The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1886-06-24
ROSEBUD LEWIS.


ROSEBUD LEWIS.
.'She's good girl enough, Rosebud
isl hahn t no fault to find with Rose
bud Lewis" said Mrs. Dana, scrcwing
up her lips. "But won't deny that
I'm lcctle disappointed in her.
Richard Dana looked wistfully at
his aunt's hard-featured. sensible face.
Disappointed" he repeated. lin
Rosebud?"
''She's quite different from what she
used to be-" said Mrs. Dana. ..She
was the quictest, best, most stay-at-
home person in the world. But now
We'll. Aunt Thyrza,- now?'
1--WE met her ever SO many times
times alone on the road of an evening
when I've been coming home from
your cousin Bigbcc's," declared Mrs.
Dana. ''And she's always looked
ashamed Of herself, and tried to hide
out my sight in the shadow Of the
trees
'.Wcll, but, Aunt Thylza, where is
the harm OF that? Isn't the high road
free to ALP"
Mrs. Dana compressed her lips.
"Oh, of course" said she, "when you
come to that. It's free enough. But
pretty young girl like Rosebue Lewis
hasn't any business running about
after dark. I'm afraid she goes to
those dances at Willow Farm y
why shouldn't she?' said Richard,
endeayoring to veil his annoyance with
assumed indifference. There's no
harm in the Willow Farm festivities
that ever l heard Of
NO." assented Mrs. Dana. IF the
Willow family like it. I'm sure | have
no objections. Clara Willow is silly,
feathcr-hcaded ilirt, and George Will
low is one Of the kind who gets enga-
ged TO two or three girls at once, AMI
considers it good joke. But, if Rose
bud fancies that sort Of society,"
Just here, however, her stream OF
conversation was cut short by a sum-
mons frem her husband Rich.
ard Dana was left alone on the porch,
with the fragrant honey.suckle bios.
SONS and the murmuring of the umbra
gcous maplc-boughs overhead.
He was certainly stung to the quick
by his aunt's words. There was NJ
denying it. She had made no definite
accusations against Rosebud Lewis
but she had somehow managed to leas,
him with the impression that Rosebut
was not the same sweet, shy, impul
siyc lassie of the olden time.
Now. for the first time. he realized
how much he had been thinking an,
dreaming Of Rosebud, all these years
of how Roscbud's love had been tn,
ultimatum Of all his castles in the air
He was able, now, to create home TO
her, such as she deserved. He has
fought his way upward in tho world
until he stood Just where he mos
longcd to stand; and, coming back t
the old home, full of eager hopes an
plans, Aunt Thyrza' words had fallel
on his heart like SO many frozen drop
of ice.
Could it be possible that Rosebud ha
ceased to be- the sweet, pure little bios
som of ten years ago? Of course b
knew rs he had said. that there was n
harm in the Willow Farm dances, notl
ing disgraccful in young girls bein
alone in these quiet country lanes afte
nightfall; but then, the very mentiO
of these things in connection with Ros,
bud, brought with it an indctinabI
something that was inconsistent wit
his ideal of her.
In the meantime, Rosebud Levi
in the old tumbledown Manor IIous
was thinking, with a beating heart, I
Richard Dana's return.
.Will he come to see Mc?" she aske
herself. ''Docs he still remember me
But Of course he cant know that PAP
lost his money, and how poor we ar
, Nobody knows that. Papa has mac
me promise not to tell. He Thinks
) poor papa.-that when he finishes tn
learned book of his. and sells it to Il
. publishers, we shall be rich again. b
But sometimes think he is wrong
don seem possible wea
: sigh-'.that people can care so mu.
. to read poem about Ancient Cart
, age!"
Poor Rosebud! All of sudden
it were, her happy, laughing girlho,
had been eclipsed in n cloud of grin
ing care. Old Major Lewis. absorb,
in his cantos and blank verse, new
troubled himself about the ways Al
!. means of everyday life-and eve
: responsibility came on Rosebud's gil
!, ish shoulders. 1t was she who ba
! tied ourageously with the butcht
; the baker and candlestick maker.
; she who wrote pitiful deprec
.. ting little notes 10 the city gentlem
: who held the mortgage on the Q
Manor House, and who got so imI
s tent over the interest that was not for,
i coming. 1t was she who went into |
kitchen and cooked the little daint
which alone could tempt her fatne,
failing appetite, who gather
the bunch OF lilies, or irises, for I
china vase on his table. and mend
4 the frayed spots in the linen which h
I. now so slender a chance of renew
\ And through it all, she sung likt
!. household linnet,-for she thought
4 Richard Dana.
But he had been at home week no
' and he had not been to see her. Ro