The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-07-24
ROSE-LEAVfS.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

Greyton; ''and nothing 10 i've upon.
She looked around upon the rest OF
the Greyton family with the tragic ar
of modern Medea.
The Greytons lived in a pretty old
manor house on the Bloomingdale
road just pleasant drive out OF town.
They liked pretty draperies, andcul-
tivated rare roses, and painted lovely
little amateur pictures, and basked, In
a sort of unthinking way, IN lifessu
shine.
They didn't know quite how much
income they had, nor exactly where
it came from. They only knew that
everything was in the hands of poor
paps's lawyer"-a darling, white-hair-
ed old philanthropist, who was devot,
ed to the heather, and who ofiiciated
as Secretary to half dozen foreign
missionary associations. And when
ever they wanted money they went to
him for it.
And one day, when Mrs. Greyton
and her daughter Lila went to the
city office with bundle of unpaid
bills to get Mr.. birmingham to write
check for them, the door was pad
locked, and little paper notice ITO
Let was tackled upon it.
Where had Mr.. birmingham gone:
Nobody knew.
When would he return? The pub
lie was densely ignorant on that sub
ject.
Why had he gone? And IN answer
to this quettion there was very uni
versal Struggling of shoulders, and a
whisperabout general 'smash-up.
Poor Mrs. Greyton, She and Lila
were both as ignorant and inexperl-
enced of the world as pair of white
kittens, and it was some time before
she could comprehend that Mr.. Franz
ineham was a thorough faced villain,
and that she and her little flock We're
penniless.
what shall we do:" murmured
Mrs. Greyton, after she had wept
through her whole supply of pocket
handkerchiefs.
Couldn't we sell our hand-pa;nted
china2' said Clarice, a swarthy
browed girl of eighteen. Il designed
every piece myself. And Mr.. Favalli
said"
''Pshawn.' curtly interrupted Fen
ella. 'Just look at the china stores,
crowded full of far finer work. Poor
Clarie! they wouldn't pay you the
price of the mineral paint it took to
do them for your plaques and vases.
II can do art embroidery very nice.
w." suggested Mona, tai, shy girl
with LIQUID black eyes, and jetty hair
growing low on her forhead.
''The embroidery market IS over
full" said Fenella, who was the incar-
nation of common sense for the faml-
y. "If you could do housework now
Mona looked down at her slim
white hands, all sparkling with rings,
and shuddered.
But Bess, the youngest, came brave
ly to the rescue.
1.-The first thing" said she, is to
send all the servants off except Ann;
We can't afford to pay four girls and
man any longer"
But who is to keep the garden in
order," cried Clarie, ''if we discharge
the man?"
1T must 60 without being kept in
ORDER" said Bess, ''or else we must do
it ourselves" :"
'sMy poor roses~ sighed Mrs. Grey
ton.
Mammals roses shall not suffer, y
said Lila. II will look after them
':And old Mrs. Playford, who spends
month with us every summer" sad
Mona. "And the Bidgood girls, who
always invite their friends here TO the
midsummer picnics-and all the peo-
pie who drive out from the city to
lunches and teas"
1--WE must makea clearance of the
whole of 'em!'' said Fenella, crisply-
''unless, indeed, they would like to
make a business matter of it and pay
their board
,sOh. Fenella.n cried Mrs. Greyton.
''Wel, why not, mamma? So far
as can see, we haven't got money to
buy our own bread and butter-so
how can we afford to order ices, and
frozen puddings, and pates de foie
gras for other people2 But If we had
a regular income, am almost sure,
with AIMS help that we could set a
very nice table for boarders.
Lila looked terrified
Mamma" said she, ''has it come to
this?'
Bess frowned savagely.
'sLilla," said she, don't be a fool.
unless you think you would like to
starve."
And while the family were still in
committee-of-the-whole, old Mrs.
Playford's huge, old-fashioned ba-
rouche rumbled up to the door, with
Leaning Tower Of Pisa strapped on
behind in the shape of trunks!
I'm a little earlier than usual, my
sweet girls" said she, with smile
that revealed the golden hinges OF her
false teeth after a most ghastly fash
ion. But the season is intolerably
hot, and my doctor declares it would
be suicide for me to remain longer IN
town. And I know, darlings, am
always sure of a welcome here
Mrs. Greyton was about to reply,
when Fenella stepped forward.
'sThen you haven't heard Of it,
said she. I'VE are ruined, Mrs. Play
ford. Old Mr.. birmingham has spent
all our money and gone to Australia.
We can't entertain company any lon
ger. But if you would like to board
here, at reasonable compensation,
we shall be glad to receive you, and
give YOU all the comforts of home.
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