Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-04-22

and catching up a bunch of roses that
one of the little girls had that morning
brought and placed upon the teach
ef's desk, she buried her face III their
bright depths and burst into a passion
of weeping. Round little home far
away the roses had clustered thick
and. various in the happy summers. OF
wears that were gone. Little did the
school girl think as she gathered that
bunch of roses and as a gift of love
laid it upon the teachers desk that
morning of the many sweet and pre-
cious memories it would bring about
| the teachers heart. But as the roses,
crushed by the pressure of her face
threw round her their fragrance the
Teachers thoughts sped back through
the years dividing to the home of her
childhood and youth. Onsuch anoth
or June day as this, the last birthday
she had spent in that home, how hap
l~py, oh, how very happy, they had
their three children, -Fred.a and Benny
and herself. Memory showed her
now her sweet brown haired mother
by an open window, just outside OF
which her father stood pruning q rose
that threatened to throw such thick
foliage across the window as to shut
out the light, while past them through
the airy hallway and out through the
| yard to the orchard Fred, her eldest
brother, was driven by the darling of
| the family, little Ben, still in frocks,
but often boasting of the pants he is
to wear soon.
I "Out, on the wide, rose-covered
porch, cluster of young girls are
chatting merrily, and their laughter
reaching the woman by the window,
then makes her smile again as if she
felt in their happiness her own youth
renewed.
In the pleasant dining room the Ia
BILE is spread for tea, and soon the
family and the merry girl cousins,
who have come in honor of the day,
are gathered to unite in the enjoy
ment of the good things prepared for
them All heads are bowed a mo-
ment as the father lifts his voice in
words of thanksgiving and of prayer.
| That prayer comes back to the teach
er In the plain country school house
| far away from her loved ones to-day.
Little Ben. and the mother, and even
| the merry cousins, full of life and
| health, as they then seemed to be,
have each heard the call to the home
where it is always joyful, and the roses
never fade. The teacher believes that
Fred. has Joined them there. He went
to the army, while yet the roses of
that June were in their prime, and
years have come and gone, the war is
| long since a matter of the past, there
| Ii-0pI from "a Cnl1InT how
and hope so long delayed has given
way to despair. There was another,
too, who went out that happy June
time to risk his life at his country's
call-one who was young, and passion
ate and hot-headed; who because OF a
foolish quarrel with the girl who
loved him, herself quick tempered, and
little thinking how far one little angry
word may go toward embittering a
whole lifetime, thought would soon
pass away, as many another of their
quarrels had done, leaving him loving
her as much or even more than ever
went away without one word OF peace
or kind goOd-by, though he still wore
her fair pictured face next his heart
and she still retained the engagement
ring he had given her.
After days OF weary waiting for him
to come Suelng for peace, the village
gossip told In her hearing of his hav-
ing Joined the army and gone away,
and the news fell on the girls angry
heart like a seething branding iron.
But then she had her father and moth
er and little Ben. at home with her.
Now all were gone. The happy home
gone too. Yet that prayer of the
| father for her in whose honor that
simple feast was spread-her whom
his heart held very dear, and for whom
his soul went out in trembling earnest
ness, still lived on.
Even as it came to her thoughts to-
| day she felt as if not alone after all.
Surely the God to whom her father
had prayed was with her yet. He
| had promised never to leave nor for
sake. With Him was no changing
no death, no anger, that olOng as life
endured could not be turned away
showing forth His tender mercy and
His love.
| No, she was not alone. A sweet
sense of protection-of confort-came
| to her heart, and she seemed to join
her father spirit in the prayer he had
breathed that other day, that God
would take her future into His own
keeping and guide her days according
to his will
A red rose fell on the desk at her
side, and, looking up in a startled
way, she saw a face at the window
near her that made her hold out her
hands with cry, uncertain between
fear and JOY. But the great bearded
fellow who sprang through the window
and caught her in his arms just as she
tottered to fall was not uncertain any
longer.
This was his sister May The one
whom he had sought and sought again,
but could not find until by chance-if
there is such a thing as chance-in pass
ing this little house in the grove hehad
found her bending over theroses with a
look that he knew although the face
that held it was sadly changed from
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