Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-01-12
R0SS.E'S ROMANCE.
BY MRS. y. BURKE COLLINS.

Girls, I've a proposition to make !!
I we aIe all living ono year from to.
night, We " i'll meet ut this place, ~
this hour"
"Agreed."
The three girls, grouped about the
fir, a bright, noisy woOd-fre In the
great school room vt Madame Dufsrge's
" Institute FIR Young Ladi II, answer
ed simultaneously. korsie Lee went
on oracuiarly !:
We four era luate tomorrow 1t
will be 70 nice to meta year from now,
and relate our ,xperiences' M they do
at prayer meeting. Our different paths
in ita are pretty plainly marked out
for us, ! believe: You, Nell . Morti-
mere" indicating a brown-eyed, curly
haired girl, wi ose face was dimpling
with mischief, "you, ] believe, are to
travel awhile with your pAreDis All,
how lice 10 be u rich mans daughter,
and after your rrturn, settle down 10
The gayeSt existence lnagi able You,
Bertha Hinton" laylnpa white hand
on the head Of a pale, thougLttul-iook.
ling girl nj her side, " ar" 10 enter upon
career Of literary work don't envy
you, upon NY word. last, but not
least, Ethel Chiffon hero Ia going 70 be
married u
"Oh, R0ssie T. 'xpos'ulated Ethel. a
stylish bruno te, "Iow can you Ok.
pose my secret to 'he assembled
crowd %
Aud she covered Yer face with her
pretty ha us In affected horror, though
the tan in her eyes was predominant
over every eth: emotion.
We'll, it's trn.!' returned Rossie,
compos,dly "!'u ought not to be
ashamed Of It'll You're not gong back
on your engagement, snpppso? l
should think Mr.. Richard Brent iH
hardly tie sort OF man. j'ndclug from
|yourdescription, to be Tilted I"
oh, dear, no, sighed Ethel, plant
lively, and III though IA though she re-
gretted the fact, land II don't in
Tend 10 jslt him. But, Ross,e, you
haven't disposed Of yourself yet. What
| IL IN store tor you IN the future p
"Oh, yes t. cried the other girls, In
chorus, I'VE must know
hossle's laughing face grew suddenly
grave.
"Ny fortune isn't worth speaking
| OF " she returned, land 1t wlil not
lake long 10 tell all about it. The fact
is, Iirls, We are poor, very unc'mpro.
m!sngIy poor, and my father wishes
N. 10 marry "A certain ri"h nan who
donors me with his preference He IL
l"ll and stern, ard hat him--I hate
him she repeated tierC-Iy.
| " Oh Ro,slr | exclaimed Ethel, 81
never dreamed Of such 4 thing. What
shall you do?"
- VIII not marry him " vert on
] lsossir, slowly, her dark eyes iixed on
the lire have made up my mud nev.
or to submit. Perhaps, who kn' vs.,
my fairy prince may happen along, aud
rescue me.
Aud She laughed n mrthle,s laugh
A cloud seemed " fall npon the mer
Try group. Kos,ie broke The silence.
:" We'll, then, she cried, 1T Ii
Understood that we all meet here one
year from tonight, AT nine precisely
IN get Madame Duiarse 10 permit ~
10 meet III this very room and II viii
bs 40 end OF fun
so the compact was ratified, and tn,
four friend. separated. The next day
they graduated IRON the lLhtitute VIII
houors, and separated to meet NO more
Tor the space Of On" year.
Eossi" Lee lived some defiance from
tie institute, a malt days Journey by
lrall. and she was soon sdis on board
the train flying rapidly Lome~ard.
After a time she observed u gentle
man sitting opp"sit" her, hl, dark eyer
fixed admirirgiy upon her race; mana
some man., dark and naughty IN ap'
pearance. Somrho" R"eeie coo ID neVcI
af>ernardrecaIi just no" 1T came about
he Was soon sittli next her, convtrs.n rs
prasant,y, but with the utmost defer
enct.
She found him entertaining, making
| the tedious Trip seem IKE dream tt
her. They were Convcrslng pIearahtly
discussing the iast new novel when al
at once u roaring, rushing sound Toll on
Their ga II, then u d-alcniIIg crash; h-,L'
ven and earth sceued 10 como tnsethrr,
and after that Rosie knew no more.
| When she recovered CONSCIOUSNESS she
WAS lying on a pile Of rugs and shaw.s,
and her new acquaintance was stand
ing at her side.
She learned afterward, through the
other Passengers, no" he HAD riskch
his own lite to save hers, taking her IL
his arms and forcing his way through
"a portion OF the wreck, thus escaping
with his s-n..,ltss burden ia time u
prevent suHocatiOn, AZ the crushed DEF
ris fell III upon the place which she
had occupied. ! need not add Thai
warm. hearted. impu!sive Rossie fell In
love on the spot.
Another tram wan soon In readiness,
which bore them 10 kossie's home. But
before they had reached their drntina-
ton it became evident to her that the
gentleman WAS very III.
She knew that he had been frartnlIy
bruiutl and stunned, and she saw with
AZ pr-hension his fac. grow ghaStiy
l,te while lines of suffering worked
| his firm, handsome mouth.
There WAS but one course, she must
extend the hospitality II her own home,
plain though il was, for his destination
| va. a neighboring cay.
Her father v Az waiting at the station
when the train arrived, half Wild with
anxiety IN regard to his daughters fat
lie insisted upon taking The stranger Il
mis- house, and before il WAS reached tn
young man Was insensihle
Rossj" tended him with tho gr. Attest
devotion; this man whose name she lid
not know had crown strangely dear Il