The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-02-09
The Old House.


it were a palace building up about them.
Youth requires few conditions; it is as
sufficient to itself as Eden; it is only the
unsatisfactory middle years, to which
the Ioveliness of the virgin world has
become a twice-told tale, that are in
sistent.
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, and making it
precious to every one within her infiu-
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 everybody
loved Rose Marks in general, and heT
cousin Roger loved her especial; not her
cousin, that is, if you demand the literal
fact, but her step-mother's nephew, yet
always called a cousin, and always
loved like a brother. A brother? Well,
no, not exactly. People are not so very
apt to think whether or no their broth
ers 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
wild-fire at touch of the brothers. hand.
These two children were all alone in
the old house now, for Mr.. Marks and
81 ln oil o,f Il HraF
who had died when the great typhus
epidemic 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 a term of five years, ami for
mally resigning all right and title in il
to Rose, had bade her and Roger good
bye, aud had gone to seek his fortune. So
Rose kept the old house as best she could
and Roger paid her 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 anC
the garden and what the grass sold for
there was nothing, of course, to do bu
take it. How many times Rose had re-
solved to go out by the day and do sew
ing since she had been sixteen!
81 could earn two hundred dollars 1
year easily, Roger" she would say, al
she was mapping it out to Roger in th'
evening, at the other side of the tablI
where he was studying.
"And what would become of me p
Roger said.
'Why-why, you could have mucI
better dinners, you know, Roger, a
Mrs. Deans"
"Hang Mrs. Deans! I should hav
no home. should go to the bad. 1t
missionary duty to stay as you are"
"But, Roger" then Rose said, grow
ing red and redder, "some day, yo
know, you will be-married, and the
you won't want me round"
"Shan'tI?"
"YOur wife won't, at any rate; for yo
know Pm not even your sister, and you
wife, when you marry"
Cant you wait till do ?' thundere
Roger, getting up and stalking out {
the room. "YOu won't forget how
sew, will you ?"
And Rose began to cry, and Rogt
strode round the place till bedtime liz
an unhappy ghost. He marry! VIII
was she harping on that string? Di
she want to marry, herself, and hay
him first put himself out of the way
And thereat he wrought himself into
fury. Was there a man in all the wor
who would dare to think of such a sacI
lege as marrying his little Rose? Neve
never should he have her! He wou
stay here forever and guard her;
would make it impossible! And the
he felt that he was fool, and that
Ia Io
Rose, living her secluded life, had new
had the remotest sort of lover;
knew now that she was lying all
white, wrapped in her innocent dream
and thinking of nothing less, while
was marauding upand down the gard
paths. He was very much mistake
she was hiding behind the window
that moment, watching him betwe
the streaming courses of her tears as
went up and down and tortured hims
with angry thoughts and passion;
emotions. Why had fate fixed him s
he was asking. Why was there
chance for him q? why would no openi
offer that he might enter and gail
promise of sufficient income to Just
him in telling Rose what be felt
these wild wishes and bitter longing
Now moneyless clerk in village ste
he had no right to bind her fortu
with his, to bring upon her, even if {
would, the weary cares and hes
weight of marriage with man so de-
tute.
For look, even should she be XII
should they marry-ah, what throbs
heart gave at the fancy they wo
have no more than they had now, ,
as the years came and brought IL
burdens, it would simply bow Rose
the grave. And she knew it,
thought; yes, she knew it. That
what this desire to get out into the VIZ
meant-to break up their way of life
be off and away from him. And &
Roger groaned and clinched his Fl
and asked himself the whole rounC
questions over again. Yes, why was
of all men, so placed that nothing CO
ever accrue to him +? no help reach hi
no one hold a hand to lift him up?
suffered to plod along from hand
mouth when little capital would
him into such haven? If he had
a couple of thousand dollars to S
with, he could open second store h
He knew the whole structure of tr,
there was quite business enough for
other without robbing the first; he CT
even make new business. He k
Just where he would plant his stoc
goods and put up his sign. And Il
in spite of himself, came the pictul
the blessed time when, work done
should go home, home to Rose,
joyous, his, by her fire, or looking
for him, m,Rpringing to meet him;