| Show THE MISPLACED FLOWER Daisy said a rosy-faced rosy good- good natured looking woman with sleeves rolled up showing two freckled muscular muscular muscular lar arms wont you look in the oven and turn the bread I most forgot about it and my hands are in the dough A A. Atall tall pale-faced pale girl rose slowly from her chair opened the oven and with some difficulty turned the bread then sank back powered over-powered by the exertion into an old-fashioned old rocker neatly cushioned Her oval face had almost a transparent whiteness her heavy eyes drooped and her hands by their lack of color betrayed some recent illness Mrs Martin noticed her daughters daughter's cheeks flush as she stooped before the oven then watched the color fade away She sighed as she she turned to her work but but smiled again as she said Ill get along now all right You'll take the cows down to feed r The daughter threw a scarf over her head slipped a pencil and some paper into her large apron pocket and followed the cows down the dusty road When she reached the lower lot she left the cows to go wherever they would Sitting Sitting Sitting Sit Sit- ting down on a patch of grass under an apple tree she pulled out her pencil and paper Nature had been her only guide but she had taught this girl many of her beautiful truths Daisy watched the birds drinking and ducking i heir heads in the stream close by and noticed how they came always in flocks waiting for each other and flying away happily to to- to gether She looked across the stream and saw its bank covered with yellow violets She broke off a wild rose and pressed its thorns deeply in her fingers Everywhere like things were found to to- to gether Why then am I so different from people round me She pressed her lips tightly together picked off a few violet-heads violet rolled them between her fingers and began humming a low melody Her mothers mother's call was heard and with a long deep sigh she rose to drive the cows to the upper lot Mrs Martin watched her as she neared the house Poor dear child she cant can't stand anything When I was a girl I kept house for a family of fourteen and how ho happy I was to be sure I get along all right but I wish she could help Shed She'd be happier I know The farmers were through eating but still sat at the table talking over crops and prices As Mr Martin went out he asked his wife Daisy been doing doing doing do do- ing all morning Down with the cows 1 0 r t Well to my shed she'd be a heap better off if shed she'd make an effort and do something make butter and cook instead of moping around so much She cant can't stand that sort of work She never has been strong you know was his wife's invariable answer Well VeIl Im I'm sure I dont don't know where she got her ways Mr Martin joined the farmers outside and his wife went about her work The only way she knew of getting out of trouble was to work and she did that untiringly When the house was quiet and Mrs Martin had sat down to her knitting Daisy brought her chair close to her mothers mother's side and throwing her arms about her neck I love you mother dear I wish I could show it I I get along all right and you do help me N Now ow go out to your flowers and be happy With a parting kiss Daisy left her mother and went down to her favorite retreat by the spring brought out from under the brush a long pasteboard box and carefully looked through her papers Then she took out pencil and paper and began to write often stopping to turn her head and gaze far away her whole face radiant with intense thought and her lips slightly parted Then she began began began be be- gan to sing her favorite church hymn at first humming the refrain but as she became enthused with the spirit of her song her tones rang out louder and clearer Her brow contracted a tear rolled quietly down her cheek as with appealing fervor she uttered that last line Save me 0 O God for the waters are come into my soul The farmers stopped their work Wondering wondering wondering won won- dering where such sweet sounds could be coming from As the last note melted E I away they went to the spring and found the slender figure stretched on the sloping sloping sloping slop slop- ing bank of the stream Ellis Si |
