The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-05-24
THE MOSS ROSEBUD.
BY MARIA GILBERT,

ton of a young man, as he descended
the steps of pleasant house in one of
our Southern cities, and with hghtened
heart bent himself toward his place of
business. He had been striving to con-
ciliste where cause for offense from
himself had never been given. For"
thought he, "she is unfortunate in this
particular; only little jealous now and
then, which goes to prove her love for
me, and If her trials are imaginary, mine,
the result of them, shall be transitory,
for what were life to me without Mary?"
Scarcely had he thought thus, when a
little flower girl met his view, holding
forth for sale bunch of rich exotlcs, in
which, with the heliotrope and laponica,
were bound, side by side, two beautiful
moss rosebuds, tempting the young
moralizer to purchase at once. Arthur
Y. gave his address to the little girl,
charging her to ask the lady with whom
he was boarder to preserve carefully
the flowers until his return, and continu-
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 af-
ter young V. had passed into another
street, the person of fair Mary met In
her daily ramble the girl with the flow
ers. Attracted by the uncommon beau
ty of the buds, Mary learned from the
bearer the destination, which she rightly
judged was, in the end, for her own en-
ioyment.
During the bright June morning,
Inhf Il
on her tour for pleasure, and turning a
corner, she espied ON the ground a
moss rosebud-twin to the one in
the purchased boquet, and carelessly
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 spent
an hour with friend on the way.
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, loving
and faithful heart.
While admiring the fragrance of his
bouquet, Mary suddenly exclaimed.
"But where is the other bud 2"
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 as
frankly assured her thai 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
sorting; 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 smiling lip, she
parted with her friend, whose engage
ments prevented protracted 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 Of having found the bud, and with
out dreaming how deeply her words
stung the ear that received them, she
left her cousin impressed with the be-
lief that Arthur had deceived, and Ra-
chel had triumphed. 1t was in vain
Mary reasoned with herself. The token
of regard SO plainly worn by Rachel
was enough to satisfy even mind less
suspectlng than her own, SO when Ar
thur V. 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,
l write to release you from an engage
ment that will leave one of us free, and
the other, trust, happy"
Springing from his seat like one
pierced to the heart, he left the house
for ever, and engaged a situation as
supercargo on board an Indian ship
embarked for an indefinite length of
time, after leaving a note as follows for
his unjust, though still loved and never
forgotten, Mary:
What is he to Hecuba p nothing
an unsightly excrescence to be shaken
OF. Farewell, my dearest Mary. Peace
and happiness attend you. 1 will not
thrust myself upon your attention, will
not weary you with my presence. Thank
you, gentle one, for past favors; for be-
guli1ng many weary hour-for that
benevolence that prompted so great q
sacrlhce Tor one who now feels that he
mad no place III your heart, and can there.
lore better appreciate your kindness in
yielolng MN your grace and connie
nance, purely for his own good. May
he on whom you next condescepd to
smile be more worthy of you, more like
you, and better able to make YOU an
adequate return for all you gave. Many
there are whose endowments will recon-
mend them to your respect and love
VINO, having gained will be able TO re-
'aln their place in your affection. May
IL oe yours to find such friends. Think
solaemnes, Will you not, of the ruptured
ue "nen new ones cluster around you,
tAinh OF MN who gave his all, and had
no more that he could give-whose Of
1erlng was rejected
II was sald by those who knew him
tha. MIR. ', would return at the end Of
Tue year; out twenty years rolled by, and
WIN tnem came no news from her lover
70 Mary, nor did they give any outward
signs OF relenting; but Time, as he
brought his annual offerings for the ac-
ce,eptance of his child-each season a
thread OF silver for her hair, or a richer
experience IN the discipline of life
him. luz W
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.
Late IN the gloomy autumn, while the
nusoandman was feeling that, while he
hh,peo MS brow at the gathering IN of
nis harvest he was being baptized and
punhed IN the approval of his Masters
slnne Tor his industry and toll. while
al Indian summer proclaimed itself