Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-07-30
An ESCRIT0IRE.
BY ROSE AUBURN.

| DfoWn-eyeu, Drown haired Phoebe
Woldemere had laid two strips of lilac
silk across her lovers knee as she sat on
an ottoman at his feet.
/ There appeared very little difference
in the shade or quality, but there was
difference and very important one it
seemed to Phoebe; for whichever John
Rose decided upon, her wedding dress
was to be selected from.
So she watched the stalwart, blonde
fellow quite breathlessly as he took up
the shimmering bits of silk and exam
med them.
But he lald them down without speak
ing.
Which do you prefer, John? shall
get whichever you like best, said Pho.
be auxiously.
MY little GIRL" said John Rose,
gently, Il am afraid there is to be no
wedding"
"No weddingI' repeated Phoebe, with
wide eyes.
Listen, dear"
And as leniently as possible, the
young man went on to describe his faith
er's wrong against himself; but the
truth was, that the home which should
have been his--which he had earned
twice over since he had been of age
had been gambled away by the vicious
old man; and p alliate the matter as he
would, tho cruel facts remained to
hang cloud upon his brow and
pale PhGbe's happy bloom.
He regarded her silently and sadly,
while her thoughts went back to her
melancholy mothers prediction that mo
good would ever come of her engage
ment to John Rose; he came of bad
blood"
There was not bit of truth in it, for
she had been very happy for two years
and there was not fault Of his we'll
known father or grandfather's which
IL.
both been terrible warnings to him
only.
Il believed the house and farm mine,
Phoebe. Thought had home to take
you to, dear the yonng man went on
but the place is mortgagea for nearly
all that it is worth. My father has kept
up the deception for years. Last even.
! ing he told me ALL"
He gave her the details. bpt they
seemed to matter little. Johns home
was gone, or nearly SO; and, as he said
| there would be no wedding.
| II may get it back into my hands in
time, Phoebe. ! am going to try. But
it must be long time. VIII you wait ?"
''Of course will wait, John"
Fortunately you are very young,
1 sweetheart" ne said, and laid strong,
carressing hand on the soft, waving
/ hair.
I'VE have been waiting two years
now, John" Phoebe said, with faint
/ smile.
| How cruel it had been! He had been
working hard TO change, embellish and
furnish the house that was all gone
now--and Phoebe had had her little
trials with faithless mother.
What poor reward and dismal end
/ ing for BOTH
/ IF had not lived there all my life
/ if"--his voice faltered my mother had
not died there, 1 would give it up.
But ] must try and get it back"
! How long will it take, John 2"
/ II can not tell There's the rub, for
j can not see my way clear at present
/ to do il at ALL"
! The two talked late into the night.
! The next day John returned home,
! for he lived some ten miles out OF town,
/ and returned by the train.
But that day package came to
! PhGbes hand-quite heavy, square
/ package which turned out to be hand.
some writing desk, with an accompany
! ing note:
"MY DEAR PHGRE; Before leaving CHANGED
/ into some auction rooms and bid off this es-
/ OrlttoiIe which was going shamefully cheap.
I II Is very nice, and looks very old. thought
/ You would like it, and thought would LIKE
! TO have you have it TO write letters to me on
! l am, my little treasure, forever yours, y
! JonN ROSE
The box was of solid mahogany, lined
! with red satin, little faded. but care
/ fully preserved, and smelling delicate
/ ly of altar of roses The arrangement
Of the compartments was very nice, and
( Phoebe thought she had never seen any
/ thing so complete.
She was delighted with the gift, and
wrote many sweet, maidenly letters to
! jobs Rose upon it.
But the winter went, and the summer
came and went, and they were not much
nearer marriage.
To be sure, John had permission to
buy the place back when he liked, and
the hay and fruit had brought him in
500.
But he was only living on the old
I place as tenant, and he looked so sad
and careworn when Phoebe saw him
that her heart ached.
\ His old father, with his vicious hab-
its, and weak good nature, was grea,
trial. aud his iDfrm old grandmother,
/ who kept house for him was not the
best Of housekeepors.
Phoebe knew Johns home might be
much more homelike; but it was not
possible to believe that it would be
best for him to add To his cares the sup
port of herself and her invalid moth
4 er
She was nice milliner, but she
knew John would not let her work al
trimming other peoples bonnets after
she was his wife, He could earn fair
pay at his trade of carriagemaker, and
preferred to support her himself.
So phenhe waited for him, and her
rlother fretted.
$50 foolish OF Phoebe TO cling Ia
John Rosel There were others as
good, and better, who loved the ground
she trod on; and she had better love a
rich man who could marry her than a
poor one who couldn't"
Phoebe knew that all this referred Ia
Tom Embden, who kept thrifty COR
ner grocery.
But she did not pay much attention,
for she would not have married Tom
Eml,den, with his fire red whiskers, his
lies, and little tricks Of trade, II hand
some John had not loved her and she
had not loved him.
"But her mothers remarks were moi