The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1889-06-27
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gu up Tue nOuset nc naiu
lightly. He attempted to move but
sank back his face white and drawn.
"wait till I get yo' . stsff," said
ROsana, whose dominant impulse
was always 10 help, to set. She
hastily tied the mare, aud found him
q stout stic.. "Let me help yo'.
Put your hand on m shoulder, an
lean on me, that way. Yo' ought q
take your shoe of right away, an
put on some fannels dipped In salt
an vinegar" And 20 supporting
him, she accompanied him as he
toiled slowly and painfully up the
weed-ehoked path, and over the
threshold she bad vowed she would
never cross. From the wide, bare
hall she had gllmpses Of empty, un-
plastered, implanted rooms on either
side.
A single, comfortlsss, uutidy
apartmeut at the end OF the passage
constituted his bachelor quarters.
The light struggled dImly through
the grimy cobwebbed sashes Of the
shutterless windows. The fire was
out; dust lay thick over the chairs
and tables and shelves, which we're
occupied by an inolscriminate
collection of pipes, tobacco, cooking
utensils, garments, and sOlled and
battered volumes.
Rosana helped him into o chair,
which she Instinctively wiped with
her apron, and speedily applied the
simple remedies at hand. The
Major submitted as IL Il had been
the most natural thing In the world.
He Was tall and powerfully built.
There were gray glimmers In the
long tawny hair that fell about his
face, and covered his breast; 10 gave
him . certain fiereeness, corrected
by the even gentlenes Of his blue
eyes.
Rosana fingered. al wisht there
was sOmethin' else | could do fur
yO'," she said.
Thanky kindly, Rosy. There's
nOthin' unless you'd stop as yo' 90
past, tell sister Mary g. come up.
She mostly sllus comes when need
anybody"
Rosyi the old fond name. None
hut he had ever called her that.
She stumbled down the path and
united the mare with shaking
fingers aud thrObblng heart and
cheeks that were q living rose
indeed.
That night, when all I'm the house
were asleep, she knelt before q small
cedar chest I'm her own room, aud
uneaTthed, from Its vOluminOus
wrappings Of old newspapers, the
shiny purple silk that was to have
been her wedding gown. She held
ID up In the play Of the laInplight,
and smOothed with earessing
touches the folds aud ereases cut
into its lu-trOus surface, aud cried
over Il, softly. After n time she
hastily thrust u back In the chest.
81 wouldn't hev anybody know
was so silly fur the world" she
murmured, ashamed for her own
foolish sentimentality about q dress.
As week passed aud ROsana said
nothing further about instituting
legal proceedings against Dauiei
Ranall, both Margaret aud Bob were
at loss to account for her silence,
and marvelled at 10 not n little in
secret.
Early, one morning, ROsanA was
at work in the spriug-hOuse that
stood In a ravine below the garden,
NIltn IDOb tut
"MOrning, Rosana, I guess them
cattle Of OuT'n won't give yO' any
more bother" he began, abruptly.
81 fixed that fence the whole way
through"
"weII, I reckon they'll stay out
now" said ROsanA. She stopped Ia
lift heavy crock out Of the run
ming water but Bob, anticipating her,
strobe To her side.
LET me lit that ere, Rosana."
ooh! yO' don't need 4 bother"
she protested /; but she looked pleased
aud flattered. "How's your mother
gittin' along" she asked, kindly.
''She's purity poorly. think she'd
Ice better u shed quit wOrkin', an
rest a spell"
Reckon we'd all better fur a rest.
FarnIin' makes more work than
mans able 4 do, let alone = woman.
I'm most worn out heyin' 4 see
after everything. When you an
Marg'et gifts married, you kin come
here q live, an I'll give the farmin'
into your hands"
well" siammered the young
fellow, too bewiIdered to think Of
fitting rejOinder. He redeemed aud
laughed confusedly. al never WAS 81
gum-sucked In M Iife." he declared
afterward. "Yo' might a knocked
me down with a feather"
Many speculatiOns we're prnffrred
concerning this unprecedented turn
in affairs, but no one was brave
enough to question ROsana, and the
mystery bailied conjecture.
When Margaret suggested that
Bob wished TO have the wedding
early in September, no objections
were made, and the preparations
for the event went briskly forward.
They were married at six o'clock
In the evening, aud the old house
was filled with guests. All the
friends aud neighboTs were there,
and among them the Major, who
felt himself strangely unfamiliar
and out Of place amid the hustle aud
gayety Of the scene.
While they were removing the re-
mains Of the banquet which followed
hard upon the ceremony, he lighted
porch at the rear OF the house.
ROsana was still at work In the
kitchen. She paused for q moment
to listen To the sounds Of dancing In
the rooms beyond. The resonant
stratus of the violin aud The tumult-
uous throb Of flying feet drifted out
upon the night. She remembered
the last time she and the Major had
danced together; 10 was with some
pride that she rGcollected they had
been pronounced the "inest couple
on the floor" Did he remember it,
too? OF what was he thinking ~
he set out there, forgotten and alone,
with only his pipe for company?
As she passed and repassed on some
erFand, she east furtive,
plying glauces toward the forlorn,
silent figure crouehing in the dark |
ness. Once she paused irresOlutely.
Then she came nearer, with q
look on her face.
Major
"what, Rosy"
Roberts took Marg'et now-an'
you might rs well take me-"
Faith, Rosy, an It's q bargain"
The big awkward fellow was un-
lerved and trembling. He sprang up,
till holding his pipe In his hand. A
soal fell upon the floor unnoticed /
md glOwed aud fiared and Redeemed i
N the darkness. He leaned over
ler, not quite sure OF the happiness
hat seemed within his grasp. Are
TO- willin' & marry me, Rosy? Be-
.ause yo' don't seed G. live up In
hat house. We kin go sOmewhere's
,Ise."
nd rather live there II Il suits
lou. I've got over beln' mad about
hal" said Rosana, humbly.
A shout of laughter drowned the