The Osceola times., 1876-07-15

sunlight OF my love was Withdrawn from
it, crossed my mind, ! drove it away
with sigh. ! could not help 1t, said
il was fate. Fate meant me for Mis-
Hanaover, for violette, and we had met
that was all. No, not quite all one
day. remember il was the day after a
splendid ball and called on Violette,
whose escort | had been the night be.
fore-one day made this latter state.
ment to Violette Hanover, and she
having heard it, bestowed on me hel
most aristocratic stare, and asked me 1
did not know that she had been en-.
gagged to Mr.. Twentyplum for six long
months.
"And he married next week, Mr.
MaIkman," added she. $50 YOU see
you must be mistaken about fate"
"And you have only been flirting with
me ?" | said, bitterly. "Do you know
that you gave M, reason to hope every
thing from you "
II know 1t is time for me to dress fol
drive" she said. so you must say
good-afternoon; and don't look so ride.
ulously tragic, Mr.. Markham. l hate
scenes.n
And ] felt that deserved it all, as
went for the last time down the steps OF
the Hanover mansion.
In fortnight Violet was Mrs Twen-
typlum. ma month Mr.. Hanover wa,
a bankrupt-one of those who take d
foreign trip with plenty of money in
their pockets while others lie crushed
beneath the fragments Of their brekeh
branches at home.
Ny money went with his. / had come
to London with moderate competence
! had increased it by spcculations until
was absolutely wealthy. Now found
myself suddenly almost poor.
There remained to me only the Moss.
wood property, which must be turned
into farm, and myself must leave my
hope of being one of the city millidnaifes
behind me, and become plain farmer
a man Of the saiiie social status as Rose
buds ihther, without his comfortable
knowledge of money in the bank to com.
fort me.
However, with the bursting of the
bubble fortune, the circle which gathered
about Hanover had been seemingly
scattered TO the winds, and peor.e knew
that Miss Violette had Tilted me. and
also that my money was gone. The city
had lost maty of its charms, and | wrote
70 The old woman who had kept the
house at Mosswood for my father until
his death, to make it ready for my re.
turn. Then selling the furniture oi m,
bachelor rooms, and packing my sfnalle,
belongings in a few trunks. started
homeward.
| fi,unt 90 back to Mo~wood and be-
come farmer | should find Rosebud
fading gradually away, of course, and
yet ! knew she would be prettier thar
ever. How she had loved mellow un
grateful had been for that love. Now
l would make amends. | would writ,
rs many .repcntant letters as were neccs
sary, and she would, OF course, forpiy,
me. No woman ever forgets or ceases /,
love any man she ever has loved, you
know. Yes, after little maidenly re
sistence, Rosebud would bloom for m,
again. l was as sure of this, ~ the trail
bore me onward, rs | was that the moor
would rise that night.
There is no adage more true than tn,
one that declares that misfortunes neve
come alone, but always in troops
Often, Of course, one brings the other
In my ca,e, the anxieties that ha,
trooped 80 thickly about me made M
nervous. and so led TO severe accident
Having alighted at certain station,
delayed my return to the carriages unit
they had started. remember runnin,
after them, and then-what do remem
Der then? Darkness, dreams, pain, al
awakening in little room, with white
curtains, and toilet table, and ylsior
Imingly dressed. The same on,
saying, slowly:
" Yes, yes, yes; think he'll do"
And understanding this was my old
friend, Hiram Roper, | asked:
How did come here ?" trying to sit
up, and falling in the attempt.
=" Well,' said Hiram, "wie and | were
at the station, and | saw you were agood
deal hurt, and we brought you on. You
know this is my house"
=" Yours ?" said |. "And you are mar.
ried, and in practice, suppose ?"
" Yes" said Roper. "Oh, yes get.
ting on famously. And you've had a
bad time, but you'll he on the right
soon. Come and tell him he will. Rose.
bud"
And there-yes, there was Rose. After
| had ruminated on the facts a few
minutes, felt that truth was stranger
than fiction.
"Are you better, Mr.. Markham :''
said Rosebud, bending towards me.
Here was a poetical story, being
worked out in our proper persons. A
wounded and repentant hero, had been
sent back to Rosebud, to be nursed and
forgiven. Had she not forgiven me, she
never would have flown to my aid. All
that could do just then was to squeeze
her hand.
She took il away rather quickly; but
that was natural. | had not seen her
Tor three years. But she had not pined
or faded; she was, on the contrary,
stouter and roster than ever.
just then, DIR. Roper being present,
said nothing, but afterwards, as the
evening shadows fell, she brought me tea
and toast; and then took her hand
and said:
" Dear Rosebud, how good of you"
And she answered:
"Oh, dear, no-don't mention It,"
You are an angel of forgiveness"
said, And I-oh, have always loved
you, Rosebud. IT'S true. siren laid
her spells upon me, but the hallucina-
ton once over
=" l shall think you are wandering
again, said she, "it you don't stop talk
ing. Do take your toast"
No., said | "no, not mouthful,
Rosebud until Won insnrn ,na III. -,