Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-03-09
The Black Rose.
Translated from the German, by w.
y. Uarbcn.

lIoil inc htfflaus DN W.
y. Harben.
If any one had said a year ago that
/ would ever have run through the
Or wing snow and storm, after a black
rose, | certainly would have declared
that person to be bereft of ordinary
INTEL gence; but now | could very ap-
proprlately ask myself. if | were in
the full possession of my mental pow
ers; for only a few DAYS since. | went
all over the C ~ anXiously e%ndeayor-
Ing to purchase one, regardless of
oost-because Eyeline had expressed a
desire to have one. She deprived me
Of my judgment. with her bewitching
smile, her meaning Chances, her great.
deep eyes, the graceful poise of her
head, and her beautiful, majestic
shoulders. She entrappcd me in a
net, woven from a thousand Ease ma
ting. insnaring, threads, in which she
drew me whittier she would; and on
that occas on she drew me after the
black rose.
do not know exactly how it came
about. | have always been such "A
quiet, thoughtful man. and falling IN
love WAS the last thing | would have
thought Of doing; but at the fateful
ball, exactly one year ago. when
saw her in that yellow satin bod ce,
with her golden hair, the dark, pretti-
~ archcd eyebrows. and her f. ry-lke
plnNataHtf.. fv,t, fI.f I..A,r ur.- MT
like my former scf she was pretty,
but not pos lively beautiful; one could
also not read anV great depth OF feel
ing or character in her deep gray
eyes; she was br ght and versatile, but
had no especial talent. and her con-
vcrsatIonal powers were only ordinary.
i knew that her family were IN very
moderate circumstances, and there
fore believed that she would not object
TO marry some young man of fortune.
knew that she knew | was In good
: circumstances, and felt that if / won
her. that my fortune would have much
to do with 1t; and vet | followed her
like. yes. like a faithful little dog,
and could not tear myself from the
magic chains she threw around me.
plO NttliltNA ~ tlllbN tNtIN IlONNlllAt
luxury; how she managed to DO SO, |
could never understand, for her ex-
travagance would almost bankrupt a
man. She did not trouble herself
about household affairs: and | strongly
suspected that her mother had to ex-
ert every energy to keep up the ap.
pearance of ease and comfort before
the outside world, amt that She worked
a1n1.aflH 80 ont -. that hns .t.rr.Ifas
might dress elegant and becom ngly.
did not know whether she really
loved me or not; sometimes | hoped
80, from her act ons, but was never
sure of It; | was, therefore. coutin-
ually troubled with the uncertainty, SO
that if "a single day passed without NV
seeing her and exchanging a few
words with her, | was absolutely IN -
cradle. This state of affairs lasted for
q whole year. ! could not make up
my mind to give her up. and was, also,
not willing. exactly. to take any dec ded
step which would bind me for LIE to
the enchantress. She attended ball
after ball. went to all fashionable places
of amusement and each time she sue
ceeded in making her toilet more recher-
che than any one else. For the coming
ball she fancied that she wanted a black
rose to wear in her golden har; that
would be novel, would attract attcn-
ton, admiration and wonder, and
would excite the envy Of omc
But were there any black roses in ex-
jstence? | asked myself, when | thought
of gratifying her wish; | had read of
such IA rare flower be NJ on exhibition
at flower expos lions. but had never
seen one; and all of my acquaintances
whom | asked about it sad they did
not think thev could be gotten. One
of them said that he had seen "A rose so
darkly red that il was almost black;
but that was several years ago. Al all
events IT, seemed that they were very
rare; and how was | TO obtain one in
winter time? | went to at least ten
flower stores. six gardeners. and every
where that | thought | had a ghost of
n chance to get it. but in vain.
Marie. the daughter of the flower
dealer at Kings place-my pretty little
friend whom ] had known from her
childhood-Said she had had, once. two
roses almost black. VIII ch she had sold
to Graf. Egousfeld, and which had
caused a sensation at the court ball aud
was afterwards mentioned in the report
of the ball on account OF their great
rarity and beauty.
Mare was "A charming girl-voung,
blooming, pretty, modest and loved by
everybody, and was said to be rich, for
her f~ather-whose only child she was.
had the most extensive and prosperous
business of the k nd. supported by the
most distinguished aud wealthy class.
Marie regarded me with an interest.
which she tried In vain to conceal. Her
face would turn pale aud hen would
cover with bushes when | would enter
the store suddenly. and sometimes
when she spoke to me her voice would
tremble. And | could see her pretty
delicate little hand culver when she
delivered the flowers to me. which |
oftentimes purchased more to get n
chance to feast my eyes On her pretty
face and to engage her in a few words