The Van Buren press., 1876-10-31
PFIStU'
"But don't YOU like wild roses ?"

"Oh, yes but there are SO many OF
them that it is hardly worth while to waste
sentiment on single one" and the cap
tain showed his fine teeth in smile
which was the least bit cruel.
Milly sighed, and cast regretful look
behind Her gentle nature felt for the
fair despoiled thing. But, after all, Their
uere plenty of wild roses. as Captain
Hallett had said, aud presently she for
got her sympathy and its cause An.
other turning ia the lane brought them
to the village outskirts and to Squire
Aliens gate, where the rest of the party
were waiting There were good-bys to
say, divisions to make Mrs. Allen was
intent on securing to each person his OF
her own basket, Kitty FELTON, was count
ting tca.spoous, otcptIauser tsu"tsns for 4
missing plate. In the midst Of these re-
searches Stephen came up with the chill
dren. He looked weary, and put Nanny
into her mothers arms with an air of re-
lief, disregarding the drowsy protest
which she uttered.
"What a lovely rose, Stephcn!" said
some of the girls. "Where did you find
lui'
lin the road,e replied Stephen "Some
body had switched it off its stem and
left it to die, 50 we picked it up
" Yes, and Mr. Telton said 1t was a
shame to treat flowers So" put in little
boy.
The Captain listened impassivcly, but
Milly gave half panied glance at the
flower. THAT was just like you, Steph-
en- she said, softly and Stephen bright
ened for the first time that day.
1t seemed to Stephen, looking back,
that his love for Milly begun when he
was boy of five and she baby in the
cradle. He could not reeollect the time
when he did not prefer her to all other
girls. At school he was her knight. his
sled, his jackknife, his help, always at
her service. Stephen taught her to skate,
TO row. 1t was he who brought her the
first maple-sugnr, the first arbutus; he
who took her on sleigh.rdes, and walked
home with her from church and village
tea parties Mlly absorbed these servi
ees, not ungratefully, but as matter Of
course. She had been uaed to them
from her babyhood, and could almost as
well have dispensed with sun or air out
Of her life but sun and air being never
Withdrawn, are rarely noticed or alluded
to. "Desr good old Stephed," she call
ed him. Now it is not well for man to
lavish himself on woman who thinks of
him only as dear old Stephen
And nowS ephen was.doomed to stand
by and see stranger appropriate the 90.
ject of this life long devotion. He had
sown, and another was to reap of his la-
bors. Day by day all that summer long
the glamour grew and deepened. Cap
the most elastic description, permitting
him to stay the entire season ut Baymouth
His mornings, his evenings, his moons,
were spent with Mily Stephen sicken-
ed at the inevitable gold banded cap
which met his eyes whenever he entered
the ho Sc, and proved his rival in poeses
sion OF the field. Milly greeted Stephen
kindly always; but there was sense of
interruption he felt himself q third par.
ty. Then he tried staying away but
that was worst Of all, for his love did not
notice his absence beyond 9 careless,
"What ages it is since we saw you, Ste
phen." This state vf affairs of course
set people to talking, but Milly was
blushingly indignant. alt was hard
she declared, j" ii a girl couldn't have a
pleasant friend without having such
things said" Aut her pretty poutings
and protestings made little difference.
and 1t was generally understood that the
affair, if not an absolute engagement,
amounted to Ian understanding what.
ever that may mean.
At last the long. lovely summer came
to an end, As all summers will. Scarlet
boughs famed in the forests, golden-rod
burned along the brook sides, the birds
flew, and with them Captain Hallett pre-
pared for fight. His orders bad come 10
report in Galveston, Texas, and his leave
taking was hurried The last moment
was Milly's, and though no one knew the
exact situation Of affairs. it was taken
for granted that another year would
bring orange blossoms and a wedding.
Milly's own expectations we're not so
definite. No definite promise had passed
between her and her lover but she trust
ed him, and waited brightly and hope
fully. Letters came aud went; the scar,
let boughs burned into ashes and fell to
the ground in pale heaps, then came
/, snow and the winter, to be in its turn
scourged away by tue whip Of the fierce
New England spring Still Milly wait
ed; but not so brightly now, for the let
ters came less regularly than at first. By
and by they ceased altogether. Weeks
passed without word. Milly, with Wis
ious of yellow fever and Indians chasing
each other across her terrified brain. wrote
and wrote again but no presage OF the
real danger which threatened glanced ov.
er her. till one day, opening the newspa-
per, this met her eyes:
At Galveston, Texas, by the Rev.
Bierre st Cloud, assisted by the Rev.
Thomas Dix, Capt. Edward Halett, U.
S. A. and Blanche Emily, only daughter
of the late Pierre st. Cloud, of Pllatka,
Florida. No cards
Mrs. Graves up stairs heard no sound,
But when she went down Milly lay on
the sofa white and rigid, the newspaper
still clasped in her cold fingers 1t was
long before her senses came back. Her
mother famed with anger, but the girl
hushed her with weary sob,
1--WE were never really engaged, you
know"
mot engaged Oh, Milly!'
D,,t AJ;iIv turnoI bar fare IN tho wall