Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-03-05

muStache had the dragon. A HOrId
complexion had the dragon. And
manner that was grave, digntied, cour-
teous.
"Uncle Albert" explained Cyril, with
boyish eagerness, "this is Miss Rosine
Wilde"
Wilde The old gentleman started
perceptibly. He looked at the blushing
girl-at the yeliowish gown. He
bowed.
"And," avowed young Rodney, send
ing his sweetheart swift smile of en-
couragement, "and-the young lady OF
whom / spoke to YOU"
"Oh pa exclaimed Albert Ellsworth.
Then, interrogatively: "Wilde? Was
your fathers name Clayton Wilde 2"
Rosine assented.
"And your mothers maiden name
was Magnolia Kingsley"
''0h, dear, no! Aunt Magnolia was
never married. My mothers name was
Madeline Kingsley
"Eh?" cried the dragon.
The ford color had faded from his
| cheeks. He was Juggling nervously at
his dark mustache. He looked agi-
tated, perplexed.
t'My mother died ten years ago." said
Rosine, '.and since then | have lived
with Aunt Magnolia.
Mr.. Ellsworth regarded her grimly.
"Is that" he asked abruptly, "your
aunt's gown you have on ?"
The soft rose-fre in the girls cheek
deepened.
GLOW the world did you know" she
counter-questioned.
A queer, waverlng smile was his only
reply.
A constrained silence ensued. Cyril
gave his uncle an astonished glance.
$50 Magnolia is an old maid ?' said
Mr.. Ellsworth, abruptly.
"If she is," cried Rosine, stung to de-
Tense by remark which she Glanced
to consider rude, sit is because she was
true to lover who proved I'm worthy Of
herw
Sch p' calculated Mr.. Ellsworth,
more sharply than before. And sud-
denly he turned and walked away.
The following day he insisted on &C.
comparing his nephew to the gaunt
ramshackle, once aristocratic old home
In the French quarter, where dwelt
Rosine. AS they were passing the
vaulted entrance to the little tagged
court yard, Albert Ellsworth caught
sight OF familiar figure moving among
go on, lad - he said to Cyril. He
the brief avenue of gloom to the bright
ness beyond.
Cyril was about to question this new
vsgary, when the thought Of peculiar
possibility made him catch his breath
and do as hidden. He knocked at the
barred black door and was admitted to
Rosine's radiant presence. And mean
while his uncle went into the court
yard. The little old lady standing by
the banana tree looked up at the sound
of the step on the stones.
Magnolia ~ he cried.
Miss Magnolia gazed at him in
dazed, half-frghtened kind of way.
Did ghosts ever appear in the daytime
Stouter than he whom she had known,
and with hair grown gray. But the
same. Around her, IN fantastic dance,
the broken fountain, the long-leaved
banana tree, and the giant oleanders
went whirling. She didn't faint, but
she came nearer to it that she ever had
come in her life.
"Did you think I had deserted you,
Magnolia? When [ left you to go North
on business I believed in you as I've
never believed in any one since. And
while away | heard and read that you
had married that young Wilde [ used
to be so jealous OF. So | went to En-
rope. And staid there"
''But Clayton Wilde married Made
line. [ always told you he came to see
her."
'Yes, I know that-now. I was
fool to have been so easily convinced of
your falslty, You haven't changed
a bit. | knew you the moment | saw
you."
Miss Magnolia smiled, delightfully."-.
She did not know he had expected to
see her.
81 never forgot the dress you wore the
last time [ saw you," declared Mr.. Ellis
worth, waxing fervent. 81 recognized it
on your niece last night
Last night Are you-surely you are
not the dragon !"
"Wha-at ?"
"The--the dragon! ' faltered Miss
Magnolia.
Mr.. Ellsworth still looked blank.
"That," murmured the little lady.
feeling that she was in for it, and
might as well make a clean breast,
Twas what Rosine and | called Cvril's
uncle. And Rosine was going to conquer
him."
He burst out laughing.
"Well, she did. The boy shall marry
Madeline's pretty daughter. And you,
Magnolia-vou'n marry me ~
"Oh, dear, no I'm too old.'
'iNot day."
"And ugly-now ~
'LoVelest woman in the world to
me- insisted the dragon, Loyalty.
''Bless you, my children % cried a
voice from above.
The pair in the court yard glanced up.
On one of the inner balconies stood
Rosine and Cyril.
Vanish, you scampsD' roared the
dragon.
II shan allow you TO marry a South
ern girl, sir !'' shouted back Cyril, as he
and Rosine beat brisk retreat.
Laughing and breathless they faced
each other in the old drawing room.
"Everything's lovely, sweetheart I"
cried Cyril, in an ecstary.
Rosine looked deliciously doleful.
chats just the trouble ~ with pout
SO provokingly pretty that her lover
kissed ner there and then. ''If he had
only remained hard hearted, like the
uncles in novels, we could have run
away and lived in cottage powered in
roses and covered with thatch 7 There