the first room you como come to When Ardus came down the steps she was met by Henry who led her into a n big living room were grouped In the big old-fashioned old bay window Gazing into one of the flowers Henry said You Io know I had the queerest dream last night So did I Joined Ardus I dreamed continued Henry that I went to the opera and when the curtains were weN drawn drawn- There was a huge poinsettia on 01 either side of ot the stage interrupted Interrupt d Ardus And when the orchestra played Dreams of or Love a aA a- a A prince stepped out of ot one of ot the Ule flowers flowers flowers-a a prince with page boys attendants and so on Interrupted the girl again How flow In the world could you know what I dreamed asked Henry Denry But nut you do and a princess stepped out atthe of at the other bloom bloom bloom-a a princess with as many many attendants ts and waiting ladles as there were persons with the prince They began aA a aA a- a A march to music toward the center center cen cen- ter front of ot the stage said Ardus Henrys Henry's cou countenance revealed sur sur- ll t II J I N NI 6 When Ardus Came Down the Step Stepi She Was Wat Met by Henry prise excitement Incredulity but he continued How could you know what 1 dreamed I I didn't even remember It I myself till I looked at nt that flower But they did march tow toward rd the center front of ot the tho stage And when they met the prince kissed the princess and and she put her ber arms around life his neck neck neck- And you were the prince said Ardus And you were the princess finished fin Jin Henry Their lips met her arms were about his neck his arm encircled her waist Some one In another room laughed aloud Then Henry and aid Ardus saw that they were under the mistletoe Unabashed Henry said Ive been looking for you you ou always dear when will you marry me me Ardus replied Yes Yea I knew yesterday that you were the one one and then that dream- dream that proves we belong to each each other other- Of Ot course Ive I've dreamed of at you al always al- al ways but ways but when will we be married time you yon say dear QU un 1111 W western t rn Union |
