The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-06-18
HER WEDDING PRESENT.

"Hush! it is Clarence Hyde's stop"
And Rosa Eldon sprang to her feet
rosy and smiling. with the freshly
plucked heliotrope trembling among
her glossy brown braids, and her pref
ty, blue dress floating around her like
an azure cloud.
Only eighteen, and very fair and
lovely was our little Rosa triAe
spoiled and wilful, perhaps, but what
else could one expect7 Every one pet.
tod and made much Of her, and Car
ence Hydethought her tho fairest spec
linen Of feminine humanity that ever
tho shone on.
Lizzy Eldon made room for her sis
ter-Lizzy, just m year younger, and
scarcely less fair, yet very different in
character. Lizzy was quiet, and sage,
and demure, while Rosa ratified away
hike a merry mountain stream flow
ing over its messy stones. Lizzy
thought her sister perfection, while
Rosa was always featuring Lizzy in a
capricious fashion, and laying down
the law to her after the most approx
ed manner of elder sisters.
"How niceit must be to be engaged"
said Lizzy with q half-encouraging
smile rs Rosa paused at the glass to
adjust her hair. "Iwish l were engag-
ed"
your 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 b~lue-wmged butterfly.
Clarence Hyde was in the parlor,
anxiously awaiting her coming; but
Clarence had rather a disturbed face.
Hewas a well-made, handsome young
fellow, with laughing wine-urown eyes,
straight features, and brown hair
thrown backfroma broad, frank brow.
"Why, what makes you look so
sober?" was Rosa's first arch ques.
ton, when the ceremonials of greeting
were gone through with, ard she had
time to take a good look into his
face.
"Sober? Do II"
He was playing rather restlessly
with the crimson cord that looped
the white muslin draperies OF the
bay-window that made Mrs.
Eldon's cottage look like one OF the
rustic habitations you SEQ in
old English engravings.
Exactly as if you had the tooth
or 81 bad conscience"
Clarence laughed in spite of himself,
"You are wrong, then, my little rid
die guesser; | am afflicted with neither
tho one nor the other"
"Well, what rs it, them"
Rosa, what would 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.
ITO defer our marriage, Clarence? I
can't imagine what you mean"
Listen, Rosa, and 1 will
tell you. My uncle has just
come from California. very poor,
and a confirmed invalid. 1 am his
only surviving relative, and to me he
naturally appeals for protection and
companionship. | must give him a
Rosa. You know l had laid
up just enough to begin housekeeping
in a quiet economical sort of way,
but this new plan will necessarily al.
ter my arrangements"
81 never heard OF any uncle before"
"No, dearest; l knew very little OF
him-nothing personalities he never
my father during his lifetime"
Rosa's face was turned away from
Clarence Hyde's; she was twisting a
bit OF paper round her slender fore
fingers.
Rosa" he said. after waiting a
minute or two for her to make some
remark, "tell me honestly dear one,
which you would prefer-.to begin
housekeeping on this new scale-one
humber and more frugal than l had
originally hoped and intended-or to
III marriage until / cam earn
enough to carry out those original
She was silent for a moment, then
she answered, in a voice which seemed
to chill Clarence's bouyant young
heart.
"Neither!"
Rosa" he exclaimed, ~ do not I'm
derstand you!"
~ spoke plainly enough. Neither!"
"Do you mean that"
~ mean that you must either give
up your uncle or me. After all that
has been said and known OF our en-
gagement, after it's publicity and
length, | certainly cannot consent to
its further postponement. And we
shall be poor enough, if we marry i'm.
mediately, without filling our house
with a host of needy relatives"
Clarence Hyde looked at his fair Fl.
ancee in perfect amazement. Never
IN the whole course of their acquaint-
ance had he seen this phase of her
He had fancied her all
that was sweet, pure and womanly.
it be possible that she was
cold-hearted, selfish, and dead to al
the sweet ties OF nature?
"Rosa," he said mournfully, sis this
to part us?"
ut is for you to say"
"Do you wish me tosive up my poor,
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. l cannot
leave my uncle to wear out his few
days in poverty and soil
very WE'LL" answered Rosa, care
lessly stooPing to pick W the odor.
GUS purple blossom which had fallen
from her hair; "Then we will consider
our engagement at an end"
And you cangive me up so readily,
Rosa?"
"Oh," said Rosa, q little impatient
80. ,vI~-.b,