The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1886-10-25

that Rose was cruel, from the midst OF
her wealth, her luxury. and her dozens
of lovers. to come swooping down I.
upon this one chance of bliss in life.
time. For Rhetta was sure that in all
the years to come she should never
never marry. That was all over from
| this time forth. :,
The crickets hummed about her, the
nightmoths brushed by her unheeded;
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 a while her Aunt Dorcas would
die. and she would be left alone with her
father. Then after while he too would
die. and she would live on there, an
old. lonely woman. From this revere
she was aroused by the stopping OF
wheels and cheerful voices at the gate.
"Rhetta! Rhetta! shouted some
body, in joyous, manly tones
She rose to her feet in the moon
| light, bewildered and uncertain. was
she dreaming. or was it really halpn
, calling her?
, tree? Come here for moment 10 the
: gate"
D Yes. that was Ralph calling her;
With girlish celebrity she smoothed
: hack her disordered hair and ran to
Q tho pate. There he stood, his arms
;, filed with flowers which he loaded
a mon her, while Colonel Porter s
!! coachman, who had brought him home,
8 was almost staggering under the weight
> of an immense basket, full OF bloom
n and fragrance, which he made haste 10
o deposit on the garden walk.
Every thing is here" said kaiPh'
n gayly-'.the geraniums, the day-hlies'
e the tea-rose bushes and the double vlo-
$ let's. Roots, slips. cuttings, all you
i wanted, YOU have them now, and IL
l. act them every one out for you.
"a 30. how beautiful! how beautiful!
ar murmured Rhetta, very softly anf
IN gently. She was wholly overcome by
3 this strange ending of her passionate
g, grief. A.,
to two lovers alone in the mooniit gar
,e den. Lovers they were. for haipi
ne drew Rhetta close to his heart, wnii'
" he placed upon her finger the ring
ID that had waited hidden in his pocket.
v. "You know what this means, darl
ing?' he said, fervently. my way l
to clear before me now. Colonel forte
err has given me chance in his own bust
N ness. beyond any thing dared to hope
Mt You don't know how hard it has bee
W. for me to wait till had right to as
he you to be my own little Rhetta alway
q -alwaysr'
M Happy Rhetta! The moon ought
Ike have laughed right out to see how ne
.as face had changed, it was so full no
nd of smiles and bushes. Aunt Dorca
to hurrying home an hour later, eager
he explain how she had gone to sit awhi
an with poor old Mrs. Davis, who rs
ver sciatica. was taken all aback by hearin
or merry voices under the plum-tree, an
hat finding Ralph and Rhetta there
ew work with trowels setting out roots an
ne. tying up plants. -,
err claimed Rhetta, triumphantly-"s
yn. this great basketful of loneliness al
tie luxury. and we must set them eve
the one out tonight, because night IS {
best time, and they will get the dew
Of "For the land sakes!' ejaculatt
till Aunt Dorcas. "Don't We want Il
lantern?"
she 20. the moon is as bright as day
said Ralph, as he paused to choose
600 place for fine blue saliva.
, in "Well! well!'' the old lady exc!aime
cas- and then, as if she dimly comprehend
that something in the glamour otyou
rad and romance might make it a thing
be desired to dig in gardens at unusl
hours, she said no more, but we
,sra quietly into the house.-Mary L.
. . 20 Branch, in Harper's Bazaar.