Middletown transcript., 1882-02-24


sleeves.
Joe knew that the girl in the lone
sulphur-colored gown opening over oil
i've green velvet, reading book as sht
walked with downcast head and face
was Gladys, and he knew just why she
walked there, and that at this moment
his great figure cast shadow at hel
feet, but he would none of her, and
went back for little soldier to Aunt
Eunice.
C saw you," said the good but con
trary and old-fashioned soul, "from
the window. And saw that bilious
looking girl making eyes at you. She
looks like the lady in the lobster
But don't you be troubled, Joe. Only
have patience, and it will all come
right. Rosia isn't really fool yet
You 60 right on furnishing your house
as if nothing had been said or done. "
Il don't know that want to-" said
Joe, gloomily.
"Don't know that you want to p
cried Aunt Eunice. ''Then there is
really more mischief done than 1 feared,
Don't know that you want to? Joe,
if you don't want to, I'll sue you fol
breach of promise myself.
It was long summer to poor Joe.
who had expected by this to be revelling
in an ideal world of happiness, with a
charming wife at Niagara in June, at
Newport in July, at the Crawford
Notch in August, and in September
settling in their home in the Boston
suburbs, the home that was to be moth
ing but nest of love, and music, and
Joy, and goodness. And here was Rosa
never letting him mention the subject,
planting her sunfowers over, and res
cuing but two Of them from the birds
again, going about with her little
thumb through a palette patched in
dullest colors of old gold and dirty
green, or spending hours over her easel
where an ethereal pot of impossible
lilies was trying to put on-or off
semblance of reality, draping old IRON
ing blankets at her windows, and talk
ing of the ineffable dream of dead light
blooming in the slumber of their tawny
folds, uttering further fanfaronade Of
spiritual, idyllic, and realistic whims,
and living in any world but his world.
1t was altogether too much for poor
Cousin Joe. He could endure the hate
fulness of it all no longer: Rosa in all
sorts of gowns but her wedding gown,
in all sorts Of postures but her old one
of his worshipper Rosa, with a wall
of separation growing up between her
self and him Rosa rapt in the contem-
plation of yanities and the admiration
of this little painting chap, who was SO
rapt in the same admiration that he
did not need hers-it was all detesta-
BILE. a nightmare from which it was
time to wake, an experience that it was
best to be done with. Joe had had as
many sleepless nights and bitter days
as he cared to live through; he would
cut the knot once and for all, and be
off. and forget her. His friend Ark
wright's bark was at Long Wharf now,
fitting out for Australia; he would
take passage in her, and put himself
beyond sight and hearing of what tor
mented him. And when he was gone,
perhaps Rosa would miss him, and be-
gin to listen to reason-But no on the
whole. he didn't know that he wanted
her to do so. And then he asked him.
self what in the world, in that case,
was he making all this fuss about
There she was now, down by the bed
of sunflowers that had not come up,
and where the weeds had come up
but Rosa had joined the school that
loved weeds-tending those two tall
late stems that were just beginning to
open their big disks when all the other
sunfiowers had withered.
"That is just the thing" said
Rosalys, as he approached. They
come. you see, when no one else has
them, and just as if they knew all
about the fancy part in Gladys's garden
tonight. The idea of you being Guy
of Warwick, Joe ! Just the represen-
tation of brute strength. As if there
were any poetry, or beauty, or soul
food, in such part ! 1 am to be the
Morning Star. That means some
thing"
" It might mean everything. "
ttYou never can be serious, Joe.' y
"It's enough for the garden party to
be serious. A garden party in Octo-
berl No ices"
ssThose that don't like outdoors can
stay indoors, you know. shall be
everywhere. And l shall wear one Of
these great shining suns just over my
heart. the buds trailing down the front
and side, and ending in the other great
shining one on my train. Won't that
be delicious P''
"If it were on any one else, she
would be taken for an Indian squaw.
that's all. y
"well, it isn't on any one else; it''