The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1894-10-24
AT PINK HOUSE.


the post carried with it, besides a GER
tain number of rupees per month, lit
tie pink house that sat very fiat upon
the ground near the railway line II
was also near a tank and had in conse-
quence a green, dank garden, where
marigolds and peoples sprawled together
and big bushes, starred with the scarlet
shoe flower, grew in inharmonious fell
lowship with the magenta masses of the
bougainvillea A decaying tree trunk
was glorifed by the tangled wreaths and
orange trumpets of the Bignonia YER
nesta, and there were many foliage
plants, clumps of brightly colored leaves
boasting long Latin names, but John
Port called them, one and all, burning
bushes"
'Tisn't what you'd call 'omelike, :"
said John Port to his pipe as he paced
among these Towering splendors, but
Ellen'll make difference, trust 'er. 4"
And Ellen was on her way out and
every throb of the steamers screw
brought her nearer to the pink house
and the green garden and the expectant
man, to whom her coming was to make
such difference. 1t was four years
since Ellen Gee had promised to marry
John Port, four years since he had gone
TO seek his fortune in India He was a
steady, handwriting man, and the for
tune had not been long of coming, the
monthly salary, with good prospects,
and the pink house and the green garden.
In the pride of his heart John Port sent
home money, a cruel sacrifice at time
when 16 rupees barely equaled 90 shil-
lings for Ellen passage out.
The idea" said Ellen when she
received the money, and she promptly
put it into the savings bank against a
rainy day. Ellen had made her arrange.
ments for the voyage. She came out in
attendance on a delicate lady and two
small children, and a second class fare
was gladly paid in exchange for her
services
Il only wish you could stay with
me, " said the lady, and she gave her
So at parting.
The marriage took place in Calcutta.
John Port was nervous and excited, and
the best coat of four years ago was al
ready little tight for him. Ellen was
very quiet and composed and wore
gray wooden gown.
They went straight from the church
TO the train, and as Ellen travelled with
out a ticket she felt that she was indeed
entering into her kingdom. Six hours
of slow progress brought them to the
little pink house, which Port had fur
nished as a man in his ignorance fur
nishes. Ellen was impressed by the four
rooms and the veranda, but her quick
eyes took instant note of the scaliness
Of the color washed walls, the inferior
woodwork and the clumsy doors that
would not shut. But the servants aston
ished her beyond all things.
Whatever ave got all these people |
for?' she asked, as row of four stood
salaaming to her
Most mems wives as more" said
Port.
1.-THE more shame TO them. If l |
couldn't manage to do the work of my |
own 'ouse, after all the time I've been |
a general, it would be pity"
Some of EN- you must ave, and
you won't feel much like working when
the otweather comes, you'll see, !" said
Port, secretly filed with tender admira-
ton.
1--WE 'ad it 'ot enough in the Red
seas, I'm sure, F" said Ellen, land as
long as Twas looking after Mrs. Nugent
or doing anything for the children
didn't mind it, but when I sat down
with my ands in front of me it was
awful Keep busy, and you'll be all
right, that's what l say. "
She had already changed her we'd
ding dress for serviceable blue cotton
gown, and she was on her knees as she
spoke busting the long neglected legs of
the big square table. Her sleeves were
turned up. and she wore large apron
John watched her in approving silence
She was certainly making a difference
already She went into the veranda to
shake her buster, and Mrs. Gasparez, the
wife of ticket collector, watched he1
from across the road.
''Ooh, thee bride is veree grand, ?" size
said to her husband that evening. "She
has brought out an English maid with
Ter. Onlee fancy. and makes her work
o hard alreadeeF'
1t never entered into the mind OF
Irs. Gasparez that any woman could
possibly use a dnster on her wedding
lay.
John and Ellen walked into their
arden when the sun was low. and FL
en- spied its fiowery tangles with a
PRACTICAL eye. Its waste of land. .
he said. Couldn't we manage some
reens instead of all that 'ighbiscus?"
And John marveled at her erudition.
3he had once attended a series Of botan-
cal lectures at Kew, organized by her
sunday school teacher.
Things will look more 'omelike
said Ellen as she fastened
trings outside the veranda for scarlet
unners to be trained upon.
She was bending over the strings as
he spoke, and John stopped and kissed
er smooth hair little awkwardly. 81
new you d make 1t seem different
7hen you came, old girl, % he said
uskily.
ooh, lis nice to be ere, =" said Ellen.
Three days later Mrs. Gasparez came
} call, picking her way through the red
ust Of the road with little mincing
teps. She was quite young and very
tout, and her fat, brown face was
aively and thickly coated with powder.
he had abundant shiny black hair and
mall, good natured eyes. She wore a
right blue merino dress trimmed with
hin satin that cracked like paper. A
ape on her shoulders tangled with
eads, and there were red and yellow
overs in her bonnet. A little observa
ion had corrected her mistake as to
81. 4-.5oJo E,oT;cb void ,, and oil