Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-12-20
ASHES OF ROSES.
a CHRISTMAS STORY.
BY LILY NJ. CURRY.
terested in you. That is all have I

terested IN you. That is all | have TO
say, my dear"
THAT is the only reason, aunt?"
"The main reason. 1t is difficult to
say what sort of man he may be grow
ing. Poverty is against him; poverty
and quick, passionate nature. He
seems inclined to communistic notions.
l have no sympathy with Communists
or Socialists or Nihilists. That is all,
Clarice; and now / must go down and
speak with Jane
Clarice went slowly out of the room
and down the winding corridor to her
own apartment; there she shut herself
in and sat by the window to look upon
the dusk and the white fields.
Aunt she said, speaking her
thoughts aloud, with tinge of bitter
ness, "you have spoiled my Christmas
but will not spoil yours, for you are
an old woman-an old woman, and you
have been good to me. / will try not
to show disappointment, but it is cruel,
cruel"
She said no more, but sat there in
the dusk, thinking very rapidly and
trying to feel less grieved. What
would Christmas be, now that he would
not come? What were all the Others
if that one earnest face, with its clear
blue eyes, looked no response? That
hopeful, handsome face, with its crisp
chestnut locks at the temples.
She had not seen him since October,
when he had come out with Elmer.
just before Elmer had sailed. They
had corresponded at intervals. She
wondered if her aunt had thought of
this. Her aunt was the last person on
earth to pry into another's correspond
ence-eyen to examining postmark.
All, yes, her aunt was nobly just-to
herl
But to Robert, so brave. so
honest, so full of youths enthusiasm
Poverty? Yes, sore poverty was
against him. Elmer Keene had told
her something once about rich man
having defrauded Robert, a rich man
who knew well that which he was doing
when he took advantage of legal quib-
bic and and a days lapse to so possess
what Robert should have gained-his
mothers heritage. But Robert had
never learned the name or identity of
the defrauder. Robert was peculiar in
some respects. "Communisticlp she
wondered if this were Communism, a
great heart yearning toward all the OPP
pressed the suffering ones of earth
If he We're rich man, or even fairly
fixed, she knew what he would be do
ing just now. He would be going and
sending from house to house among
the low, the ignorant, the sorrowing,
with bread and meat and tenderness
for soul and body, and blessings for the
Christmas day so near approaching.
Oh, it was cruel She rose and
walked slowly to and fro. How calmly
her aunt had dismissed it! How eff
fectually! She knew too well the utter
vanity of reopening the subject. She
almost regretted she had not let her
heart cry out for him, saying,
Aunt, for my sake, let him come"
But he had never said that he loved
her, and should she be the first? I'm
possible! Her face grew hot in the
darkness. Still she could not give him
up thus. She must see him once more,
if only once. She had no thought of
wrOnging her aunt's confidence, for her
aunt had ever been just, and Justice
begets justice wherever its touch has
been felt. But she would write him
tomorrow, in any event He should
know that if all else were different, she
remained unchanged.
Thus resolved she went down to the
sitting-room, and as they sat at dinner,
her face was unclouded and beautiful.
Miss Claiming had possibly forgotten
the conversation and the evening
slipped quietly away.
But Clarice retired only to toss fever
ishly all night long and realize that she
stood face to face with her first trouble.
She would not write, she determined,
but telegraph instead, when on the NOR
row she went to town. 1t occupied her
mind to word out this message
l did not know until few hours since
| that you had not been asked this year. My
aunt has always attended 10 such matters.
ana supposed it to be as usual. cannot tell
/ you how panied am-though were you here
l might convince you. Remember. though
other things be different, am still the same.
Answer this il possible, that | may know you
believe me- | shall be in town some hours.
! CIARICE.
4 Yes, she would say at least this much.
He should know that she was his friend,
if nothing more
! PART II
The morning had risen white as a
sanctifed spirit, and with love upon the
shining fields.
Clarice was eager to be off you
must have the carthage" said Miss
Claiming. Il dare say You would pre-
fer the cutter, but it would never hold
your parcels.
Clarice gave gentle assent, and soon
after was leaning back among the cush-
ions and listening with infinite satisfac.
ton to the cringing snow beneath the
wheels, as the carriage progressed
: fO4xor1 fThax- orn5caI fha