River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-07-19

wanted her was because he thought sne
had all your money and had you"
His look did not belle his words as he
stood there, 1.-THE and strong in his man.
hood, and she went up and placed her
hands in his. saying softly
81 know, viii, it is not my money you
want, but cannot marry without Aunt
Margaret's consent.
"Wen." he returned, eff something
cannot be done, / shall go to China.
Uncle Rolfe wants some one whom he
can trust to go for couple of years or
SO. and | think ! had better be the
one"
They walked slowly back TOW nd the
house, where Aunt Margaret sat alone
with her grief. The one love-atfair of
her life had proved a miserable failure.
When the autumn leaves began to fall
and while preparations were already
under way for her approaching nuptials
blow worse than death came TO her.
Her dignified, mature lover, Mr.. Rog-
ers. Of whose business little was known,
except that he spent the greater portion
of his time in the city whose smoke
could be seen end whose bells and
whistles could be heard from the Matt
land cottage, was suddenly arrested,
charged with burglary. How she sur
vived the shock she herself could never
tell, She had perfect filth in his lnno-
cence, but she dared not visit the court,
room while his trial was in progress for
fear that she might be called
upon as a witness.
But she was spared this, and after he
received his sentence years at
hard labor,-she would sit hour after
hour with his picture before her and
weep bitter tears wrung from her
widowed heart. She did not relent.
however, in regard to Rose and Will
Vernon.
"You are better off never to marry,
Rosalind," she would say. You never
can trust the men, though / believe
oftentimes they are more sinned against
than SHINING"
As Rose stepped upon the piazza, viii
walked somewhat dejectedly down the
street. Aunt Margaret shook her head
sadly, as the young girl came and sat
near her, and then she said in a voice
that had lost all its oldtime decisive
ring:-
"Rosalind, l have a favor 10 ask of
you. 1t is now year since Mr. Rogers
asked me to be his wife, and though /
must believe him unworthy, | shou Id
like to visit the prison workshop where
uTuhGGB 4
Justice, but it seems SO hard for human
beings to he kept year after year, de-
prived of freedom, of com panionship
and of the pure sunshine"
She worked her thin hands nervously
while the young girl regarded her pity
ingly. !,
"You know how fond he was of roses.
She put her hand up to her throat.
There is a little scar here that he I'M
Willingly made, Alas, there is a deeper
scar on my poor heart"
She had grown so into the way of be-
moaning her cruel fate that she had lost
all constraint before her niece.
eff you would so with me we would
take lot of flowers and give them to
the poor convicts. The ladies' flower
mission would furnish credentials that
would insure our admission. Will you
go with me? ] cannot go alone, and il
seems as though | must see poor Mr.
Rogers at his work. l wish to see how
his eyes will ght up when he sees the
roses he loved so well"
Poor Aunt Margeret's voice was filed
with pathetic earnestness as though
her tender heart were breaking, but il
was the younger woman's turn to grow
hard-hearted.
You have no mercy upon me" sale
Rose, coldly. Twill is going away be
cause you will not give your consent
Why should | be mere iful TO YOU"
Again the withered hands clutchet
each other and the faded eyes grew al
most CLASSY.
IF you will consent to our marriage
will 60 with you as often as you wish
and do all that can to cheer you, and
this Mr.. Rogers continued Rose.
1t was a bitter struggle, but Margarei
Maitland yielded. As soon as arrange
ments could be made the two ladies
armed with numerous bouquets, presen
ted themselves at the portal of the re-
formatory institution where the unhap
py Mr., Rogers was doing penance fol
his transgression.
You will please not speak to any one
of the men," admonished the prison of
ficie' as he led the way into a long
room where great multitude of men
were working stolidly away. Some OIL
them smiled at sight of the fragrant
flowers and the fair young donor, while
others seemed totally Indifferent.
"Where is Mr.. Lafayette Rogers?'
asked Rose, who failed to distinguish
him in the motley crowd.
That's him just beyond there. putting
:
and Rose looked in the direction indi-
rated, but Aunt Margaret's eyes seemeC
to have recovered their former keen
ness, for she had already singled hin
out and taken a step toward him, whel
he turned bis head.
If the change in his former lady love
was great the change in himself wal
even greater His hair was cropped
short to his bullet shaped head, and the
flowing moustache, wnich had hitherto
hidden his wide, sinister mouth, resem
bled the bristles of tooth brush, botf
in color and length, for the lack of dye
had robbed both hair ard moustache O
their former raven hue, and the crue
shears had done their work efectually
He scowled savagely as he recog
nized the visitors, and mnttered al
Rose presented a beautiful bouquet tt
him, for Aunt Margaret had drawn hast
lily back and dropped her remaining
flowers upon the floor.
Cursed rubbish" he said; and Their
he resumed his work with never +,
glance toward the two philanthro-
pists.
Hes hard lot, !" said the official in {
low tone, and then he added IN alarm
for Aunt Margaret's face had become o
corpse-like hue, Are We fainting
ma'am?"
Lets go out into the air" gasped the
elder lady, and they made their way
from the building as speed y as pos
sible.
81 feel that thorn in my throat now
and | shall hate that scar as long as
live, but my heartache is cured" sale
Aunt MargP ret, vindictively, when they
reached home, and three months latter
when Rosalind Maitland changed hel
name to Vernon, the smiling spinstei
had regained nearly all her former good
looks, save for her whitened hair and Z
Fauu rxrip EIaG