The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-11-18
MRS. COL. CLITHEROE

| "Mrs. Colonel Cltheroe" And with
tho utterance Of those words the brown
eyes seemed to laugh at their own refiec.
tion In the mirror, and az the prettily curry
ed lips parted they showed the perfect teeth.
"Do look ii, John? Do II For am in
| teRsely anxious as to the effect which
shall produce on your friends and neigh.
bors I"
The gray haired, handsome husband
shook his head, with smile.
Hardly, l am afraid, Rose. A casual
observer would be more likely to think you
were young lady spending tho holidays
with hor grandfather. Fortunately, how
ever, the residents in these parts know
who you are. expect they will muster
pretty strong ut church this morning to
get good stare at you"
Rose Clitheroe took her husbands arm
as they passed through the gateway of the
priory The colonel had inherited the prop.
erty from an uncle not long before his
marriage.
alt looks more matronly to take your
arm, John" she said, laughing. But then
I hor mood changed, and sho looked grave,
adding:
81 do really feel nervous. don't want
these people who have known you all your
life to say am too young and too giddy
and too altogether unworthy to be your
wife. Do you think they will be preju-
diced against me by my appearances? /
chose n bonnet and this long scaskin coat
because they make Inc Older than u hat
and jacket"
1t was rather romantic littlO story, as
things go in these prosnc times, that story
of how Rose DySart became Mrs Colonel
ClithcrOc when she was IL and hc was 49,
Rose declared that slo had been in love
with him all her life. Certainly ut 2 years
old she had been in tho habit of assuring
him, "Rosic'N marry you when she's big"
whcreupon he always answered. IAN
right, little woman; I'll wait for you."
Tho child's passionate devotion to tho
handsome officer was quite an amusement
to her parents. But when his regiment
was ordered off to India and they saw tho
little facc grow white and thin and heard
her hcartbrokon sobs, they laughed no
longer, Even after sho ceased TO cry for
"Rosc colonel, " she never forgot him.
Tine Pretty baby had grown TIA tall,
slim girl Of 10 whom these two friends met
again by that time Rose Dysnrt was
in the cnvirans of Paris, and on one of the
frequent waits which her ther and moth
CIR paid to thor darling they came by
chance across Colonel Clitheroe, who also
WAS spending II lew days in the gay capital.
How is Roster Has she forgotten me."
wGro among his first questions.
Mrs. Dysart laughed
Rose is at school at Ncuilly. Come
with us this afternoon and then judge for
yourself whether you have been forgot
ten"
The girl had not grown stiff and shy
She was immensely delighted to sec her
friend again and she told him 70. He
jokcd her about her onby pyertures toward
him He reminded her Of how she would
drag u footstuol across the room, and by
its aid climb TO his knee and busy her
small hands with his hair, on tho pretext
of making him mice and tidy"
81 have grown gray since those days"
he said, with II # sigh. Whcreupon
Miss Rose declare. that she liked gray
hair best.
Each seemed to please the other They
seized in II l.HmrnC on cach others mean
ing. They appeared to divine each others
thoughts.
81 shall come again" said Colonel
Clither0o when tho visitors hour was over
and study must begin. Il SEQ that you
and shall he excellent friends, us We woro
II years ago
However, ho made no second visit to
the pensionnat at Ncuilly sur seine. His
old uncle's illness recalled him suddenly
to England, and Rose Dysart was IL FIN
ishod young lady and about to bo intro
duccd into society before She had the pleas
urc of meeting her colonel again.
This girls faCo WAS not strictly hcautl-
full, but it WAS Il charming face. .Sho was
Immensely admired, both by mon and
women. And there must be something
lovablo as well Us lovely in young lady
of II when those of her own sUx express
sincere admiration for her and Gun praise
her whole hCurtodly.
'She will certainly marry young" said
elderly people, but it mover occurred to
any Of them to suppose that this sunny
fuccl Rose Dys,rt would refuse three cligi
bic men simply because she loved mid
die aged colonel
Like many other parents, Mr. md Mrs.
Dysart seemed ~ regard their daughter as
little moro than II child. They scarcely
y.
"Of course like other girls, Rose must
60 into society" they said, but we hops it
may BIO years and years before we have to
part with her.
And they wcro quite delighted that she
should refuse her tn st three Offers Of mar
riagc.
1t WIS in the spring and just before her
eighteenth birthday tEpt tho Dysarts left
their pretty SusSrx h'.'ic for n furnished
house in l.atun place, which they had hired
for the season at n somewhat uxorbitHnt
rent.
To tho great joy of Roso, Colonel Clith-
ERGO was CEc Of tie first callers. He also
was in town for two or three months hnv-
ing during the previous year buried his old
uncle and inherited the property.
My dear fellow, said MIR. Dyssrt to
him, with tho familiarity Of friend of
long standing, you really ought not to re-
main unmarried. Try to remember that
you arc dcpriving some woman of an OK
ccllent house and "a still more excellent
husband. A man in the prime Of life
well off, good locking, retired from tho
urmy-whCre lies the hindrance:"
"Simply in this, replied the colonel, 81
have never been IN love, and | should DO
afraid to marry now that | am past the
ugo for tho tender passion. You see there
is no three year system' in matrimony.
1t hns to he till death us do purt,"
Mr.. Dysart laughed.
"You must not DO allowed to remain
bachelor, my doar Clilhcroe shall look
round for some nice woman of about five
and thirty and try my prentice hand at
matchmaking.
"No Don't you get married. colonel"
exclaimed Rose who WAS in tho room. Il
like you best as you are. Indeed think
(eo,A,MaXWel& Co