The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-08-03
THE OLD HOUSE.


about them. Youth requires few condi-
tions; it is as sufficient to itself as Eden;
it is only the unsatisfactory middle
years, to which the loveliness Of the vir-
gin world has become twice-told tale,
that are insistent.
In truth, it should have been enough
TO content any of us simply TO be Rose
Marks-the rose no roster, the lily no
snowier, sunshine not more golden than
her hair, more dazzling than her smile :;
a lovely little soul and body, enjoying
every moment of life, aud making it
precious to every one within her intiu-
ence. She never thought of grumbling
that the house was shabby and the food
scanty, but contented herself with bread
when there was no dainty, and when
the roof leaked, moved her bed to an
other room where it did not leak so
badly. Every timber in the old house
was dear to her, and she never asked for
a better. No wonder every body loved
Rose Marks in general, and her cousin,
Roger, loved her in especials not hert
cousin, that is, if you demand theliteral
fact, but herfstep-mother' nephew, vet
always called q cousin, and always loved
like a brother. A -brotherP Well, no,
not exactly. People are not so very apt
to think whether or no their brothers
will like this ribbon or. that flower, to
blush damask if their brothers catch
them gazing at themselves intently, to
pout at an inattention from their broth
ers, or to have their hearts beat like
wildfire at a touch of the brothers hand.
These two children were all alone in
he house now, for Mr.. Marks and his
wife had followed the elder children,
who had died when the greattyphus cpl
demic ragged some ten years ago; the
old servant who had never forsaken
them, had gone her way too at last;
and Louis, one day taking the ancient
plate, had sold it for enough to insure
the house for term of five years, and
formally resigning all right and title in
it to Rose, had bade her and Roger
good-by, and had gone to seek his for
tune. So Rose kept the old house as she
could, and Roger paid her a regular
board from his little salary as clerk of
the only store in the village. Rose
cried every time she took it; but as all
the rest she possessed happened to be
the COW and the garden and what the
grass sold for, there was nothing, of
course, 10 do but take it. How many
times Rose had resolved to go out by
the day and do sewing since she had
been sixteeni "I could earn two hun
dred dollars year easily, Roger she
would say, as she was mapping il out
to Roger in the evening, at the other
side of the table where he was study
ing.
And what would become of meP"
Roger said. -
"Why-why, you could have much
better dinners, you know, Roger, at
Mrs Dean-s-''
Hang Mrs. Dean'sl / should have
no home. Ishould go to the bad. 1t
is missionary duty to stay as you are"
"But, Roger" then Rose said, grow
ing red and redder, "some day, you
know, you will be-lnarried, and then
You won't want me round" s--.t r-..
"Sha'n't I?' .aa--.7
"Your wife WON'T at any rate for
you know I'm not even your sister, and
your wife, when you marry"
Cant you waittill do?" Numbered
Roger, getting up and stalking out of
the room. g You won't forget how to
sew, will you?" And Rose began to
cry, and Roger strode round the place
till bedtime Ike an unhappy ghost.
He marry! Why was she .harping on
that string? Did she want to marry,
herself, and have him first put himself
out of the way? And thereat he
wrought himself into a fury. Was
there a man in all the world who would
dare to think of such a sacrilege as
marrying his little Rosep Never, never
should he have her! He would stay
here forever and guard her: he would
make it impossible! And then he felt
that he was fool, and that he knew
better; he knew the modest little Rose.
living her secluded life, had never had
the remotest sort of a lover; he knew
now that she was lying all in white.
wrapped in her innocent dreams, and
thinking of nothing less, while he was
marauding up and down the garden
paths. He was very much mistaken
she was hiding behind the window at
that moment, watching him between
the streaming courses of her tears as he
went up and down and tortured himself
with angry thoughts and passionate
emotions. Why had fate fixed him so?
he was asking. Why was there no
chance for him? Why would no open
ing offer that he might enter and gain
promise of sufficient income to Justify
him in telling Rose what he felt-ail
these wild wishes and bitter longingS
Now a moneyless clerk in a village
store, he had no right TO bind her for
tunes with his, to bring upon her, even
if she would, the weary cares and heavy
weight of marriage with,a man so des.
titute. Trr--.. H.a
For look, even should she be kind,
should they marry-ah, what throbs his
heart gave at the fancyi-they would
have no more than they have now, and
as the years came, and brought theil
burdens, it would simply bow Rose into
the grave. And she knew it, he thought
YES, she knew it. That was Whist thi:
desire TO 60 out into the world meant
to break up their way OF life, to be of
and away from him. And then Roger
groaned and clinched his fists, and
asked himself the whole round of cues
tons over again. Yes, why was he. o.
all men, so placed that nothing could
ever accrue TO him? no help reach him
no one bold a hand to lift him upp jus
suffered to plod along from hand K
mouth when a little capital would pu
him into such a havene II he had eu
a couple of thousand dollars to star
with, be could open a second store here
He knew the whole structure of trade
there was quite business enough for an
other without robbing the first; h
could even make new business. II
knew Just where he would plant hi
stock of goods and put up his sign
And then, in spite of himself, came n
picure of the blessed time when. worl