The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1886-08-12


| a never drive after him and bring
back in n p%haeton."
And at that she threw herself upon
the dewy grass and wept u~nrestrained-
w.. She was too young to be capable
of the terrible, fearless, sorrow with
which IN older woman may meet be-
reavement and heart-break. She only
knew that everything had changed
s.nce morning. that Ralph had gone
away. that she was very, very wretched,
and that no one must know of 1T.
The fire-fies flashed in tho grass, the
flowers were heavy with dew, the air,
was full of the fragrance of mignoLj
cite. heliotrope, and roses, but Rhetta
did not heed them. She only felt that
night was kind to make such darkness
and solitude in the garden that no one
could see her or hear her, poor miser-
able little Rhetta Wood, crying for q
lost happiness that had never really
been hers. And now it seemed to her
that Rose was curel, from the midst or
her luxury, and her dozens OF lovers,
to com.e swooping down upon this one
chance of bliss in n lifetime. For
Rhetta a I'LL that in all the years to
come she should never, never marry.
That was all over from this time forth.
The crickets hunmed about her, the
nightmoths brushed by her UNDECIDED;
the moon rose but she did not know it
She was thinking how she should live
all her life long in the little old house.
After awhile her aunt Dorcas would
die, and she would be left alone with
her father. Then after awhile he too
would die, and she would live on there,
an old, lonely woman.
From this reverie she was aroused
by the stopping of wheels, and cheer
full voices ut the gate.
''Rhettai Rhettar' shouted some
body, in joyous manly tones.
Yes, that was Ralph calling her.
With girlish celebrity she smoothed back
her disordered hair and ran to the gate.
There he stood, his arms filled with
flowers, which he loaded upon her,
while Colonel Porter's coachman, who
had brought him home, was almost
staggering under the weight of an i'm
mems basket, full of bloom and fra
GRANGE which he made haste to deposit
on the garden walk.
Everything is here" said Ralph
gayly-.the geraniums, the day lilies,
the tea-rose bushes, and the double
violets. Roots, slips, cuttings, all you
wanted, you have them now, and I'll
set them every out for you"
"Oh, how beautiful! how beauti-
full murmered Rhetta, very softly
and gently. She was wholly overcome
by this strange endiEgof her passionate
grief.
The coachman departed, leaving the
two lovers alone in the moonlit garden.
Lovers they were, for Ralph drew
Rhetta close to his heart, while he
placed upon her finger the ring that had
waited hidden in his pocket.
ling?" he said, fervently. My way is
clear before me now. Colonel Porter
has given me a chance in his own bust
ness, beyond anything L dared hope.
You don't know how hard it has been
for me to wait till L had Il right to ask
you to be my w little Rhetta always
-atUaySr'
Happy Rhettai-the moon ought to
have laughed right out to see how her
face had changed, it was so full now of
smiles and bushes.
Aunt Dorcas, hurrying home an hour
later, eager to explain how she had gone
to sit awhile with poor old Mrs. Davis.
who had sciatica, was taken all aback
by hearing merry voices under the plum
tree, and finding Ralph and Rhetta there
at work with trowels setting out roots
and tying up plants.
Rose Porter sent me all these" ex-
claimed Rhetta, triumphantIy-.'all
this great basketful of lovliness and
luxury, and we must set them every
one out tonight, because night is the
best time, and they will get the dew"
For the land sakes!!" calculated
Aunt Dorcas. Don't We want the Ian
''Oh the moon is as bright as day."
said Ralph, us he paused to choose
a place for Il fine blue saliva.
well! Wellr' the old lady exclaim-
ed and then, rs if she dimly compre-
hended that something in the glamour
of youth and romance might make it a
thing to be desired to dig in gardens at
unusual hours, she said no more, but
went quietly into the house.-Mary L.
B. Branch, IN Harper'S Bazar.