The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-09-16
CINNAMON ROSES.

white, but the paint now was only q
film in some places. One could see the
gray wood through it. The establish
ment had a generally declining look; the
shingles were scaling from the roof, the
fences were leaning. All the bit of new
ness and smartness about it was the
front door. That was painted bright
blue.
Cinnamon rose-bushes grew in the
square front yard. They were full OF
their little sweet ragged roses new. With
their silent, lowly persistency they had
ove9run the whole yard. There was no
stepping-room between them. They
formed a green bank against the house
walls; their branches reached droOpingly
across the front walk, and pushed
through the fence. Children on the
sidewalk could pick the roses.
Four men coming up the street with a
business air looked hesitatingly at this
rose-crowded front yard when they
neared it.
"Thar amt no use goin' in thar into
that mess of pricl1ly roses, said one-a
large man with happy smile and swag-
ger.
1--WE are obliged by law to have the
sale on the premises, remarked another,
blandly and authoritatively. He was a
Iight-whiskered young fellow, who wore
better clothes than the others, and held
= large roll of papers ostentatiously.
"Oh dear!" they heard distinctly, in a
shill, weak, womanish voice, with an
unnatural strain on it-"oh deari oh dear
mel dear mel" Then followed loud hys-
terical sobs; then the voice kept on: "Oh,
father, what made you leave me?-what
made you die an leave me? want fit
to be left alone. Oh, fatherl oh, mother!
oh, Luciny! 1 amt got anybody
'ain't not anybody. Oh dear! oh dear
mel dear me!n
Il heard she took on awfully bout it,
said the auctioneer.
well, you might as well go on, " said
the lawyer; duty has to be performed,
no matter how unpleasant"
The auctioneer commenced his read
ing of the statement of the conditions Of
the sale, then the bidding began. That
was soon orr, since there were only two
bidders. f71e old man, who held the
mortgage, which had been forecIosed,
bid with nervous prOmptness the exact
amount of his claim. Then man at
the cherry tree made a bid of a few dol
- lars more, and he was pronounced the
purchaser.
Going, going-gone!" said the auction
neer, "to William Havers."
William Havers fingered about his new
estate until the others had departed,
which they did as soon as the necessary
arrangements had been completed. They
wanted to be out of hearing of those sad
cries and complaints.
Havers strolled out to the road with
them. When he saw them fairly started,
lie went swiftly back to the house, to
the side door,
He knocked cautiously. Directly the
cries broke out louder and shrilIer.
They've come to order me out. Oh
dear! oh dear! dear! dear! They've come
to order me out-they hev, they hev!"
Steps approached the door swiftly; it
opened, and woman appeared. She
looked pale and troubled, but she was
not the one in such bitter distress, for
the cries still sounded from the interior
of the house.
"How do you do, Mr.. Havers?" said
the woman, with grave fOrmality.
Can 1 see her minute?" he asked,
hoarsely.
elsie? 1 don't know. She's tal1in'
on dreadfully. She amt fit to see any
body. I'm afraid she wouldn't"
IF she'd only see me a minute. I've
got something 1 want to say particu-
lar"
well, III see."
She disappeared, and directly the
voice, which had been little more sub
dued, waxed louder.
I =. I
can't. won't see anybody. 1 never
want to see anybody again as long as l
live. Oh dearl dear!"
1T amt any use," said the woman,
coming back. "She amt fit to see any
body; she's most crazy. She don't know
what she's sayin', anyhow"
"Then you tell her-you go right in an
tell her now-she kin stay here. 1t don't
make any odds about my buyin' the
place; 1 won't live here. She kin keep
right on stayin' here jest the same"
A door opened suddenly, and another
woman appeared. She was n pitiful
sight. She had a little slim bony figure
which seemed to tremble in every joint.
Every line in her small face wavered and
quivered; her blue eyes were watery and
bloodshot; her skin all blOtched and
stained with tears. She was so disfigured
by grief that it was impossible to Judge
of her natural appearance. She would
have been hideous had not her smallnesS
and frailty in her distress made her pite-
sous.
Now, however, something besides sor-
row seemed t. move her. She was all
alive with a strange impotent wrath,
which was directed against William
Havers.
She clinched her red, bony hands; her
poor eyes flashed with indignation,
though the fore of it was lost through
their fearful weakness.
4 guess / won't keep on stayin' here, I
she snapped, in her thin, hOarse voice.
4 guess l wont. Nouneedn't offer me
home. I've got one pervided. l amt
quite destitute yet. You needn't think
you're goin' to come roun' now an
smooth matters over. know why you've
done it. You can't blind me. You've
been watchin' all the time for chance |
to pay Us back"
i don't know what she means" said I
Havers, helplessly, to the other women. !
"Lor, she don't know herself. She's |
got-kind of a notion that you're to blame /
for buyin' the place. She'll know better !
tomorrow"
Its a good deal better for me to buy |
it than Steadman," said Havers, with a I
troubled look. Il shell let her keep righe /
on here. To tell the truth, bought the 1
--place more fur
you're a real good man, said Mrs, |
Wing, warmly. She was Elsie Mills /
hers wife. aShen be ashamed Of |
self tomorrow. But she's comm to |
with Silas an me. She's welcome /
p home with US lest as long as she