The Grenada gazette., 1888-01-28
ROSE MARIE.
Her Reward for the Faithful Dis
charge Of Duty.

= 4
DONE" said my friend, Mrs. Ross, q
can show you such work as isn't to b.
seen out of Limoges, and the broderies
there are are works Of high art. Nevcl
saw any thing in this country to COM
pete with them until I happened, by
the merest chance, to stumble upon
Rose Marie"
"Rose Marie?' l repeated. "What
pretty name! The owner Of 1t ought
to be fresh, sweet and lovely as the
eglantine, a kind Of wild simplicity,
you know"
Mrs. Ross laughed.
Fresh, no." she said. "She is only
twenty-five, but she has had too much
trouble to retain much freshness; sweet
and lovely are hardly applicable to one
Of the women of Aries. who look more
like stately Junos than peasants. Yes,
she is simple enough, and beautiful,
too, if you will, but she will never re-
mind you of the elgantine--poor Rose
Marie! 1t isn't often that her sad lips
curve into smile. will not tell you
her story until you have seen her; it
will make you more sympathetic.
Come, and we will 60 to her house."
We drove to Revere street, narrow
thoroughfare, and stopped before a
small house set back in the yard. The
borders were gay with verbcnas, pinks
and pansies, those old-fashioned flow-
ers which retain the old-fashioned vir-
tues Of patience and hardihood, giving
their best Of color and perfume to the
most uncongcnial surroundings. Mrs.
Ross knocked at the white .curtaincd
door,
"Entrcs," said deep voice from
within.
The room we entered was sparsely
furnished, but every thing in it was
shining with cleanliness. A tall, cma-
ciatcd old woman sat in an old arm
chair by the window, with u piece of
work in her hands. She nodded to
Mrs. Ross, and looked inpiringly at
me with her hollow black eyes.
''She is paralyzed," Mrs. Ross said
to me in English. "All her lower
limbs are numb. All, Madame Breaux,"
in French, "this is my friend, Mrs.
l., who has come to see Rose
Marie about some work."
Take seats, mcsdames," with a
courteous gesture. "Rose Marie will
be in directly. She has gone out on
some business. She left Henri to take
care of me-" pointing with smile to
\ beautiful little boy Of four years old,
who was peeping at US from the back
of her chair.
II would like my friend to see that
robe Rose Marie is embroidering for
Madame Ducros," said Mrs. Ross.
ut is there, in napkin on the bed"
the old woman replied. ''if you will
take the trouble to get it. madame.
All, mon Dieu, it is so hard 10 be half
alive, not able to move from my seatw
Mrs. Ross unfolded the shining folds,
and held them before me.
A pale maize-colored silk, with ten
drills Of the blue and white convolyulus
embroidered exquisitcly on it. The
grouping Of the flowers was work of
art. and the finish was perfect
Madame Breaux smiled at nv nd
miration.
"Ah. she works we'll. does Rose
Marie! Madame, she was a famous
trodeuse and lace.makcr. even In Aries,
where the work is so fine. Ever since
she was ten years old she ranked among
the best. But her eyes are getting
weak. ah. SO weak" with a heavy
sigh. "And then, II the worst comes!''
She claspcd her hands with conyul.
sive movement. and her great mourn
ful eyes filled with tears.
"Ihe poor girl has cried her eyes
out Mrs Ross said to me in a low
voice; "at least, l believe her tears
have AS much to do with her failing
vision as the work. While we are
waiting for hcr. will tell you her
story. The old woman there does not
understand one word of English.
"she married, Immediately after the
Iastwar between France and Germany,
against her mothers wish. The old
woman was rabid French partisan.
end Rose Marie's lover was sergeant