The Red Cloud chief., 1876-06-08

covers ADVICE. Anu QdNS anu "cehs
and months rolled by, and if thought
of my little Rosebud, failing because
the sunlight of my love was withdrawn
from ii, crossed my mind, / drove 1t
away with a sigh. ! could not help 1t.
| said; it was fate. Fate meant me for
Miss Hanover, for ViOlette. and we
had met. that WAS all. No. not quite
all; one day. remember it was the
day after a splendid ball, and | called
on Violette, whose escort / had been
the night befOre-one day / made this
latter statement to ViOlettc Hanover.
and she having heard it, bestowed on
me her most aristccratic stare, and
asked ME if / did not know that she had
been engaged to Mr.. Twentyplum for
six long months.
And to be married next week. Mr..
Markham" 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 NE reason to hope every
thing from YOU"
IL know it is time for Inc to dress for
a drive" said she. $50 you must say
good afternoon: and don't look SO RI
diculOusly tragic, Mr.. Markham. | hate
scenes"
And ! felt that | deserved it all. as
went for the last time down the steps
of the Hanover mansion.
In a fortnight Violette was Mrs.
Twentyplum. In a month Mr.. IIanno-
yer was bankrupt-one of those who
take a foreign trip with plenty of money
in their pockets, while others lie crushed
beneath the broken branches ut home.
My money went with his. l had
come to London with a moderate com
petence. | had increased it by Specula-
ton until l was absolutely wealthy.
Now l found myself almost poor.
There remained to me only the Moss
wood property, which must he turned
into a farm. and l myself must leave
my hope of being one of the city mill
lionaires behind me. and become a plain
farmer-am man of the same social status
as Rosebud's father, without his ON
Portable knowledge of money in the
bank to comfort me.
However. with the bursting of the
bubble fortune. the circle which had
gathered about Hanover had been
seemingly sea tttlt to the winds. and
people knew Miss Violette had
Tilted me, and also that my money was
gone. The city had lost many of its
charms. and / wrote to the old woman
who had kept the house at MosswOod
for my father until his death, to make
it ready for my return. Then selling
the furniture of my bachelor rooms, and
packing my smaller belongings in a
few trunks, / started hOmeward.
l must go back to MOsswOOd and be
come a farmer. l should find Rosebud
fading gradually away, of course, and
yet l knew she would be prettier than
ever. How she had loved mellow UNI
grateful l had been for that love. Now
l would make amends. l would write
as many %repentant letters as were nee
eSsary, and she would, of course, forgive
me. No woman ever fOrgetS or cease
to love any man she has EVER loved, you
know. Yes. after a little maidenly re-
sistance, Rosebud would bloom for me
again. / was IS sure of this as the train
bore me onward, as l was that the moon
would rise that night.
There is no adage more true than the
one that declares that misfortunes never
come alone, but in troops. Often, of
course, one brings the other. In my
case the anxieties that had troOped so
thickly about me made me
and SO led to a severe accident.
Having alighted ut a certain station,
1 delayed my return to the carriage I'M
til they had started, I remember run
ming after them, and then-what do |
remember then? Darkness, dreams.
pain, an awakening in a little room,
with white curtains and a toilet table.
and a vision charmingly dressed. The
same one saying slowly:
Eyes, yes, yes; l think he'll do"
And understanding this was my old
friend Hiram Roper, l asked:
"How did 1 come here" trying to sit
up. and failing in the attempt.
well" said Hiram, wife and l were
at the station, and l saw you were a
good deal hurt, and w brought you on.
You know this is my house"
Yours" said /. And you are mar
ried and in practice. l suppose?"
YES" said Roper. 20. yes: getting
on famously. And you've had a bad
time, but you'll be OH the right soon.
Come and tell him he will, Rosebud"
And there-yes, there was Rose. After
l had Illuminated on the fact a few min
utes, l felt that truth was stranger than
fiction.
Are you better. Mr.. Markham" said
Rosebud, bending towards me.
Here was a pOetical story worked out
in our proper persons. A wounded and
repentant hero, 1 had been sent back to
Rosebud. to he 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 it away rather quickly: but
that was very natural. l had not seen
her for three years. She did not know
of my contrition. But she had not pinned