The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-11-18
lowed with prooiganty upon any who

jowed with proaiganty upon any who
legged the gift.
Our Lady's shrine was always decorated
with the great blossoms, and ever before
the portrait of the senorita In the tiny
drawing room stood her Offering to her
own lost youth.
Ono evening the scnorita sat under tho
Gold Of Ophir rssc tree In her hands she
held cluster Of her fayoritcs As she in
hailed their fragrance her thoughts were as
ever busy with tic past. Again she saw
her lover, straight, manly and tender,
standing before her heard his whispered
vows and felt his kisses on her cheeks and
lips.
The garden cato clicked and swung
open. Two people advanced slowly and
uncertainty through the gathering dus',
"a man and u woman, young, fashionably
dressed, with an unmistakable air Of good
breeding Tho man, stepping forward and
courteously lifting his hat, said, "Have l
the honor Of addressing Senorit,i Ygnacia
Bonayentura?''
flo stopped abruptly as sharp cry
broke FROM the scnorita's lips. She had
risen, with her customary courtesy, at the
first words of the stranger and stood now
clinging desperately to the trellis over
which the rose tree climbed.
"Santa Mariap' she breathed rather
than spoke. "Who it eess"
II am sorry to have startled you so,
replied her visitor gently. eve were told
OF the hotel that you were quite willing
strangers should see this beautiful tree or
we would not have intruded. beg your
pardon" And he turned as If to CO.
"Stay, senior, she cried "Do not go.
will show you the roses with happiness
81. But your face it ces which gave me so
moocho start. Jesu Cristo, but you are
like some one''-
II think you knew my father" said the
stranger. "He was stationed here at the
Preside years ago, and l have often heard
him speak of this charming old town."
"Your fathaire hereS"
eyes, my father, General Saunders
Lieutenant Saunders when he was here"
There was profound silence. The
straight, slim figure seemed turned to
stone. The great dark eyes looked out
from under the folds Of the black tapelo
with sad intensity and earnest scrutiny.
Tom Saunders felt as II he were confront
ed by some vague, unknown tragedy. His
ton as If she were looking on at a mys-
FERROUS phase of human emotion, and
drawing near her husband clasped his arm
with both her hands and turned her sweet
face, full of tender sympathy, toward the
senorita. For an instant they stood thus,
three souls looking out of their windows
to scan each the other with searching
looks. The senorita spoke first: Isl, So
nor" she said in low, grave voice, IT did
know your fathaire long time-ago. He
look like you--ah, l ope he ees well-siY"
"Did you not know-but of course you
would not have heard"-said Saunders
sadly, "my father is dead. He died
month ago."
HE oes dcadP" repeated the senorita
mechanically.
eyes" said Saunders. "And before he
died he charged me with sacred commits.
sion. He knew that was coming here on
my wedding journey. He called me to
him one day and said: when you get
there, want you to hunt up Senorita
Ygnacia Bonayentura, Tell her for me
that now as l am nearing death, / see with
clearer vision, and that I regret the past.
Tell her that as I lie here racked with
pain long, oh, long, for the GOODNESS
and quiet Of her rose garden, and that in
the long watches of each restless night
smell again tho perfume from the golden
roses planted before her door. "
There was sound of sobbing as Saun-
ders finished his pathetic message. II
came from his wife, who was profoundly
affected by the situation. But the senorita
did not weep. Her white face was tense
in its agony, but not tear glistened in
her somber eyes. She held out her hand
to the son of her old love. He took 1t In
both his and pressed it gently. "She has
suffered for my fathers sake" was the
thought that flashed through his mind,
and he bent his head and laid a reverent
kiss upon the senorita's brown, toll worn
hand.
AS Saunders and his wife were leaving,
their arms filed with branches and clus-
tiers of the Gold of Ophir roses, the senorita
held open the gate for them. When Saun-
ders passed her, she laid in his hand tho
king of all that years blossoms, great
royal golden rose. "For the lieutenant's
grave" she simply said.
Saunders bowed, too much moved to
speak. And six weeks later the ashes of
that perfect flower were reverently strewn
over grave in Greenwood.
Hours after their departure the senorita
entered the little drawing room. Her face
was wan and haggard and old. She lifted
her Pickering candle high before the por-
trait and gazed steadfastly upon the beau
tiful young face that smiled down at her.
"Madre di Dios," sho breathcd, "but |
1t was long-time-agol'
The next morning they tried in vain to
waken the senorita. She lay still and cold |
on her bed, drawn close to the open case
ment. Through tho window tho great, |
gay, golden roses climbed and looked into
the poor little chamber, and one, holder
than the rest, had laid its yellow head
close to the dead heart of the scnorita.-
Edith Sessions Topper in Short Stories.