Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-05-01
HERO AND HEROINE.
Tom HALL.

"Oh, dear! / wish l could be a
heroine myself" pouted Rose Penn
berton, tossing aside the novel which
she had just finished, with a deep
sigh of discomfort. "I'm pretty
enough, I'm sure,' casting an ap-
preciative glance at the mirror OPP
posite, in which her piquant face and
curling golden hair we're pleasingly
reflected, "but nothing ever happens
nothing ever will happen either
so far as l can see-that has the
least bit of romance in it. just this
same old humdrum life. I'm tired
and sick of it. If something start
ling would only occurl II could
even fall desperately in love with
some one"
Here the low, DISCONTINUED muir
muir of Roses voice ceased, and a
faint blush crept into her pretty
cheeks as her thoughts drifted away
toward certain ''some one' who
had never formed q part of that
humdrum of life which she had 30
often and SO bitterly complained.
Rose had admirers, as the pref
tieat girl in the village always will
h,ve, and she could recall an almost
equal number of fi,rtations which had
served to brighten the monotouy of
her village Lie.
But they were tame affairs. Her
heart had never been really interest
Ell for moment.
AS for the grand passion, Rose
knew nothing of it save in her day
dreams and in the pages Of her fav
ori;e novels.
She had laughed at her would-be
lovers aud declared her conviction
that there is no such thing as love
in real life.
But of lately pretty Rose had Sc
cretly begun to entertain somewhat
different opinion on that subject.
A handsome, intellectual face and
pair OF laughing blue eyes were
the direct causes of her change of
heart.
Yet their owner seemed in no
haste to enroll himself en- the list of
her admirers.
Indeed, Rose knew him only by
sight, for Wilbur Severance was q
stranger in the village. She had
seen him in church two or three
times, and occasionally on the street
but he had never sought an intro
duetiou to the belle of the place, and
beyond a passing glance of admira-
ton had not evinced any special no.
tice of her attractions.
Perhaps that was the very thing
which had awakened Roses interest
in him. At all events, she often
caught herself dreaming of those
pretty blue eyes and wondering what
she should say if Mr.. Severance
were even to tell her the story of
love which she had so often heard
from other lips.
But there was little danger of that
apparently. Rose bit her lip in cha
grin as that thought forced itself
upon Ter, even while she was con-
templating her graceful image in the
mirror, and catching up her wide
brimmed garden hat she suddenly
quilted the room and the house, and
wen Lurrying down the path with q
kind of desperate determination in
her Heart to get away from the dull
ness of everyday existence and
wiring an adventure of some sort
from the unwilling hands of fate.
aI'll 60 down to the river" she
said, after moment of INDIGESTION at
the gate, land if can find q boat
I'll row around in the most danger
Gus places | can find. And / hope
something will happen. But it
WON'T she added sarcastically, aun-
less / upset the boat on purpose
Turning into the winding road
that led out of the village, she soon
came to the river and found frag-
lie sseli of bost dancing at aachor
on the waves, as if left there by fate
! for her especial use.