The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-05-08

Rosie's bright little homesteadf A letter
was the origin of ell this misery. and a
bad. bad man had written it-and the bad
man was Harry Trench.
Harry had promised. arranged. settled
and pledged himself to take Rosie to Maid
enhead. Thence they were to row up to
COokham and NARROW. and to have q real
happy summer ~outlng-to draw their lungs
full of the fresh country air which they
both required so much after the gas-tainted
rooms. and generally to bask in the light
of one another's happiness. And Rosie had
got a wondrOus new gown. q marvel OF
straw-colored Liberty silk. with the sweet
est sa!mou-eolOred sash imaginable. and a
love OF u hat, especially for the occasion.
and now, TO her dire dismay and disap-
pOintment. she was not only not TO wear
them, but Harry was not coming. and what
to do with herself on this Beautiful, cloud
less Sunday. after she had been to morning
church. she did not know.
My sweet" 80 the horrid man wrote. II
am sorry. more sorry han 1 know how to
express. i can't go with you uD the river
to-day, and more than that l expect 1 shan't
be able to see you before Tuesday night;
i have written to Mr.. Warren to let me off
on Monday night. and to get young Hen
derson to play my part. / have got to go
to Brighton by the early morning train.
and | have barely time to catch il. else /
should have run up and explained matters
more fully"
Explained matters more ~fully-more full
ly! He had not explained anything. ex-
cept that he was not coming. Why was he
not coming. What was he going to Brigh-
Brightonf That was the question. Rosle's
little fingers tingled at the thought, and
her cheeks flushed as she imagined another
woman by her Hsrry's side. For, though O
sweet, loving disposition was one of Rosie Q
chief characteristics. bitter. biting jealousy
was another of her traits.
Rosie was sure Harry was deceiving her.
Why had he not told her of this on the
previous EVENING" Now. a. she remembered
things. and put two INT two together. why
had he been talking so quietly with that
red-faced Miss WobuIn. who could barely
hide her freckles by plasterinR the makeup
all over her facet 1t was . shame, q crying
shame. This with q stamp of the tiny
sIippered foot, and o flash of indignation
from the big eyes. What he could see in
act a bit, and never would learn how so
act, to be standing in corners talking to
her. she could not imagine. She had never
thought about it before. but now In the
lurid light of that infamous letter. she
could see plainly how the mischief had
originated and ripened. .
There was just a tiny voice that chimed
through her discomforting thoughts, and
whispered blithely: You SILLY girl. For
shame. Harry loves you. He is true to
Ohs Aho IL JO4 AOe W
your stupid jealously, you would confess
il. and gladly too. And there were mo-
ments when the winsOme little voice came
very nigh ringing over and above the gruff
promptlngs of gruesome jealousy, but
wOman-thou mvstery-whatt q delight 1t
is to thee to fashion monsters out of thy
imaginings. when it would be as easy and
far more pleasurable to call mp laughing
sprltes.
SO it came that Rosie was unhappy and
ont Of m NTH uorry nth haraatf nd
with all the world. She nearly snapped
James head OF when the girl asked her
why. good gracious, NUM-! What's the
matter with youi Dear me. If you amt
been cryin'."
Hold your tongue, Janel" Rosie retorted,
angrily. SO unusual an occurrence with
her. How dare You say / have been cry
lngf L was not crying. and. what Is more.
i am not going to cry-there."
And thereupon the hot tears rolled down
her checks in q bounteous' flood. and Rosie
sobbed as if her heart would break.
go away, Jane" she exclaimed. go
away. 1t Is you who made me cry. Leave
the room Instantly"
by her mistress's sudden petty sorrow. was
far too wise In her generation not to hu-
NOR Miss Rosie in all kinds, and the odd
est kinds of moods. She collected the
breakfast things and the uneaten meal.
and went down stairs without q word.
All that Sunday Rosie remained at Fern
dale moodily alone. She barely touched
her dinner, and, when evening came, she
locke herself into her bedroom. and Jane
could hear her walking ND and down for
Even poor Punch could not drsg her from
her newborn bitterness. She took him in
her arms. and Rugged III and kissed him.
and said: "You are true to me. Punch,
aren't youf You'll not leave me q
whole sunday TO pine alone. fou,Il not
prick up his ears and wsg his tail. and
stamp his little feet, as If to say: lyon
can trust me. my darling mistress. Now.
don't cryi 4 don't like to see you cry"
And the faithful doggie would race about
the room. and carry things In bis mouth.
and walk for q step or two on his hind legs.
and play all the pretty, funny FRANKS he
knew; but Rosie's grief was not to be ap.
peased. and though she kissed Punch and
Rugged him. she cried while folding the
dear little doggie to her bosom.
The next day was o bleak one. indeed.
for Rosie. Her eyes were red and swollen,
and when she scrutIniZed herself In the
mirror she declared herself @ fright. There
Ter ha~mmock-chair. In the garden. through
out the breezy morning. signing and
thoughtful-she who usually spent so little
of her time in thinking about aught but
her parts.
Just as Jane was taking lunch from the
table-ROsie had eaten only a morsel Of
chicken and . leaf or two of salad-some.
body rang the visitors bell. and. wonder
of wonders. who came in but Miss Wo-
burn. She was not with Harry then, that
was one comfort. and Rosie had been unjust
TO her lover in that regard.
Il thought I'd look in as i was passing,
my dear" said the freckled one. "But you
are not well. surely. Hav you been all.
ingi"
"Oh. IT'S nothing" answered Rosie. with
a datinnf f0aa nf her nraffu head HliftIa
migraine. perhaps. / stayed at home yes.
terday. and-perhaps-"
"Oh, that's it," interrupted Miss Woburn.
Il could not make II out ut all when | saw
Harry Trench at Brighton yesterday. ]
went down to see Mrs. W~eatherley, who il
playing at the Royal this week, and as we
were going on the pier | met Trench at the
turnstile. He was escorting one of the
bandsOmest young ladies l ever saw
and
Rosie felt the color fade out of her cheek
n spite of herself.
why. you really ore i'll, my DEAR Mis-.
WOburn prattled on. You must let me
call Jane. You ought to take something OF
other"
The slight frame quIvered and the little
fingers twitched ~nervously. but Rosie bi,
her I'D and made q desperate effort TO stee
Go on" she whispered with well-feigpe6
indifterencem"you were saying you saw
Harry-Mr. Trench / mean"
Yes. | saw him" replied Miss Woburn. q
little spitefully perhaps. for Rosie's aztec
tion for young Trench was we'll known il
their engagement was q secret. and wher,
he tonne that lovely creature who wa.
with him l can't guess. Well to do l shoulC
say, too-and she was dressed-you should
have seen her-a pattern. my dear. AnC
they had known one another all their
lives v-eyery word n barbed arrnw drivay