Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-02-10
MRS. COL. CIITHEROE

LIS gray uulfeu uunuSOlue nuSpuuu
shook his head, with SMILE
Hardly, | am afraid, Rose. A casual
observer would be more likely to think you
were young lady spending the holidays
with her grandfather. Fortunately, how
ever, the residents in these parts know
who you are. 1 expect they will muster
pretty strong at 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.
SIT looks more matronly to take your
arm, John," she said, laughing. But then
her mood changed, and she looked grave,
adding:
"I do really feel nervous. don't want
these people who have known you all your
and too altogether unworthy to be your
wife, Do you think they will be preju-
diced against me by my appearance?
chose bonnet and this long sealskin coat
because they make me older than hat
and jacket.
1t was rather romantic little story, as
things go in these prosaic times, that story
of how Rose Dysart became Mrs. Colonel
Clitheroe when she was IS and he was 49,
Rose declared that she had been in love
with him all her life. Certainly at years
old she had been in the habit Of assuring
him, 'Rose'll marry you when she's big, F"
whereupon he always answered, "All
right, little woman; I'll wait for you.
The child's passionate devotion to the
handsome officer was quite an amusement
to her parents. But when his regiment
was ordered off to India, and they saw the
little face grow white and thin and heard
her heartbroken sobs, they laughed no
longer. Even after she ceased to cry for
"Rosie's colonel" she never forgot him.
The pretty baby had grown to tall,
slim girl of 13 when these two friends met
again. BY that time Rose Dysart was
pupil ata small and select boarding school
in the environs of Paris, and on one of the
frequent visits which her father and moth
or paid to their darling they came by
chance across Colonel Clitheroe, who also
was spending IA few days in the gay capital.
"How is Rosie? Has she forgotten me9"
were among his first questions.
Mrs. Dysart laughed.
"Rose is at school at Neuilly. 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 see her
friend again, and she told him SO. He
joked her about her baby overtures toward
him. He reminded her of how she would
drag footstool across the room, and by
it's aid climb to his knee and busy her
small hands with his hair, OH the pretext
of making him "nice and tidy"
~ have grown gray since those days, "
he said, with half sigh. Whereupon
Miss Rose declared that she liked gray
hair best.
Each seemed to please the other. They
seized in moment on each others mean
ing. They appeared to divine each others
thoughts
81 shall come again." said Colonel
Clitheroe when the visitors hour was over
and study must Begin ~ see that you
and shall be excellent friends, as we were
II years ago"
However, ho made no second visit to
the pensionnat at Neuilly Seine. His
old uncles illness recalled him suddenly
to England, and Rose Dysart was fin
ished young lady and about to be intro
duced into society before she had the pleas
ure Of meeting her colonel again.
This girls face was not strictly beauti-
full, but it was charming face. She was
immensely admired, both by men and
women. And there must be something
loyable as we'll as lovely in IL young lady
Of II when those of her own sex express
sincere admiration for her and can praise
her whole heartedly.
"She will certainly marry young" said
elderly people, but it never occurred to
any of them to suppose that this sunny
faced Rose Dysart would refuse three eligi-
BILE men simply because she loved a mid
die aged colonel.
Like many other parents, Mr.. and Mrs
Dysart seemed to regard their daughter as
little more than child. They scarcely
realized that others viewed her differently.
''Of course, like other girls, Rose must
go into society,"" they said, ''but we hope 1t
may be years and years before we have to
part with her.
And they were quite delighted that she
should refuse her first three offers of mar
riage.
It was in the spring and just before her
eighteenth birthday that the Dysarts left
their pretty Sussex home for furnished
house in Eaton place, which they had hired
for the season at somewhat exorbitant
rent.
To the great joy Of Rose, Colonel Clith-
eroe was one Of the first callers. He also
was in town for two or three months, hav-
ing during the previous year buried his old
uncle and inherited the property.
"My dear fellow" said Mr.. Dysart to
him, with the familiarity of friend Of
long standing, "you really ought not to re-
main unmarried. Try to remember that
you are depriving some woman Of an OK
cellent house and still more excellent
husband. A man in the prime Of life
| well of, good looking, retired from the
army--where lies the hindranceS"
"Simply in this, J" replied the colonel, 81
have never been In love, and should be
afraid to marry now that am past the
age for the tender passion. You zee, there
Is no three year system In matrimony.
| 1t has to be till death us do part"
Mr.. Dysart laughed.
"You must not be allowed to remain q
bachelor, my dear Clitheroe. 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 the room. ~
like you best a. you are. Indeed, ! think