Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-04-13
DID ROSY PRoPosEP
BY MADGE CARROLL.

BY MADGE CARROLL. '---
"Rosy, is Mr.. Weaver in earnest?"
"Don't know. I'm not"
She didn't mean to be actually i'm
pertinent, this Rose Goldcy; that
was her usual way of speaking. A
snap-short way it was, too, thorough
ly in keeping with her quick, de-
clsive movements, close-cut hair, bird
like glance, and little round red
mouth. A mouth that could make
"no" the crispest, and eyes" the
sweetest, of mortal words.
"Rosy, don't be rash," replied
Aunt Clarissa, following up a pre-
conceived purpose. at strikes me
he is in earnest, in dead earnest, too.
Ii ever you intend freeing yourself
t. ON the attentions Of Il man too
cowardly or too cold to declare him.
self, now Is your opportunity"
"Auntie, Rothwick LIE Brunt loves
me. I'm as sure of it as if hid told
me twenty times over"
"Why does he not tell you, then?
How dare he presume to daily around
year after year, without explaining
his intentions?"
"That's question l never dream
ed of asking him."
"If your father was living, depend
upon it he would ask him. I've
been endeavoring this SIX months to
persuade your mother TO take that
step, but she persistently refuses. p
Mrs. Goldey, sitting by sewing, in
dicated faint negative with her
bent head. "If you, Rosy, can't con-
trive to make him speak out, he'll go
on precisely the same, three, maybe
twelve years longer"
81 contrlve TO make him speak
out?"
The heartsome red flashing out on
Rosey's cheeks made Aunt Clarissa' s
tingle, still she was not to be deter
red.
"Certainly. with proper manage
ment you could bring about a dec
laralion without exciting the slight
est suspicion OH his part that it did
not originate with himself"
IL, lnaneuver to catch Il husband! {!
Aunt Clarissa, Pm both angry and
ashamed"
Roses face was like a forest Oh
fire, as she turned swiftly and
sought her favorite nook in the bay
window.
"Don't fly off, Rosy-posy. Many
a good, modest, sensible girl as ever
breathed Las extending helping
hand to bashful suitor without in
the least degree compromising her
dignity or seIt-respect. You have
sufficient tact and dclicacy TO do the
same. l like Rothwick lie Brunt
very much indeed. Ii he perseveres
in his determination never to quit
busines for the purpose OF dabbling
in colors, neither your mother nor
myself could desire a better match
yet he delays, and decays are danger
GUS, Rosy"
"He seldom delays his semi-week-
ly visits, any way" answered Rose
from her window perch. ''Here he
comes, with new picture under Ills
arm"
Sure enough, the painting was
new, and, although the artist was
not II professional, well calculated to
create a sensation wherever it went.
Mrs. Gpldey and Aunt Clarissa fell
into transports on the shortest of
notices, never observing that Rosy
stood apart holding no share in the
"ohs" and "ahs" pelting like hail
about her. Her young heart throb
bed hard and heavily, painfully con-
scious that art was Rothwick's only
acknowledged love, and that every
square of canvass over which he
fondly labored, hung like a dark
curtain between it and happiness
She was not to be told, but the pic
ture was intended for a birthday
present, yet there she stood, hotly
Jealous Of that bit of Summers glory
heLged with trees and crowned with
tleecy cloud and sky.
'Step nearer, Rose, there's good
light ON 1t here; no, that's BETTER
Mother says that 1t is the best yet,
and Rilla declares it perfect gem.
Now VIC have the exact position re-
quired to bring out every point
Come around, Mrs. Goldey and Mrs.
Leach, examine it in this light. l
thought Of you when l dropped in
the wild roses" with an eloquent
glance at the younger lady. "'Itose,
rose, what's that about wood-roses,
Mrs. Leach?"
81 don't remember exactly" ans
wered Aunt Clarissa, lowering her
eyes lest they should meet lightn
ing stroke from her neicc's, "but of
one thing Pm certain, the poet ex-
presses very special desire to make
the rose his own"
"Of course. Rose, you're not al
together satisfied. l was in great
hopes you'd like this little Summer
landscape"
Like it! She was enraptured with
that sweet ENHANCEMENT Of rock and
branch, fern and flower, around q
waveless lake; still, the old resent
ment strong upon her, she refused to
acknowledge it, even to herself" go.
"I'd rather see a road looking as
though it led somewhere" she ans
wered, turning to the piano, and tlut-
tering the cords as if to wing
picture and artist out of sight and
mind.
1t was difiicul: matter for Roth
wick lie Brunt to break hat Sabbath
stiffness with road leading some
where, yet he did it. A rough, spar
sely-traveled wagon road skirted the
lake on the left, and buried itself in
ovcrhanging rock and vine, as it
ashamed Of having got there and ia
tent upOn hurrying out OF sight as