The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-03-03
ROSES REVENGE.
1t Was g. Noble One, and Brought
For Reward.

Oui-t as a grave in the moonlight
was the Asiin mansion in the sultry
summer afternoon. The siesta then
absolved everyone from the present,
and, in the land Of dreams, mistress
and slaves found temporary equality.
In her own vast, dusl1y room, closely
iDclosed from every sunbeam, madam
was fast asleep. She was at all times
a beautiful woman, but more so now
in her snowy deshabille, calm and still
behind rose-tinted mosquito-screens.
/ have said all were asleep and
dreaming, but I must make one excep-
ton. Frank Aslin, aged twenty, was
dreaming without sleeping He had in
his pocket "a letter which was quite
sufficient to Danish sleep from such an
enthusiastic, romantic nature; and yet
the letter was only from his father, the
gravest gentleman you would meet in
ayear's journeying. 1t was short and
simple enough, as all Judge Aslin's let
tiers were, and merely said
'DEAR Boy: l shall be home on " ednesday
night. Come to meet lac at Neales station
and bring the carriage. as there will be a young
lady with me, Give queen orders to make all
arrangements for her comfort II your mother
feels able to give any directions / shall feel
Obliged to her"
But Mrs. Aslin had not felt able. She
heard the news just as she was pre-
pairing for her siesta and was satisfied
to delegate full powers to the negress
Queen. Who the young lady was she
did not l1now-and she really had little
care. The house was large enough to
give n room to a good client of the
Judges without causing her any an
noyance, and she was quite sure that
Judge Aslip would not offer mis- hospi-
talities to anyone who was not likely
in some way or other to be an equiva-
lent.
Felippa rad Joanna Aslin, being
themselves young ladies, specialized
a little about the stranger, but with no
lively interest. They had seen several
of their fathers lady clients and they
had generally been women of sor-
rowful spirit, struggling through the
intricacies of Spanish land titles and
government claims. The word ''young,'
lady was, indeed, the promise of some
thing different; but they inherited,
with the Mexican beauty of their
mother, her lazy, inert disposition, and
they knew no medium between indif-
ference and enthusiasm. Frank on
the contrary, with the Scotch physiog-
nomy of his father, had also inherited
his speculative, energetic temperament
None are SO pretty as my little
mamma" said Frank, STOPPING to kiss
the lovely face lifting itself out of
L.. 4 =. rf,i--
he drove rapidly to Neale's station and
was just i'll time to see his father lift a
young girl out of the stage-a girl
quite unlike any he had ever seen, a
fair, rosy, gOlden-haired divinity, who
lifted eyes, blue and clear as heaven,
to meet him.
The judge said her father had been
his earliest friend and that Rose and
her fortune were left to his care. He
demanded for her the coolest rooms.
the best maid, the most scrupulous at
tenticns. Her dresses were rich, her
allowspce ample and there seemed no
earthly reason Tor madam to interfere
with Franks worship of his new divin-
ity. So the sweet old drama was lived
over again; it was delicious enough to
live it over in that dreamy, passionate
cline, where no rude element Jared
its perfect beauty. But, though Judge
Aslin seemed well content that Frank
and Rose should love each other, he
persistently opposed all talk of mar
riage. BY and by this opposition, where
opposition seemed so unnecessary.
reused all the dormant curiosity and
jealousy of madam southern nature.
She began to question Rose carefully
about her former life; but the child had
nothing 10 conceal, and told all with
frankness which madam considered of
itself proof positive of a preconcerted
tale. Her mother she denied all llnowl-
edge of; her father she described as a
sad, lonely gentleman, writing much
and seeing very few strangers. When
madam asked about the establish
.ment," Rose described a little cottage.
standing in a cocoa and tamarind
grove, and an old negro woman, who
she said was still living in Key West
all Of which increased suspicion against
her, as Mr.. Aslin had told very differ
ent story.
He had spoken Of great obligations
to this evidently poor, uninfluential
gentleman, who wrote much and saw
few strangers, and had intimated that
Rose was connected with wealthy
and powerful family and was heiress
to large estates.
With all her inexperience and sim
plicity of character, Rose was at length
sensible of being watched and not
pleasantly commented on. Her ram
bles with Frank became matters for
espionage, and every kind word and
actioa from her guardian raised an
angry frovvn on all the ladies' brows
Then Frank was suddenly, and with