Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-03-14

|
ing out of their old shoes, and
$50 you squandered your money
to cloth the feet Of those little vaga-
bonds" growled the doctor, wonder
ing why he had not seen the bare toes.
"Yes, / got shoes, and the incest
red stockings. Jenny cried and
cried when she Rugged me, because
she was so glad" related Lottie, her
quick tears starting.
The doctor rubbed his knuckle les
vindictively into his own eyes.
"Well, little miss, if you had
known you could not get any more
money for your flummery, would you
have spent all you had on the little
beggars 7"
81 don't know. | hope so. am
sorry you asked me. | really think
l should. But l did want the other
so dreadfully, that | might have
saved out little"
"You could have got brown stock
ings. Bright colors come high
$50 l could. But | guess | am
glad / did not the red ones are SO
much prettier, and the poor like pref
ty things as we'll as the rich"
The doctor looked ponderingly on
the little miss. She was pretty
creature, and innocent as she was
pretty. Though she was seventeen,
her looks and appearance would
hardly have claimed for her fifteen
well-rounded years.
ut is bridal rose," said Lottie,
keeping her errand in mind, as she
looked admiringly at the great bush,
whose beautiful blossoms rivaled the
whiteness of the snow.
"Humpb, suppose so. You
would not think now that it had
spoiled wedding. But it did; just
fifteen years ago this May"
Lottie looked in alarm at the
white, treacherous thing.
"You would not think, either, that
gruff old fellow like me could ever
have got a woman to say she would
have him."
"Oh yes l would" said Lottie, ~
think you are the incest man in the
world-except-"
Except whom?" demanded the
doctor.
81 was going to say--Harry."
Exceedingly fine compliment you
are paying me. You expect some of
my choicest flowers for that tit-bit of
Aattery."
Lottie did not reply, but looked in
such CONSERVATION from the rose-bush
to himself, that the doctor could not
but smile.
"You would like to hear the story.
Well, it never came to my lips be.
fore, little miss, but will give it to
you. You see / had been a medical
student under old DR.. West, and
when he died | got my diploma, and
stuck my single out here. Soon
after that l got acquainted with as
trim built girl as you often see,
and after while, somehow or other,
we became engaged. | was young
and had my way to make, and we re-
solved to wait two years before settl-
ing down. Over back of the hill
yonder, there lived a girl named
Nancy Brown, a pretty, pale creature,
who seemed just ready to go off to
the angels. was called to attend
her, and l wanted to do my best. l
knew they could never pay me cent,
and perhaps for that reason / went
little oftener than l needed. Mamie
had one precious thing-her rose
bush-small then, but giving promise
of great things. 1t did seem as if
everybody begrudged it to her, for
half the town, in one way or another,
sought to make it worth her while to
give it up.
perhaps the motives were good.
But, though Mamie was in compare
tive poverty, no gold was yellow en-
ough to buy her one treasure. Well,
her fragility proved not to be incipi-
ent consumption after all And time
went on until within twenty-four
hours of my wedding. day and that
morning / was in my Office here on
the watch for my sweetheart, who
soon, all smiles and bushes with the
consciousness that it was the last
time as maiden, came tripping
down the street. l went out to meet
her. This brush, not half so large
as it is now, stood here in my win
dow.
ooh, said my bride that was-to-
be, in pretty rapture. Nancy has
sold you her rose Did you cross it,
root and branch, with silver coin?'
mot |. Mamie gave it to me of
her own free, sweet will.
"a jealous flush came over my
girls proud face.