The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-09-11

That was all Elsie heard. She did not
know how long they talked after that. He
was going to cut down Lucina's cinnamon
rosasl She kept saying IL over to herself,
as II IL were task she had to learn, and
she could not easily understand. "Lucina's
cinnamon rosesl He's goin' to cut down
all Lucina's cinnamon roses tomorrow"
1t was twelve o'clock that night when
Elsie crept down the stairs and out the
front door. There was no sound In the
house except her brother's heavy breath
ing. He and his wife had been asleep
three hours. Elsie sidled out of the yard,
road and down IL a little way to her old
home. There were only these two houses
for n long way; there was not light
visible In either. No one would be pass
danger of her being observed; moreover,
| she could not have been very easily. Great
| elms grew on both sides of the street. and
| they cast broad ,hickerng shadows. Elsie,
keeping close with the shadows, as IL they
were friends, ana progressing with soft
starts, after little panses to listen and
peer, might have passed for a shadow her.
self.
She stopped for minute at the corner
of the yard, and stared fearfully over at
the peril roses. The moon was coming
up, and she could see them distinctly.
She fell to remembering. To this inno-
cent, simple-henrted creature, clinging so
closely to the old holy loves and loyalties
that she meditated what to her was des-
perate deed in defense of them, that fair
dedd Lucina became visible among her
cinnamon roses. Elsie for a minute, as she
stood there, was all memory; the past
seemed to come back In pity for her agony
of regret and overshine the present. The
light of an old morning lay on those roses,
and young Lucna stood among them,
lovely and triumphant. She had just set
| them in tho earth with her dear hands.
| When Elsie moved again she was ready
for any thing.
Oh, those cinnamon roses! the only
traces which that beautiful, beloved
maiden had left of her presence in the
world! Oh, those cinnamon roses the one
little legacy of grace which she had been
able to bequeath to it!
When Elsie came out on the road again
| she had something carefully covered by
her apron, lest the moon should make It
glitter. She ran home faster than she had
come, with no watchful pauses now. But
she had to make another cautious journey
to the Wing barn before she returned to
fully; no one had heard her. The next
morning some one knocked while the fam
lily were at the breakfast table. Silas
answered 1t.
"The queerest thing" he said, when he
returned. "Havers has lost his sickle, the
one he brought over last night, an he
wants to borrow mine, an l can't find
that high or low. / would ha' swore it
was hangin' on the hook in the barn. He
wants to get them cinnamon roses cut"
swell, / should think it was queer"
said his wife. 81 know saw it out there
yesterday. Are you sure it's gomez"
"Course l am. Don't you s'pose I've
got eyes"
Elsie said nothing. She bent her head
over her plate and tried to eat. They dill
not notice how white she was. She
kept a sharp watch all day; she started
every time any one spoke; she kept close
to the others; she dreaded to hear what
might be said, but she dreaded more not
to hear.
"Has Mr.. Havers found his sickle yet?n
Mrs. Wing asked, when her husband came
home at night. He had been over to the
village. II see you ridin' home with
him."
"No, he 'ain't. He's gone and bought a
roses cut down tomorrow. 'Ain't seen any
thing of ourn yet, hev yc?"
mo; I've been out myself and looked" !"
"Well, 1t beats every thing-two sickes
right in the neighborhood! | ruther think
some one must ha' took 'em."
Gland! Silas, nobody's took 'em.
know all about you. I've known you to
hev things stole before, an it always
turned out you was the thief When you
lose thing it's always STOLE"
Elsie found it harder to start out to-
night; little of the first impetus was
wasted. Still, she did not hesitate. When
the house was quiet she crept out again,
and went over to the old place. She did
not stop to reflect over the roses tonight
She was braced up to do her errand; but
it must be done quickly, or she would give
way. She went straight around the house
to the woodshed, where she had found the
sickle the night before. AS she came close
to the open arch which served as entrance
there was a swift rush, and William
Havers stood beside her holding her hand.
| ba
ing for breath.
! ''Elsie NJ ills? what in the world are you
! doin' here."
She looked up in his face, but did not
} speak.
} '"Why, Elsie, what is it. Don't. you be
afraid, your poor little thing. What was
it you wanted? Tell me-"
"Let me go?"
"Of course, will, but l think you'd
better tell me what you wanted, an let
mean to scare you. / suspected I'd he'd a
: sickle stole, an i was kinder keepin' Il
lookout. When jumped out didn't see
who twas"
} again if you offer to tech Luciny's roses"
"You--stole my sickle-I offer to tech
Luciny's roses! l guess l don't know
what you mean, Elsie"
81 mean jest what say. I'll steal your
: sickle every time you offer to cut down
Luciny's roses"
"You mean them roses out in the front
yard?"
"Course do. Didn't she set 'em out?"
"Dear me! I didn't know. l didn't
know nothin' about it.. hadn't no notion
of your feelin' bad. If l had, l guess
Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you
come right over? Td hev mown off my
own fingers before I'd offered to tech them
roses il I'd known"
"Do you s'po 9 was goin' to come over
here an ask YOU not to, when knew you
was jest doin' it for spite cause Luciny
wouldn't hev you"
"'Cause Luciny wouldn't hev me?"
"Yes, cause Luciny wouldn't hev you. y
81 didn't never ask her to hev me, Elsie.'
"What?"
81 didn't never ask her."
81 don't see what you mean by that"
"Why, mean didn't"
"What was you hangin' round her so fur
} then? AM what made you act so awful cu
"Didn't you never know twas you
Elsie:"
"Me?"
"Yes, you."
"Well all I've got to say is, you'd ortel
, to be ashamed of yourself. A girl like
Luciny-you WANT fit to look at her.
would ruther hev had her than anybody
else. guess it's sour grapes"
II know Luciny was the handsomes
girl anywheres round, but that didn't
make no difference. l always liked you
, best. don't think you'd orter to be mad
Elsie"
~ amt; but don't like to see anybody
, like Luciny sighted. WANT nothin' side
of Luciny."
"Well, reckon your thinkin' you wa'n'
was what make me take to you in the frs
place. Look a-here, Elsie. Pm a-goin