Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1893-01-27


occasion requested her society.
Rose could not be ignorant that this
change had not been accomplished
without much angry disputing in the
house, but there are situations in which
a man is powerless to defend woman,
however anxious he may be to do SO,
and Mr.. Aslin felt this fact painfully. <
just what were his wife's suspicious,
she never told anyone. 1t is likely she
had not even decided on them in her
own heart, but they had very decided
effect Miss Rose Van Ransaleurs
name began to b. omitted from all
invitations and calls of ceremony, and
the very servants dropped the element
of respect out of their attentions, unless
sMr. Aslin was present,
Poor little Rose. This was not her
only trouble. Frank never wrote to
her esliis mother, indeed read some
pleasant message Sor apology in the
first letters, with always promise of
a long letter for herself, but it never
came; and gradually even the message
grew colder, until it, too, was for
Nothing can change the nature of a
woman heindnlgence of one over
mastering passion. In her insane jeal-
ousy, madam forgot her inherent lazi-
ness. She learned to follow Rose into
the loneliest and most distant parts of
the plantation and to watch her at
hours once absolutely devoted to slum-
Der and privacy. From this terrible
persecution, Rose began slowly to per-
ceive she must fly somewhere.
Cue day, when the madame and her
pretty ungenerous daughters had gone
for holiday to New Orleans, Rose, de-
flying her negro guards, went boldly to
Mr. Aslin'ssoffice and poured forth,
with passionate tears and complaints,
all her wrongs, entreating that her
real position might be explained to her.
Mr.. Aslin seemed to suffer in her re-
cital more keenly than Rose herself A
spasm of intense agony contracted his
face, butt he would not suffer her to
move.
sit will be over soon, child" he said.
land it is well that you have brought
me to this point. You shall know all
that can tell you. Rose, your father
and were sworn friends even in early
boyhood. We were. both at the same
school. / was strong and he was sickly
and weak. l fought his battles and
talked to him through many night
when he was suffering too much to
sleep.
-"Then, dear, we both went to En-,
rope, and !, while he was studying
hard, gave myself, up to every species
of sin and dissipation. Yet his love
never grew cold; his patience never
wearied AT last, Rose, committed a
crime which would have sent me tc
prison for the best years of my life, had
Hot your father, by absolutely impov
erishing himself, placed me in safety
He did this without word of re
proach. He clasped my stained hant
and wept as bitterly at parting with
me as if had been worthy of his love
81 buried myself in this wilderness
then a Mexican town, and commenced
the practice of. law. After some years
| married, and wealth and honors fol
lowed me; but l never had another
friend. / kept my own counsel ever
from my wife, About five years after
my settlementvherey ourufather wrote
and told me that a lovely girl whom
he had married in defiance of his father
and friends''wishl was apparently dy
ing He had hopes of delaying death
however in southern climate if
could find nice home for him. JUS
at that time, the little Florida place was
lying in my handsfor exchange forTex
as sugar lands, and bought its ant
went myself to meet my friend to see
him comfortably accompanied to cir
"reminiscences.
"Your mother fingered about year
and, after her death, his Florida home
became very dear to y our father. The
climate suited his health. 1t was fal
removed from all his estranged falni
ly.s He'could live seconomieally't there
And as was now able to pay bach
4 gradually my debt, there was no neet
\ FLOR any exertion on his part. He de
voted himself to literature, and becam,
noted writer on the subjects he inves
'tigated.. y. ..'' a',aa1sa'''.sas's