The Van Buren press., 1876-10-24
Nj CELLANY.
The Old House.

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The old house was slowly dropping to
pieces about the young people. Yet, for
all that, they were as happy as though il
were palace building up about them.
Youth requires few conditions; it is as
sufficient to itself as Eden; il is only
the unsatisfactory middle years. to which
the loveliiess of the virgin world has be
come 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
lovely little soul and body, enjoying
every moment of life, and naAk...g it pre-
cious to every one within Ter influence.
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 smother 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 everybody loved Rose Marks in
general, and her cousin, Roger. loved her
in especial; not her cousin, that is, IT. you
demand the literal fact, but her st4p
mothers nephew, yet always called a
cousin, and always loved like a brother.
A brother? Well, no, not exactly. Peo.
pie are not so very apt to think whether
or no their brothers will like this ribbon
| ,r hat Anwar IN hlnch Aonook ,r hair p
brothers catch them gain at themselves
intently, to pout at an inattention from
their brothers or to have their hearts
beat like wild6re at touch of the broth
er's hand.
These two children were all alone in
the house now, for Mr.. Marks and his
wife had followed the elder children, who
had died when the great typhus epidemic
ragged some ten years ago; the old ser
want, 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 babe her
good bye, 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. to do
but take it. How many times Rose had
resolved to go out by the day and do
sewing since she had been sixteen ~
could earn two hundred dollars year.
easily, Roger" she would say, as she was
aphh9eipDfe Vie pDfet is oAt g oR9Hs tan se sEeplng,
was studying.
"And what would become of me ?"
Roger said.
Why--why, you could have much
better dinners, you know, Roger, at Mrs.
Deans" -
Hang Mrs. Deans! ! should have
no home. ! should go to the bad. 1t IS
missionary duty to stay as you are
but Roger then Rose said, growing
red and redder. " some day. you know.
you will be-married, and then you won't
want me round
"Shan't IT.
Your wife won't, at any rate; for you
know I'm not even your siste-, and your
wife, when you marry
Cant you wait till dol thundered
Roger. getting up and stalking out of the
room. lyon won't forget how to sew,
will your And Rose began to cry, and
Roger strode round the place Till bedtime
like an unhappy ghost. He marry Why
was she harping on that string2 Did she
want to marry herself, and have him frs,
put himself out ofthe way ? Aud therea,
he wrought himself into fury. Was
there man in all the world who would
, dare to think of such sacrilege as marry
ing his little Rose Never, never. should
he have her He would stay here forever
and guard her he would make it impos
sible And then he felt that he vas fool
and that he knew better; he knew The
modest little Rose, living her secluded
life, never had the remotest sort of low
er: he knew now that she was living al
in white, wrapped in her innocent DIRE ans
and thinking OF nothing less, while he
was maraudlng up and down the garder
paths He was very much mistaken
she was hiding behind the window at thai
moment, watching him between the
streaming courses Of her tears as he wen
up and down and tortured himself witt
angry thoughts and assionste emotions
why had fate fixed him 80 he was ask
ing. Why was there no chance for him j
Why would no opening offer that ht
might enter and gain a promise Of suffi-
hient income to justify him 10 telling Ros'
what be felt-sll the wild wishes snd bit
ter longings Now a moneyless clerk in
a village store, he had no right to binc
her fortunes with his, to bring upon her,
even if she would, the weary cares anc
heavy weight of marriage with man SC
destitute.
For look, even should she be kind
should they marry-ah what throbs hi
heart gave at the fancy they would
have no more than they have now, ant
as the years came and brought their bur
dens, it would simply how Rose into thu
grave. And she knew it, he thought
yes. she knew it, That was what thi
desire to 90 out into the world meant
to break up their way Of life, to he "f
and away from him. And then Roge
qroaneo and clenched his fists, and asked
, himself the whole round of question: ov
er again Yes, why was he, of all men
so placed that nothing could ever accru
, to him no help reach him no one hol,