Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-05-21
THE MOSS ROSEBUD.
BY MARIA GILBERT.

particular; only little jealous now and
then, which goes to prove her love TO
me, and If her trials are imaginary, mine
the result of them, shall be transitory
tor what were life to me without Mary p
Scarcely had he thought thus. when 8
little flower girl met his view. noldin1
forth for sale a bunch of rich exotics. Is
which, with the heliotrope and japonica
were bound, side by side, two beautiful
moss rosebuds, tempting the youne
morallzer to purchase at once. Arthur
| '. gave his address to the little Girl
charging her to ask the lady with whom
ne was q boarder to preserve carefully
the flowers until his return, and continn.
ing his route, he congratulated himself
as he thought of the pleasure his Gift
would afford the loved one; for Mary
loved flowers, and those buds were
beautiful and rare. A few minutes at.
ter young V. had passed into anothe,
street, the person of fair Msrv met in
her daily ramble the girl with the flow
era. Attracted by the uncommon bean
ty OF the buds, Mary learned from the
Dearer the destination, which she rightly
judged was, in the end, for her own on
joyment.
During the bright June morning.
merry, light hearted, teasing girl set out
on her tour for pleasure, and turning a
corner, she espied on the ground q
moss rosebud-twin to the one in
the purchased boquet, and carelesslv
dropped by the flower girl-which she
placed in her bosom, then took her
course to the house of her cousin Mary.
the betrothed of Arthur v, designing to
chat awhile with her, after she had snent
an hour with a friend on the wav.
Meanwhile, young Arthur fastened with
lovers earnestness to present his floral
Offering in person, where it was only
equaled by the bloom and freshness Of
her to whom he had devoted his best
gifts of true and ardent spirit. q loving
and faithful heart.
While admiring the fragrance of his
bouquet, Mary suddenly exclaimed.
"But where is the other bud ?"
That there had been more than one
was fact which had escaped his notice:
and while the lady frankly told him of
her previous admiring scrutiny, he az
frankly assured her that he had present.
ed his gift entire, as he found it. That
there were two buds on the bouquet a
short time before, Mary was right in as
serhng; that she saw but one then was
an incontestable truth, and the only dark
impulse in Mary's bosom rose up to
doubt. This was the spot that, like the
heel OF Achilles, was destined to receive
the arrow which poisoned all her peace.
SO with this feeling smarting in her
heart, concealed by q smiling lin. she
parted with her friend, whose engage
ments prevented protraoted stay.
1t was nothing wonderful that Rachel
should wear rosebud in her bosom. or
that, on being questioned during her
call on her cousin, she should decline
satisfying curiosity as to whence it
came.
1t was natural for Mary to doubt her.
self, and for that reason her faith in
others was weak. 1t was from mirth-
fulness alone that Rachel concealed the
truth CT having found the bud, and with.
out dreaming how deeply her words
stung the ear that received them. she
lett her cousin impressed with the be.
lief that Arthur had deceived, and Ra-
chel had triumphed. It was in vain
Mary reasoned with herself. The token
OF regard so plainly worn by Rachel
was enough to satisfy even mind less
suspecting than her OVID, so when Ar.
thur Y. made his next visit he found
the following note awaiting him:
Unwilling to share your gifts with
another, or to accept divided heart.
and feeling myself to be more arbitra.
ry in my requirements that can posi-
bly coincide with your honor and truth.
write to release you from an engage
ment that will leave one of us free, and
the other, 1 trust, happy"
Sprlnglng from his seat like one
pierced to the heart, he left the house
for ever, and engaged situation AZ
supercargo on board an Indian ship
embarked for an indefinite length of
time, after leaving note as follows for
his unjust, though still loved and never
forgotten, Mary:
" what is he to Hecuba 2 nothing
an unsightly excrescence to be shaken
Oft: Farewell, my dearest Mary. Peace
and happiness attend you. I will not
thrust myself upon your attention. will
not weary you with my presence. Thank
you, gentle one, for past favors; for be-
gulilng many a weary hour-for that
benevolence that prompted SO great .
sacrifice for one who now feels that he
had no place in your heart, and can there
fore better appreciate your kindness in
yielding him your grace and counte.
nance, purely for his own good. Nav
he on whom you next condescend to
smile be mora worthy of you, moro like
you, and better able to make Won an
adequate return for all you gave. Many
there are whose endowments will recon-.
mend them to your respect and love-
who, having gained will be able to re-
tain their place in your affection. MAY
1T be yours to find such friends. Think
sometimes, will you not, Of the ruptured
ne? When new ones cluster around you.
think of him who gave his all, and had
no more that he could give-whose Of
fering was rejected"
1t was said by those who knew him
that Mr.. V, would return at the end Of
the year; but twenty years rolled BY, and
with them came no news from her lover
to Mary, nor did they give any outward
eigns OF relenting; but Time. a. he
brought his annual offerings for the 90
ceptance Of his child each season q
thread of silver for her hair, or richer
experience in the discipline Of lite
Time always found her single, true to
him.
Twenty years It was long while to
remember, but Mary was Just seventeen
at the time OF her engagement, and she
was one Of those whose heart never
grows old. -.5-
Late in the gloomy autumn, while the
husbandman was feeling that, while he
wiped his brow ct the gathering in Of
his harvest he was being baptized and
purified in the approval Of his Masters
smile for his industry and toll, while