The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1884-07-03
!, UNCLE CUTHBRBT.

81; b1IV l'ln UUl nDhD 1
.Hushl Il IS Clarence Hyde's stepi'
And Rosa Eldon 5prang 10 her feet
rosy and smiling; with the freshly;
plucked helitrope trembling among he,
glossy brown braids; and her pretty
blue dress floating around het: like al
azure cloud.
Only 10, and very fair and lovely was
our little Rosa triae spoiled and
wilful, perhaps, but what else could one
expect? Every one petted and made
much Of her-every one smiled at he1
pretty, kittenish way-and Clarence
Hyde thought her the fairest specimen
of feminine humanity that ever the sun
shone on
Lizzy Eldon made room for her sis
ter-I.izzie, just one year. younger and
scarcely less fair yet very different in
character. Lizzie was quite, and sage
and demure, while Rosa ratified away
like merry mountain stream flowing
over its messy stones. Lizzy thought
her sister perfection, while Rosa was
lecturing Lizzy in capricious fashion,
and laying down the law to her after
the most approved manner of elderly
sisters.
"How nice it must be to be engaged! p
said Lizzy, with half-encouraging
smile, as Rosa paused at the glass to
adjust her hair. 81 wish I was en-
gaged!"
"You? Oh, you are nothing but a
child" Rosa said, patronizingly.
"There-give me my pocket handker-
chief"
And away she went, light and 1.-the as
a butterfly.
Clarence Hyde was in the parlor anx-
iously awaiting her coming, but Clar-
ence had rather disturbed face He
was well-made, handsome young fell
low, with laughing, wine-brown eyes,
straight features, and brown hair thrown
back from broad, frank brow.
''Why, what makes you look so
sober?" was Rosa's first question, when
the ceremonials of greeting were gone
through with, and she had had time to
take good look into his face.
''Sober? do To-
He was playing rather restlessly with
the crimson cord that Topped back the
white muslin drape1ies of the pretty bay
window that made Mrs. Eldon's cottage
look like one of the lovely rustic hati-
tations you see in old English engrav-
ings.
Exactly as if you had the toothache
or bad conscience"
Clarence laughed in spite of himself.
"You are wrong, then, my little rid
dle-guesser; am afflicted with neither
the one or the other"
"Well, what is it, then?"
"Rosa, what should you say if it
were to become necessary to defer our
marriage for some time?"
A shadow came over the infantile
bloom and freshness of Rosa's face.
"To defer our marriage, Clarence?
I can't imagine what you mean"
My uncle has just come from California,
very poor and a confirmed invalid. I
am his only surviving relative, and to
me he naturally appealed for protec-
ton and companionship. I must give
him home, Rosa. You know I had
laid up just enough to begin housekeep-
ing in quiet, economical sort of way,
but the new plan will necessarily alter
all my arrangements"
II never heard of any uncle before.
''No, dearest; knew little of him
nothing personally, as he never visited
my fathers during his life time
Rosa's face was turned away from
Clarence Hyde's; she was silently twist
ing a piece of paper round and round
her slender forefnger.
"Rosa," he said, after waiting min
ute or two for her to make some remark,
"tell me honestly, dear one, which you
prefer-to begin housekeeping on this
new scale-one more frugal and hum
BILE than had originally hoped and in
tended-or to defer our marriage until
I can earn enough to carry out those
original arrangements ?"
She was silent for moment, then she
answered in voice which seemed to
chill Clarence's buoyant young heart:
''Neither!"
t'Rosa," he exclaimed, Il do not un-
derstand you"
II spoke plainly enough. "Neither!"
"Do you mean that"
I mean that you must either give up
your uncle or me. After all that has;
been said and known of our engagement
after it's publicity and length, [ certainly
can not consent to a further postpone
ment. And we shall be poor enough if
we marry Immediately, without filling
our house with needy relatives"
Clarence Hyde looked at his fair fl
ancee in perfect amazement. Never in
the whole course of their acquaintance
had he seen this phase of character. He
had fancied her all that was sweet, pure
and womanly. Gould it be possible that
she was cold-hearted, selfish, and dead
to all the sweet ties of nature?'
Rosa" he said, mournfully, lis this
to part us?"
1T is for you to say
"Do you wish me to give up my poor,
dependent uncle?"
Either him or me-" Rosa answered,
indifferently.
ut will be hard-very hard, for me
TO lay aside the brightest wishes Of my
life," he said, earnestly, "but, Rosa,
duty is my first object. can not leave
my uncle to wear out his remaining days
in poverty and solitude"
Every WE'LL" answered Rosa careless
~ stopping to pick up the odorous pur-
pie blossoms which had fallen from her
hair, "then we shall consider our en-
gagement dissolved"
"And can You give me up so readily,
Rosa?"
"Oh," said Rosa, little impatiently,
"where's the use Of being romantic about
it? You have chosen your part, I have
chosen mine. So let it be?"
Clarence Hyde took his leave, de-
-',ected enough. 1t is not pleasant to
set up fair idol and worship it with
all the strength and tenderness of your
L. a. II