Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1893-10-13

That was why he
was called Old Roses. 1t was not other
wise inapt, for there was something
antique about him, though he wasn't
old flavor, an old-fashioned repose
and self-possession. He was inspector
of tanks from this God-forsaken coun-
try.
Apart from his duties he kept most
ly to himself, though when not travel
ing he always went down to O'Fallen's s
Hotel once day for n cup of tea-tea
kept especially for him; and rs he
drank this slowly he talked to Vic, the
barmaid, or to any chance visitors
whom he knew. He never drank with
any one, nor asked any one to drink,
and, strange to say, no one resented
this. As Vic said, che was different. :"
Dicky Merritt, the solicitor, who was
hail-fellow with squatter, homestead
lessee, farmer and shearer,
called him ga lively old buffer.
1t was he, indeed, who gave him the
name of Old Roses. Dickey sometimes
went over to Long Neck Billabong,
where Old Roses lived, for reel, as
he put it, and he always carried away
a deep impression of the Inspector s
qualities. ''Had his day." said Dickey
in O'Fallen's sitting-room one night
Gin marble halls, or Tn Jack. Run
neck and neck with almighty swells
once. Might live here for thousand
years and he'd still be the nonesuch of
the back blocks. I'd patent him-file
my caveat for him tomorrow if could
bully Old Roses ~
Victoria Bowling, the barmaid, lifted
her chin slightly from her hands, rs
she leaned through the opening be-
tween the bar and the sitting-room,
and said: ''Mr. Merritt, Old Roses is
a gentleman, and Il gentleman is gen
tleman till he"
''Till he humps his bluey into the
Never Never Land, Vic? But what do
you know about gentlemen, anyway ?
You were born five miles from the
Jumping Sandhills, my dear !''
"Oh, +" was the quiet reply, ga wo-
man-the commonest woman-knows
gentleman by instinct. 1t isn't what
they do, it's what they don't do; and
Old Roses doesn't do lots of things. -
Fright you are, Victoria right you
are again You do the Jumping Sand
hills credit Old Roses has the root
of the matter i'll him-and there YOU
have it !"
Dickey had n profound admiration
for Vic. She had brains, was perfect
ly fearless, and every one in the
Wadgery country who visited O'Fal-
lens had wholesome respect for her
opinion.
About this time news came that the
Governor, Lord Malice, would pass
through Wadgery ON his tour up the
back blocks. A great function was
necessary. 1t was arranged. Then
came the question of the address OF
welcome to be delivered ut the ban
quet. Dickey Merritt and the local
doctor were proposed as composers,
but they both declared they'd only
make rot of it." and suggested Old
Roses.
They went to lay the thing before
him. They found him in his garden.
He greeted them smiling in his enig
matical way, and listened While
Dickey spoke. flush slowly passed
over him, and then Immediately left
him pale but he stood perfectly still,
his hand leaning against sandal tree,
and the coldness of his face warmed
up again slowly His head having
been bent attentiyely as he listened,
they did not See anything unusual.
After moment of silence and in
scrutable deliberation, he answered
that lac would do as they wished.
Dickey limited that he would reauir,
some information about I4ord Malice
past career and his family's history,
but he assured them that lac did not
need il aud his eyes idled somewhat
ironically with Diekey's face.
When the two had gone old Rosei
sat ia his room, "a handful of letters, d
photograph, aud couple If decora
tions spread out before him his fn
| gers resting on them, aud his look On
gagged with very far horizon.
Tho Governor came. tic was met
outside tha township bY the citizen,
aud escorted in-a dusty end numer
ous ceYaleasle. They passed the ia
speeiion house lhe garden Na,
blooming, and on ihe ruaf hag sa'
dying. STRUCK bY the singular char
actor IT thf place Lurl Malice asked
Sho lived thero, and proposed stop
I ping ia 8 maurnt a. nahe th9 Ho
I guHialsHee # lis osutf, aiiiHs, siii
-lme ellaht sarcasm. that Il tlf nlii
I osTa ~ tAa ttAtfunfnt Here iuu huHl
~ paf lheir respeels a. then thiAsrnpf
theif apkefaaf mpsi GAS b fsapeei'
l ~ iheul
hst fila isassa asH Haf i lha sar.ifi
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