The Monitor-register. [volume] (Woodstown, Salem Co., N.J.) 1892-1972, 1897-09-03

and make fool of myself. It's in your
blood. Ellen Spring. 1t was in your
fathers blood. and in his fathers before
him, and way back as long as there was
any Springs. We're all alike. l wouldn' It
make up with Adam Roseborough, and
you won't make up with John Emmett,
and you will be sorry for it all the rest of
your life" Her voice was shaken as she
drew toward the end; her last words were
almost q wall.
She picked up her letter again and held
it out full in the face of the mysterious
likeness.
'And look at this, Ellen Spring! But
l can't make up my mind to answer it.
Pm soft one minute and hard the next.
He got married and l stayed single.
Seems to me can't get over his taking
a wife. can't-I can't"
She plucked at the waist of the gown
she wore.
ELLEN Spring, did you ever see this
lilac calico before9 pulled it out of the
trunk this morning where it's been folded
up most twenty years. knew he was
coming, and wanted something to put
me in mind Of him. He always liked
this lilac so. That's what you'll come
to, Ellen Spring. You'll hunger and
thirst and find nothing to satisfy you bu,
rag of old ribbon or an old pile OF
letters or something else. Some other
women I'll get, your happiness, and you II
sit and''ieok ON and make out you don't
care"
Her voice was stern and appealing and
passionate by turns. 1t came back in
tiukling echoes across the empty room
1t seemed to her as if the house were full
Of ghosts.
Then she said suddenly: "Pm going
right up now and take it off"
She climbed the steps to the garrett
with the letter still in her hand. The
blackenei door oreaked; she found her
self for the second time that day in the
dim place, antique with the scent of herbs
The trunk out of which she had taken
the gown few hours before stood under
the shopping caves She crawlel toward
it on her hands and knees aud dragged it
out to the middle of the floor. Then sne
began mechanically to unfasten her dress,
and little by little, as she did 80, there
grew out of the half light in the room tn g
figure of another woman, younger than
herself by some eighteen years, who
watched her with sad and reproachful
eyes. Herself, in truth, in the likeness of
beruyouth, the youth she had fang from
her with stubborn hand
She opened the trunk. An odor OF
camphor struck across that of the herbs
Here lay her wedding things, in careful
and separate folds, beribboned and be-
ruffed, following with age. She ran her
fingers along the topmost garment; it
was trimmed with rows of some delicate,
hand-knit lace, and she remembe
having walked two miles in the sun to
beg for the pattern. Below this showed
a loosened breadth of something fine and
dove colored. 1t was the dress in which
she had expected to marry Adam Rose
borough. She gave long look; then
smOothed the lilac calico into decent
creases, and laid it down 10 a heap on
the rest, and the letter last of all. She
felt as if she had just finished making a
shroud.
Late that afternoon her niece came
home.
Il thought you were going to stay
another week" said Adelaide. | T.
Il got tired If it," said the girl. She
dragged out chair and sat down on
it. "You needn't get me any supper.
Pm not hungry"
Her aunt stopped in her passage across
the kitchen.
John Emmst was round here to day,
and he told me all about it. He's most
crazy for you to make up, Ellen"
g feels if I'd rather die than do it,
Adelaide Spring Bet her dishes down
again on the table and looked curiously
at her. ".-- .-.....
'1'm going to tell you something" she
began. II guess you've heard about
Adam Roseborough? And that once be
and | were going to be marie d, and then
we had a quarrel, and we never made up,
Everybody in the village knows that
story. Well. he's back here again at his
sister James. He's come back Just to
see me. l got letter from him this
morning. and he told me so. But it's too
late, Ellen Spring"
"Well?" said the girl.
''But don't you go and make fool of
yourself like me. Pm too old to change,
but you're young, and you can; you
must"
"Whau was it about g. asked Ellen.
He thought l talked too much to the
minister. We had just got him, and he
was handsome and had tongue. And /
said | would, aud Adam said mustn't,
and there it all ended. Adam begged
and begged, but held out, and SO he
stopped begging and went away"
Tie young face stared up into the
m iddIe-aged one.
81 look at you, Aunt Adelaide, and it
seems as if l were looking at myself,
only older"
"And l look at YOU" said Adelaide
sand it seems as if you were me, only
younger"
"The rattle Of china sounded again
Adelaide's heels made clicking noises
over the bare kitchen floor. .
"You go up to bed, Ellen" she said,
suddenly; you're as pale as ghost
I'n bring you bowl of hot tea"
1t grew late; the light faded. From
one of her windows she could see the
Roseberough chimnsysasisowing very
black and plain against sky that was
all pale rose and emerald.
From the stove came pleasant bub
bling and boiling, and the room was full
of a homely odor. 1t was time TO take
Ellen her tea.
The girl drank the SCANNING liquid
down at one gulp.
s'Aunt Adelaide "
SWELL"
'I've been lying here and thinking
about what you told me-"
eff you make up with Mr.. Roseborough
I'll make up with John Emmet."
Adelaide turned on her in a sudden pas
sion.
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