Crimson roses

by Grace Livingston Hill

  The next two days went like a sweet dream. Marion had fully made up her mind what she needed for her wedding-day and the journey, and with her two checks she found it quite possible to get these things of the best. The gown she had set her heart upon in her dreams for several weeks was still in a glass case up in the French department. It was a simple affair of dark-blue cloth with lines that only imported things from great artists seem able to achieve, and she knew it was to be marked down on account of the approach of spring. Her discount as an employee would bring it down still lower and put it quite within her means; and she knew its dis-

  tinguishe3 simplicity would give her the quiet, suitable appearance that Lyman's wife should have. A black hat from the French room went well with this.

  A becoming little dinner gown of georgette, some fine, well-chosen lingerie and a few other dainty accessories completed her modest outfit. She had promised not to get much, but what she got should be of the best, and worthy of the position she was to occupy as the wife of a man of wealth and influence.

  She had as yet no adequate idea of how wealthy or influential Lyman was. He dressed quietly, and he never spoke of his circumstances. Indeed, she thought little about it herself except to feel her own unworthiness.

  One fact, however, served to open her eyes somewhat. On Tuesday evening, when she reached her lodging-place, she found two large packages that had arrived during the day, addressed to herself. She opened them eagerly, and found that one contained a set of beautiful heay silver spoons of the latest pattern, engraved with her own initials and bearing the personal card of Mr. Chapman. The other when unwrapped proved to be a massive bowl of solid silver, costly and magnificent, and bearing the congratulations of the firm.

  She had heard stories of the fine wedding-gifts

  that had been given to employees in the past, but nothing to equal these; and she had sense enough to see that for her own sake such costly gifts would never have been hers. These did more than anything else to fill her with awe and almost dread for her new position, and to make her feel the wide gulf, social and financial, which existed between herself and the man who had chosen her for his wife.

  She placed the glittering array of silver on her little white bed, and sat down on the floor before it. Then suddenly her head bowed beside it. How could she ever live up to those elegant wedding-gifts? Oh, it was all a mistake, a dreadful mistake. She was just a plain little, common girl, and she never could be a rich man's wife.

  Then in the midst of her agitation the maid of all work brought up Lyman's card with three great crimson roses; and she hurried down to him, all fearful as she was.

  He heard her protest, and, gathering her in his arms, laid his lips upon hers in token of his love for her and his strength that should be hers to overcome all such difficulties and differences.

  " But won't you be sorry by and by when you know me better and see the difference ? " she asked, fearful even yet.

  "Will you?" he asked. "Dear, there's just as

  much difference between you and me as there is between me and you. Did you never think of that? If there's anything to feel, you'll feel it just as much as I."

  " No," said Marion, shaking her head;" I'm sure you feel it down more than you feel it up."

  " It looks to me as though you were trying to feel it * up,' as you call it, more than I do what you are pleased to say is ' down,' though that, dear, remember, I deny. You are not down. In real things I know you are far ahead of me. You have much to teach me, dear, of faith in God. What difference does the rest make? It was nice of the firm to send us that. I've known them all always, and they were friends of father's. Chapman is a good friend also. He would of course send you something nice. There'll be a lot more things when people find it out. I'll be interested to see what Miss Cresson will send. If it were in the days of the ancients, it might perhaps be a serpent ring with eyes of rubies and a secret spring concealing a drop of poison; but I scarcely think in these days there'll be danger of that. She'll probably content herself with a silver pheasant or a pair of andirons. Come on, let's sit down and talk business."

  CHAPTER XVII

  The next morning Marion told the girls that it was her last day with them, and many were the outcries of dismay. They could not get over it, and hovered about her between customers, until people looked curiously and wondered why that extremely pretty girl in the plain black dress wore so gorgeous a diamond, and how she made her hair wave so beautifully. Before night the news of her marriage on the morrow had spread among all her acquaintances in the store, and they kept coming one by one to wish her well and leave with her some gift or remembrance, until the shelves around her were overflowing with packages little and big, and she had to send a lot of them up to the cloak-room to make room for the ribbons.

  It seemed that Marion had more friends than she had known.

  There was the pale little girl who carried up the ribbon bows to the millinery department on the eighth floor. She brought Marion a lovely fine handkerchief, with hand embroidery. Marion had taken ten minutes of her lunch-hour once to run up in her place when the girl had a headache.

  There was the sharp-faced maiden lady who made

  things unpleasant for the others at the ribbon-counter. Her gift was a collar and cuflfs of real lace.

  The girl who chewed gum and wore glass rings presented her with a handsome silk umbrella with a silver handle of the latest model. She knew a good thing when she saw it if she did prefer " Billy."

  The floor-walker in her vicinity brought a bronze clock; the head man of the department offered a silver-link hand-bag; and one little errand-boy, whom Marion had kindly helped out of several scrapes brought on by his love of fun, brought her a gold thimble.

  There were handkerchiefs and scarfs and pins and bracelets, jardinieres and candlesticks, and lamps, a book or two, and three pictures, not always well chosen, but all bringing to her a revelation of good will and kindly fellowship that made her heart leap with joy. These with whom she had been working during the past year were all her friends. How nice it would have been if she could have understood it all along!

  It was being whispered about that she was to marry some one of high degree in social circles, and all of them showed her that they were proud of her for having done so well. There did not seem to be one among them all who felt jealous or hard toward her for having the opportunity to pass into an easier

  life than theirs. Even the old janitor, who had every day cleared away the rubbish from the spent ribbon bolts, came with his offering, a little brown bulb in a pretty clear glass of pebbles and water. He told her it would bloom some day for her just as her pretty face had bloomed for them in the store, God bless her.

  And Marion put her hand into his rough one, and thanked him as she might have thanked her own dear father.

  But the day was over at last, and weary and happy, Marion went back to her little top floor room for the last night.

  Lyman had promised to come for her at half past eight, and long before he arrived she was ready with her modest outfit packed in her handsome new suitcase, and looking as pretty as a bride could wish to look.

  Mrs. Nash had sent up a nice breakfast; but Marion was too excited to eat much, though she tried to do so to please the old landlady. Most of the time she spent quietly kneeling beside her white bed, praying to be made fit for the place she was going to try to fill in the world, and thanking her heavenly Father.

  With the blessings of her landlady ringing loudly in her ears Marion stepped from the door to behold

  a handsome limousine waiting at the curbstone. The small children of the street were drawn up in frank amazement to stare. The dark, quiet elegance of the car, its silver mountings and inconspicuous monogram, proclaimed its patrician ow^nership. A chauffeur in livery stood awaiting orders.

  The girl hesitated on the door-step. Was she to ride in that great, beautiful car to her wedding? A sudden fearful shyness took possession of her. Lyman helped her into th
e tonneau, and with a word to the chauffeur took his place beside her. The seat in front of them held a great sheaf of white roses, and beyond the roses loomed the immaculate back of the chauffeur.

  She felt out of place amid all this elegance. The newness of her ow^n attire made her feel still more strange. Would she ever be at home in this new world that she w^as about to enter ? Perhaps she had been wrong to accept; perhaps he would be sorry. Oh, perhaps

  Then quietly a hand w^as laid upon hers.

  " Darling," he said in a low tone, " don't be frightened! See, the roses. They are white for my bride, but I had one great red one hidden underneath them all. Look! " He reached over with his free hand, and lifted the upper rows of heavy white buds;

  and there, nestling in the hidden green, lay one great deep, dark crimson bud.

  The sight of it reassured the girl. With a rush of gladness she turned to him.

  ** Oh, you are so good to me ! " she cried. " Won't you ever be sorry it was only I ? Won't you ever wish it was somebody wiser and better? "

  " Never, darling! " he said, and the look in his eyes reassured her more than his words could have done.

  Then in a moment it seemed they were at the church.

  One white bud broke off, as they were taking the flowers from the car, and Marion gave it to a little lame child who was leaning on her crutch to watch them. She smiled on the child, and the little girl answered with such a ravishing smile of thanks that Marion felt it was a kind of benediction.

  There were beautiful lights in the empty church from the great stained-glass windows. The spring sunshine lit up the face of the Christ in the window behind the pulpit. There were ferns and palms and white and crimson roses, a few of them about the platform; and the minister stood gravely, smiling with his eyes. The organ was playing, too, softly, as they came in, yet with a note of triumph in the sweet old wedJing-march. 19

  Marion, coming shyly up the aisle, her hand resting on the arm of the man she loved, was filled with wonder and awe over it all. Who trimmed the church with roses for her? How did it happen that the organist was there for her quiet little wedding? Oh, it was all his love, his great, wonderful love about her. It was a miracle of love for her. Could she ever be worthy of it all?

  As she turned from the minister's final words and blessing, she felt that the wedding-ceremony was the most beautiful she had ever heard. Every word seemed written in her heart, and with her whole soul she echoed the vows she had made.

  The minister's wife blessed her lovingly and Marion felt as if she were not so friendless after all.

  A moment more, and they were back in the car and speeding away. Marion did not question whither until they stopped once more, and she looked up in surprise.

  ** We're going to have our wedding-breakfast now, dear," said Lyman. " I was hoping you would not eat anything before you left the house. Did you ? Come, confess!"

  He led her laughing into a small, lovely room where a round table was set for two; and here, too, the table was smothered in red and white roses and asparagus terns. From a quick glance as they entered

  she recognized it as the most exclusive hotel in the city, and again her foolish fears came down upon her. She was fairly afraid of the silent servants who did everything with such machine-like perfection. She found her only safety in keeping her eyes on her husband's face and realizing that he was master of the situation, and she belonged to him; therefore she need not fear. He would see that she did not do anything out of the way.

  After they had been served, and were about to go away, Marion looked at the roses lovingly, and bent her face down to the table.

  " You dear things! I'm sorry to leave you behind, though I've so many more," she said, smiling. Then, looking at Lyman: " How I wish the girls at the ribbon counter could have a glimpse of them! They would think this table so wonderful."

  ** A good idea! " said Lyman. " It isn't far from here. Symonds," turning to the head waiter, ** can you leave this table just as it is, only putting on more places, and serve lunch for some ladies here? Serve the same menu we have had. Marion, you call them up, and give the invitation. I'll 'phone to Chapman to let them off together. He can put two or three people there for an hour while they are gone, I'm sure. Tell them to take the roses with them."

  Marion's eyes shone with her deHght. He stood for a moment watching her before he went into the office to another telephone. It was one of the greatest pleasures the girl had ever had thus to pass on her beautiful time to those who had no part in it.

  '' Is that you, Gladys ? " she said. She had chosen her first friend in the store to give the invitations. She knew what pleasure it would give her to convey it to the rest.

  " This is Marion Warren "—she paused, and remembered that was no longer her name. " This was Marion Warren," she corrected, laughing. " I w^ant to invite you girls at the counter to take lunch

  at the B to-day. I am sorry not to be able to

  be here and receive you, but we are going right away. Mr. Lyman has telephoned to Mr. Chapman about allowing you all to go together for once, and you are to take the roses on the table when you leave. Divide them among you."

  " Gee! Is that straight goods Marr—I mean Mrs. Lyman ? You're just fooling, aren't you ? Well, there's some class to that invite. Come ? Course we will, every last one of us. Say, you're a real lady; do you know it? You're the bee's knees! Gee, I wish I could think of some way to let you know how much we all like this. When you get back, we'll come and see you, and tell you about it."

  Marion turned to greet her husband with a laughing face but eyes in which the tears were very near. She knew just how much those girls would enjoy that. She had been one of them.

  " Will he let them go ? " she asked anxiously.

  " Yes," said Lyman. " He demurred at first, wanted them to go in relays; but I held out, and told him he must for our wedding celebration; and he finally said he would. He said tell you he would put Miss Phipps and Jennie and Maria in charge, and you would know that things would go all right."

  They were like two children playing with new toys, this happy bride and groom.

  With a few directions to the head waiter about the luncheon they were giving they went on their way; and now, when they came out to the car, it had somehow been metamorphosed. It no longer had a little glass room behind, with a stately chauffeur's seat in front. Its roof had been folded back; its glass doors disappeared entirely somewhere; and it was just an open car with two seats, the back one of which was covered with roses. Marion was put in the front seat and Lyman got in beside her. The chauflFeur stood smiling on the sidewalk.

  " All right, Terence. You have the directions and the address. Very well, that's all. You put in the

  suitcases ? Well, we'll meet you in New York sometime this afternoon if all goes well. Good-by."

  Then the fine machinery of the car responded to its master's touch, and moved smoothly off down the street, leaving the respectful chauffeur bowing and smiling on the sidewalk.

  " Why! " said Marion when she could get her breath from amazement, *' is this car yours? "

  " It is ours," he said with tender emphasis.

  " Oh! " said Marion. " Oh! It is so wonderful! How can I ever get used to it? " After a moment's silence, in which her husband carefully guided his car through a tangle of moving vehicles and turned into a quieter street; " Oh, I suppose heaven will be like this. There will be so much, and all ours! and we won't know how to adjust ourselves to it all, not right at first."

  " Dear child! " said Lyman, giving her a look of almost worship. " Does this seem that way to you? You make me feel humble. I never felt that I had so much. Perhaps you will teach me to be more thankful."

  It was a wonderful trip to the two. Spring skies and gay little scurrying spring clouds overhead; in the distance soft purple hazels touched by tender green willows were coming into spring attire; now

  and then a woodsy space, with pink spring-beauties, or starred with hepatica and bloodroot,
and a smell of earth and moist-growing things all about. Birds were hurrying about to secure the best locations, and everything in nature seemed joyous and happy.

  To the girl who had never been outside her own city farther than the suburbs or some near-by wood-' land park on a picnic the whole experience was wonderful, of course; but the greatest thing of all was to keep realizing that the man beside her was her husband, and that she was to be privileged to stay beside him as long as they both should live. It seemed too wonderful to be true.

  There followed long, delightful days of sightseeing and shopping in New York, when Marion felt that at last she was realizing her heart's desire and beginning to see and know '* things," as she had often expressed it to herself in her lonely meditations.

  Then one bright morning the chauffeur, who had seemed always to know just when to appear and take the car, brought it to the hotel door; and they started up to the Vermont farm to visit Tom and Jennie and the children.

  Marion had carefully considered the idea of inviting at least Tom to the wedding, but decided against it. There would be so many endless cxplana-

  tions, perhaps wranglings and delays. Tom might object. Why worry him until it was all done, and he could see for himself what a wonderful brother-in-law he had acquired?

  Packed carefully in the ample storage of the car were gifts. A new dress for Jennie, ready-made in a style that Marion knew would please her; a hat that she would consider a dream; gloves; and a number of other dainty feminine articles which Marion's experience with Jennie made her sure would be welcome ; all sorts of pretty wearable and usable things for the children, besides a wonderful doll that could talk, and an Irish mail, and a bicycle. For Tom a line watch; several pictures carefully selected with a view to interesting and uplifting the whole family; some of the latest books on scientific farming, and a large, beautiful reading-lamp. Marion was anxious that a little of her delight in higher things should reach these who were nearest to her in the world.