Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1886-07-08
HER WEDDING PRESENT.


And Rosa Eldon sprang to her fee
rosy and smiling, with the freshly
plucked heliotrope trembling amonl
her glossy brown braids, and her pref
ty, blue dress floating around her lik'
an azure cloud.
Only eighteen, and very fair ant
lovely was our little Rosa-a trih,
spoiled and wilful, perhaps, but what
else could one expectg Every one pet
ted and made much of her, and Clar
ence Hyde thought her the fairest spec
linen OF feminine humanity that evel
the sun shone on.
Lizzy Eldon made room for her sis
ter-Lizzy, just one year younger, and
scarcely less fair, yet very different ii
character. Lizzy was quiet, and sage
and demure, while Rosa ratified away
like a merry mountain stream flow
ing over its messy stones Lizzy
thought her sister perfection, while
Rosa was always lecturing Lizzy in q
capricious fashion, and laying down
the law to her after the most approx,
ed manner of elder sisters.
'How niceit must be to be engagedl''
said Lizzy with half-encouragine
smile as Rosa paused at the glass to
adjust her hair. "Iwish were engag-
edl''
"You! 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 blue-winged 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 Drown eyes,
straight features, and brown hair
thrown back from a 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 -"
He was playing rather restlessly
with the crimson cord that looped
back the white muslin draperies of the
pretty bay-window that made Mrs.
Eldon's cottage look like one OF the
lovely rustic habitations you see in
old English engravings.
Exactly as if you had the tooth
ache or bad conscience"
Clarence laughed in spite OF himself.
"You are wrong, then, my little rid
die guesser; am afflicted with neither
the one nor the other"
"Well, what is it, them"
Rosa, what would you say if it
were to become necessary to defer our
marriage for some timer"
A shadow came over the infantile
bloom and freshness of Rosa's face.
ITO defer our marriage, Clarence? j
cant imagine what you mean"
Listen, Rosa, and / will
tell you. My uncle has just
come from California, very poor,
and a confirmed invalid. / am his
only surviving relative, and to me he
naturally appeals for protection and
companionship. | must give him a
home, Rosa. You know | had laid
up just enough TO begin housekeeping
in quiet economical sort of way,
but this new plan will necessarily al.
ter my arrangements"
81 never heard of any uncle before. "
"No, dearest; ] knew very little OF
him-nothing personally-as he never
visited my father during his lifetime. F"
Rosa's face was turned away from
Clarence Hyde's; she was twisting a
bit OF paper round her Slender fore
finge~s
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 had
originally hoped and intended-or to
deter our marriage until / can earn
enough to carry out those original
arrangements"
She was silent for a moment, then
she answered, in voice which seemed
to chill Clarence's bouyant young
heart.
Neither"
"Rosa." he exclaimed, 81 do not un.
derstand you!"
81 spoke plainly enough. Neitherl''
ado YOU mean that"
al mean that you must either give
up your uncle or me. After all that
has been said and known of our EN-.
gagement, after its 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 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 hei
character He had fancied her al
that was sweet, pure and womanly
Could it be possible that she was
cold-hearted, selfish, and dead to nj
the sweet ties of nature?
"Rosa," he said mournfully, els this
to part u.s."
ut is for you to say"
"Do you wish me togiveup my poor
dependent uncle?"
Either him or me-" Rosa answered
indifferently.
at 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. / cannot
leave my uncle to wear out his few
remaining days in poverty and soil.
tude."
very WE'LL" answered Rosa, care.
lessly STOPPING to pick NJ the odor.
Gus purple blossom which had fallen
from her hair; "Then we will consider