Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-10-09

Srs7i, ~ - a1" !, co NV q .
was his recreation.
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 Gol-forsaken conn
try.
Apart from his duties he kept most
ly to himself, though when not travel
ing he always went down to O'Fallen's
Hotel once day for cup of tea-tea
kept especially for him; and as 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, cocatoo-farmer and shearer,
called him ''a lively old buffer. 3"
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 a reel, as
he put it, and he always carried away
n deep impression of the Inspectors
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 Il thousand
years and he'd still be the nonesuch of
the back blocks. I'd patent him-fle
my cayeat for him tomorrow if could
bully Old Roses /"
Victoria Bowling, the barmaid, lifted
her chin slightly from her hands, as
she leaned through the opening be-
tween the bar and the sitting-room,
and said; "Mr. Merritt, Old Roses is
gentleman, and a gentleman isa gen
tleman till he"
"Iill 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 Sondhills, my dearr'
ooh, " was the quiet reply, "a wo-
man-the commonest woman-knows
a 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. !"
''Right you are, Victoria right you
are again You do the Jumping Sand
hills credit. Old Roses has the root
OF the matter in him-and there you
have it !"
Dickey had Il 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 at the ban
quet. Dicley Merritt and the local
doctor were proposed MS composers,
but they both declared they'd only
''make rot of it," and suggested Old
Roses.
They went to lay the thing before
hlm. They found him in his garden.
lie greeted them smiling in his enig-
matical way, and listened. While
Dlckeey spoke, flush slowly passed
over hlm, and then Immediately left
hlm pale; but he stood perfectly still
his hand leaning against a sandal tree
and the GOODNESS of his face warmed
up again slowly. His head having
been bent attentively as he listened,
they did not see anything unusual.
After n moment of silence and in
scrutable deliberation, he answered
that he would do as they wished
Dickey limited that he would require
some information about Lord Malice's
past career and his familys history,
but he assured them that he did not
need it; and his eyes idled somewhat
ironically with Dickey's face
When the two had gone Old Roses
sat IN his room, handful of letters, n
photoSraph and a couple of decora-
tlons spread out before him; his fin
gers resting on them, and his look en-
gagged with very far horizon.
The Governor came. He WINS met
outside the township by the citizens
and escorted in-a dusty and numer-
ous cevalcade. They passed the in
spection house. The garden was
blooming, and on the roof flag was
flying. Struck by the singular char
acter of the place Lord Malice asked
who lived there, and proposed stop
ping for moment to make the ac.
quaintance of its owner, adding, with
some slight sarcasm, that if the Off.
GERS of the Government were too busy
to pay their respects to their Governor,
their Governor must pay his respects
to them
| But Old Roses was not in the garden
nor in the house, and they left with