Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1872-03-16
ROSEBUDS AND GERANIUMS,
BY MATTE FIREMAN,
CHAPTER |.

CHAPTER I.
A summer sunset; a silver-gr
cloud floating in the west, its feath.
cry edge tipped with scarlet.
A merry groupe upon a green
lawn; an old farm house in the back
grounds, and a noisy stream laugh.
ing through the trees in the dis
tance.
The home of Agnes Wilmot, the
petted, village belle; the game was
croquet.
"rhe bet was fairly won, shouted
Agnes, laughing.
I'm not sure of that" retorted
Dermot, young swell from the
city. "You put us out with your
eyes. A fellow couldn't be expect
ed to play well with so much bril-
liancy flashing about him. A man
lighting duel never likes to be
placed facing the SUM-"
"Hear, hear" shouted a half dozen
girls, clapping their hands.
"Tll tell you what it is, John, you
want to take lessons now. You'd
get on n deal pleasantor with cousin
Agnes If you were a little more
polished. Don't you see how it is
done?" And little Kitty laughed
provokingly as she turned away,
Awkward John clenched his great
fist, and get his teeth hard, and
thought some very wicked thoughts.
He felt longing to make q pair of
blue eyes black; to punch, in regu-
lar pugilistic STYLE a certain head
covered with blonde hair. He looked
sneeIingly at a white jeweled hand,
stroking a mustache, curled a la
mode, and flung back his own brist-
ling hair in a fercer manner than
ever. He would make himself as
unlike a jack-a-napes, he said, as
possible. He was proud of his hard
hands; prouder, too, when he re-
membercd the work they had done
for Agnes.
Yes, he had rowed on the river;
he had made her grapevine swings;
he had taken her to school on his
sled; and he had supposed that it
had always been understood that
Agnes was to be his wife.
1t was all over with now, though.
She had eyes for no one but this
idiot from the city. She scarcely
looked at him; and he had always
been 50 fond of her. And John
went into the summer-houso to shed
a few uncotrollable tears by himself.
In the morning he had taken to
her some fresh rosebuds for her
hair. She had taken them careless
ly, merely bowling "thank you;"
and a moment after had blushed
crimson, when Dermot offered her
a bunch of geraniums.
He should always hate geraniums,
he said, fitting himself as fast as
possible to his new character He
hated rosebuds, too. In fact, there
was very little left in this world
that he didn't hate.
ooh" gssped some one quickly
at the door.
John jumped up. 1t was Agnes,
just the opportunity he'd been
longing for.
The girl tried to escape, but he
caught her by the wrist and drew
her in. He held her fercely, and
the tears came into her eyes, before
he would relinquish his hold.
"Aren't you ashamed, John?
Look at my arm, nearly crushed.
You great, rude fellow"
81 know I'm pretty good size,
Agnes" said John, Strengthening
himself, "and for that reason 1 love
you all the better. I'm not n dap
per little dandy-that's sure"
You're the most ridiculous
orao+ura Deor mo 7 haven't n
minutes peace-not a single
minutes; do you hear, sir?' And
the beauty stamped her foot
Gam Iso hateful to you, Agnes
Hateful who said you were
hateful? You are troublesome. 1
am not permitted to treat my guest
courteously."
"Oh! Agnes"
"No, your absurd jealousy is un-
bearable. Every one noticesit and
every one is laughing aboutit, too"
"And don'tyou love me a little,
Agnes?"
"Oh, I like yon well enough,
John"
"Dear me, won't you never have
done with that. I'm tired of it.
I'm promised to you, you say, and
I should think that would be quite
enough. You ore sure I will have
to have YOU"
"No Agnes" said John, chang
inc color and holding with his
great strong arm, to the side Of the
s ssummer-house, "there isno haUe to
about it. Ifyou don't love me. or
if YOU love some one else better,
and his voice choked, "why Agnes
girl, I'll let you go-Ill give you
up"
"You seem in a great hurry about
it," the girl replied pettishly.
"You won't give one time enough
to make up ones mind who they do
like"
"Why, Agnes, you have known
me all your life"
"Thats Just the trouble, John;
pvo known Won too long. l feel