The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1886-10-25
IN RHETTA'S GARDEN.
Why She and Ralph Would Dig
by Moonlight

II was only little spot south OF the
house, but violets blossomed sooner
there than any where else, and great
bursting pinks made the air spicy while
other peoples were only in bud. There
were daffodils in the grassy border. and
blue-bells, and blue spider-lilies. There
were two rose-bushes, one cinnamon
and one damask, while double sweet
g;llvf]owers sowed themselves and came
up every year along with mlgnonet.e
and chrysanthemums. 1t was sweet
fragant, old-fashioned little garden;
which Rhetta's mother had tended ana
taken pleasure in, and now it was khet-
ta's. There she worked all her spare
half-hours, sowing and watering, weed
ing and transplanting, till her little
hands were brown, and her checks like
her own cinnamon roses. Aunt Dor
cas-. in the kitchen, used to wonder
show on airth that child could be SO
content all alone out in her posy bed.
Rut Rhetta was not so often alone OF
late. since they had taken boarder,
Ralph Calender found that the pleas
ATTEST path to the house lay through
the little flower garden, and when ms
Jobs of copying failed to occupy MS
time. what could be more natural than
TO use his leisure helping the biushing
gardener? 1t was he who carried away
sll the weeds, divided the white peony
roots and reset them, and dug more
thoroughly than Rhetta ever could
around the dear old rose-bushes. over
their work they fell talking, as young
people will, and already Rhetta' sfather
began to watch them little anxiously
above his spectacles as he sat on the
norch. while one of the neighbors had
remarked privately to Aunt Dorcas that
II was a pity young Calender was not
man of fortune as we'll as OF family.
In truth. riches had taken unto them
selves wings and flown away from the
Callenders q year before, SO that Ralph,
instead of becoming junior partner in
an old and prosperous business. saw
nothing before him but what his two
hands could earn, and being totally
unprepared for such a prospect, ne mao
to take little time to getused to it. and
To find out which way to turn. Mean
while he had driftcd to this suburban
town. and while waiting to find situa'
tion as clerk or accountant, did copying
to support himself. and boarded a.
Rhetta's.
1t was the day they had been trans
planting touch-me-nots, and Ralph haf
thrown himself down under the plum
tree for a respite, while Rhetta pulled
the faded blossoms from a primrose
He might have been misanthropit
enough at that moment if he hat
chosen. for the last line of copying Ia.
upon his table finished, with not 81
much as a hint of an order for any
more. Worse than that, a clerk
place he had been hoping for had tina
very morning been give to another. l
he had got it, he could have spoke t
Rhetta at once. His glance followe
her as she bent over her plants, he
garden bonnet dropping back from he
bright brown hair, and his finger
sought instinctively little ring this
hid in his vest pocket. The old Caller
der pride had come to this, that he onl
waited for the barest chance of bein
able to earn living before he oifere
heart and hand to pretty little Rhet'
Wood, whose bonny face was all ne
dowry.
But he could not help letting lo'
color his words n little when he salt
presently, to Rhetta, as he watch'
her: when make my fortune. ye
shall have greenhouses and hot-bed
and gardens laid out on terraces.
Like Colonel Porter's?" laugh
Rhetta, blushing over her trowel. 20
have you ever seen his place, MIR. q
lenderP It's over on the west side. "
II think have passed it." answer
the young man. indifferently. 81
trees, three terraces, ribbon beds. al
q peacock on the lawn; is that t
placer"
"Yes; isn't its plendidP" exclaim
Rhetta. Il always go that way VIII
/ take a walk by myself; and oh! ho'
do long sometimes for things / see
gardener throwing away--slips a
cuttings and roots that he thins o
Perfectly lovely thingsv'
.Why don't YOU ask him for them
"Ask himPn and Rhetta caught
breath at the very idea OF her doing,
audacious thing. ''Why, l would
dare"
''DOn't you know tnem-'he IAN
mean"
..No; how could Ir Rose Porter
Invent to the same school. and wi
she rides by and sees me she bows
smiles; but that isn't being acquaint
She is as beautiful as princess. Ii
time for her to be at home now; she
been in Washington all the spring.
Ralph Calender made no ansv
He was basy weaving a true-love (
of grass blades. and when it was d
he gave it to Rhetta She binshed az
over it, and went on talking -
flowers. :.
~ wish l could get some slips
Colonel Porter's geraniums." she
..he has SO many kinds. and l have
this little pink one. And /! wanta
- I.v l;lx, s.eru vnuch and sOm0