The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-08-04
/ Story OF the LONG AGO.
BIZ WILLIAM II. BusHNELn

part OF former century. would have
faheied 1t vas the Sabbath. Work of
every kind was suspended; everybody
was in their best attire. the lads and
lassies wearing the whitest OF ribbons
and "breast knots" The air was
loaded with the sweetest of floral
doors; the birds sang merriiy from
the hawthorne hedges; the bees hum.
med contentedly from flower to flower,
Afid ali OF nature seemed attuned to
Joy and peace.
High up iii the bellfry OF the ivy.cov
cred church stood the old sexton
erasping the rope aud waiting the sig.
nal to ring out a merry peal. But it
was not the day devoted to worship
and rest; not d Sabbath, save OF love.
The smallest urchin playing along the
tree-shaded streets could have told
that Rose, the only daughter of the
miller, with skin as white as the flour
he manufactured, cheeks and lips as red
as the carnations OF her mother. and
voice clearer and sweeter than that OF
the sky lark. was that day to wed
Giles Simmonson, the young and
handsome rector OF the parish.
So uricommonly lovely, so kind
and tender hearted, so spotlesslV
pure was she that by common con-
sent she was called the white Rose
OF Harpersville."
That was over now; her choice
made. But all determined upon the
launching OF her bark upon the sea OF
matrimony in q manner worthy of
herself and husband, who also was
beloved and respected-all but one.
From the window OF the great man.
or house, situated upon a hill and
overlooking the village. Elizabeth
Cunning watched unhappily. She hSd
done her utmost to win the young
Clergyman; had failed and nursed
jealousy until it's fires almost con.
sumed her. Homely herself, she hated
good looks In others, enyied them the
youth she had passed, and her ever sal.
low skin grew to greenlsh-yellow
whenever the name of Rose Aiken was
mentioned.
But she was crafty, and knew her
absence from the wedding would be
the subject of coarse remarks. Hav.
ing dressed herself with exceedingly
care she was driven over to the mod
est cottage OF the miller and proffered
her services to assist in decking the
lamb for the slaughter"-a great con.
descension in the eyes of the admiring
rnstics.
But at her touch Rose Aiken shrank
as the flower after which she Is named
does at the breath OF the frost, and
rushing to the arms of her mother ex.
claimed: ''See how / am shivering.
Can it be that some enemy is walking
over my grave" and the blue eyes
flooded with tears.
"You can't have an enemy in the
world. my pet" said her dotina
parent. "You arenervous, dear, that
is ALL"
The words failed to comfort Rose.
Every time the fingers of Elizabeth
Cunning rested upon her flesh the
effect was as if they had been ice. For
tunately that was not often. The ex-
posture of the shoulders, white as snow
and polished as marble, quickly salts.
fed the fine lady, and Immediately
after the wedding ceremony she drove
home and dispatched q messenger for
an old half.gipsy crone who had
assisted at birth and burial for half a
century.
knowing she would be we'll paid,
though wondering at the summons,
the woman went as quickly as pos.
sible to the manor house When she
entered the room where the lady was
waiting, she was greeted with the
question:
"Were you in the house of Mark
Aiken when his daughter was born?"
"Aye, my lady, and it was q blitbe
birthlng as it has been blithe bridal"
"Who dressed the babe?"
"These old hands, and a fairer one
was never blessed by the fairies"
Drawing nearer to her, with her
black brows drawn down over the
cold, naughty, gray. black eyes Eliza.
beth Cunning whispered in her eyes.
The gypsy crone started, glared at her
suspiciously, hesitated. Then, as s
broad, bright piece of gold was held
temptinRly toward her she murmured
out:
"Yes, my lady" with a shudder.
what is it,"
The answer was given in the most
cautious OF whispers, and with an
alarmed expression OF the old wrink.
led face.
"Can anything obliterate it,"
Nothing but death. 1t is His
mark"
"Can you'll will weigh it down an
hundred times with gold-can you,"
and no human ears could have heard
the words she breathed save the ones
for which they were intended.
eyes (trembllng), but it must be
dug from among graves when there is
shining neither moon or star. Yes, |
can bring it to you, bnt no one must
know, for it would be death. DEATH"
Fail not or" and the thin jeweled
fingers were pointed threateningly.
Glad to get beyond the presence o!
one she hated for her wealth. feared
for her power, and yet was anxious to
conciliate for reward, the gypsy has
tened from the house and returned to
her hut buried in the depths of the
forest.
Once there, she sat down, rested her
elbows upon her knees, her clenched
hands, and from time to time shaking
her gray locks remained lost, in
thought for hours. Then she arose,
looked out upon the night, saw that
it suited her purpose, hobbled to the
graveyard that surrounded the church
and crawled upon her devilish errand
among the graves OF the long mould.
ering and recently buried dead.
A few weeks later when Rose Simon
son returned from her happy wedding
tour she was startled by the intelll-
gence that the lady OF the manor
house was alarmingly i'll, was daily
failing; had grown very thin; that her
disease baffled the skill of the physi-
clans.
"You must 90 and see her, DEAR"
she said to her husband, must try
and comfort her."
"And you Rose?" he asked, aston.
ished that she did not propose to &C
company him, knowing as he did, her
.orn, ovmpaf hotic nature