Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-08-26
MYSTERY OF THE ROSES.

spring every one feared that her hus-
band would lose his mind He had
loved her so ardently that IL seemed
impossible for him 10 resign himself
to the anguish Of losing her.
TO be sure. the ten years Of their
married life had not been shadow
less The difference in their ages.
tastes and characters caused frequent
quarrels. and while the husband was
dissatisfied with his wife's coldness.
she. on the other hand rebelled
againsc the despotism Of his love,
which was SO exclusive and jealous
that ia its very ardor she saw more
sellshness than devotion.
But little by little their relations
became less strained. At last mutual
concessions. as well as their earnest
desire Of living happily together. not
merely Of having the appearance Of
happiness. made their home life one
~ perfect accord. so mono Of their
friends were Ia the least surprised at
the depths OF NJ. dc Sambrcuse's de.
spair after this great sorrow had
CINE 10 him.
His grief showed itself ia touch
ing though slightly romantic man
ner Pauline from her earliest child
hood had been e1trayagantly fond Of
roses. and ia later years not a day
had passed without her having a
bouquet ~ that sweetest Of flowers.
They had become so closely assOcia-
ted with her that. after Der death,
her husband wen, 70 the cemetery
each morning and placed fresh
bunch Of them In the marble urn
which surmountcd her tomb. Even
the faded blossoms 81 the previous
day were rendered sacred in his eyes
by their contact with Pauline's last
resting place. and he invariably car
riel them 10 hts homo, where. in an.
other form. he continued his deyo-
iions.
III his own apartment. NJ dc Sam
brcusc made sort Of shrine TO the
memory 81 his wife At the back
of deep niche. whose interior wa,
concealed from the curious eyes q
The servants BIZ a folding door. hS
placed her portraii-that mnstorfu
I portrait ono Of Carolus nuran's best
I which WAS so much admired ~ n,
Z salon few years ago. Il repre-
Y scnts the fair Pauline in ball costume
I proud and smiling. with bunch o
I roses ia her slender. white hands
I Ia the recess lamp, which N. d
I sambrousc himself carefully lillet
I and trimmed each day. threw bril-
X liant and clear radiance upon tn
face % The picture, rs well rs upon |
( cushion beneath. whore he had ar
ranged the objects that had beef
most identified with his loved one
( the last gloves che had worn. tn
last handkerchief she had used, he
fan. her umbrella. her jewels. and i
a,ronfusion Of laces and costly fab
rics, tho bouquets which he hal
brought from the cemetery. an
which were never consigned 10 tn
flames until the withcred petal
dropped from their stems.
Every evening NJ. do Samhreus
FASTENED 20 his room. and. atte
opening tho doors OF the tabernacle
fell unon his knees before the POT
trait For long time he carried o
this alteration. talking 20 the piC
tnred face and exalting himself Z
the belief that the lips moved an
spoke to him AZ last, utterly eS
hausted be fell asleep With his eye
sill dIcd upon the beautiful counter
amce.
One morning OF autumn. wher
according 20 his invariable custom
NJ. dc Sambreusc arrived az Fer
l.achaisc. he was much astunishcd I
hud bunch OF strange roses IN th
urn, while his lag half united upo
the tomb Assurcdly they wer
superb with their glowing crimso
petals and long stems; but thei
proud beauty had not the charm {
those with which he adorned Par
lines grave. His were tea roses
gloiro dc Dion. chosen by him b.
cause she had always preferred the
delicate tint and perfume to an
other.
Without asking himself whenC
came these flowers which seemed
him impious usurpers, he graspe
them with indignant hands and r,
placed them with his own But as i
was about to throw them far froi
him he paused. looking at them. an
q feeling of pity succeeded his sudde
! anger. No longer did he cherish IL
will toward the person who had d.
sired thus to pay homage TO Pauline
and whose only fault had been in M
comprehending the privileged an
sacred character of his flowers.
|. he gently laid the crimson roses upc
: the tomb he wondered sadly WI
could have brought them. Som
; friend or relativoP His conjecture
] were In vain, and he relinquished ii
/ hope OF ever knowing.
Three days later on reaching Pau
ines tomb he found that the decd ha
been repeated. He felt the same su
prise and anger as on the previo'
day; but not the same forbearanc
} Full Of WI ath, he flung the bouque
\ which someone had again dared