The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1897-10-06
\ ADAY OF ROSES.
4. ->~~~~~>--
BY RICHARD PRYcE.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES


the drawing-room he had just entered.
They stood in jars on the mantelpiece.
Flat bowls held them on tables, and
singly in slender vases they were to
be seen here and there amongst the
china and the odds and ends of silver
and enamel, and delft and marble that
filled the dainty room.
Audrey had loved roses. There was
beech trees, where Aylmer had spent
many an hour, that seemed of a sudden
spassing happy now-one day, which he
and she had called the Day of Roses.
He had only to shut his eyes-indeed i,
had not to shut them-to see again the
5Iower-strewn room. 1t was Audrey's
birthday, and he had brought her roses.
They were in the hamper first, in which
they had been packed. All, Audrey's
little cry of delight as she raised the
did and saw them lying soft amongst
their damp leaves. Then they were on
trays, two big trays that yet would not
bold them, and they overflowed on to
the table, where, with their foliage,
they lay, little of crimson and yell
low and green, over which, with caress-
ing touch, leaned Audrey, the sweetest
flower of all. He could see her gather
up a handful and bury her face amid
the petals that were scarcely more del
tcate than herself Then there was the
seeking Of things in which to put them.
Every suitable vase and jar and pot
the cottage contained was filled and
there were still roses. He had been
Feminded vaguely of the woman Of the
Sons of the prophets (without calling
her all thatD and the miraculous pot
of oil. For, as with her, "It came to
pass when the vessels were full that
she said. Bring me yet ves-
sell" And there was no vessel found.
Four roses remained over. One of them
he must wear. He chose the smallest.
an opening bud. The other three, Au-
'drey, kissing them first, put into the
.girdle at her waist.
That was the Day of Roses, and Ayl-
mer, back from his two years travels,
had forgotten it till chance scent re-
called it and the idyll that had been
an incident among Incidents in some
what thoughtless life.
But he was dreaming, and here was
DIANA She came in with an apology
and rustic of silk. She was grieved to
have kept him waiting. She put up her
face to be kissed. The first time Of his
lining with her, and not to be there to
receive him! But it was inexcusable-
Snexcusable. She had had an afternoon
of defays-just that; delays every
where. First the tiresome lawyer peo-
pie, and then the trustees, and at the
fast moment a young woman from An.
toinette's about her trousseau What
business marriage was! And theifact
of having been through it before did
not ease matters at all
Complicated them, Aylmer suggested
Complicated them, she agreed.
"Tm giving you lot of trouble, Tn
afraid" she said, smiling.
There was to be no sentiment in this
marriage. Diana had gold and greer
forests" Aylmer had spent his gold
and the potential cutting of certain tim
DER at Aymer's Keep had brought aibou
the engagement. Lady Aylmer had per
haps a hand in the matter when sh'
asked the comely widow of Fonten
brink Granton, of Broad street to thu
K,.ay, IN T,oaah har con
"All that will have to CO." she sait
one day to Mrs. Granton, and waved he
lland towards wood on the hill.
Mrs. Granton raised her eyebrows.
A day or two later, driving through
the wood in question, Mrs. Granton OBJ
served couple of men with notebooks
and pencils, who saluted the Aylmel
carriage as 1t passed; and she observed
.Aylmer's face, too, as he returned theil
salute with wave of his whip.
Lady Aylmer caught (perhaps sought
her eye, and sighed.
That evening Mrs. Granton was thu
first to come down from dressing, ant
she strolled out on the terrace. The sun
setting behind her, shone upon th'
doomed woods. Gold steeped them
The shorn hill would be an eye-sore.
She heard a step on the gravel, ans
saw Aylmer approaching from tn
house.
'The prettiest view in England" sh
said.
He came and stood beside her, AM
the eyes of each were ON the woods.
81 am told you are going to spoil it,
she said then.
"For time"
"a lifetime"
He nodded. The lady's gaze ascende
the hill to the top, where the trees stoo
up against the sky.
"It.seems pity" she said.
The gong sounded presently, and the
went in. You could see the shining hi
from the windows Of the dining-roon
Midway through dinner, as the evenin
closed In, servant went to draw til
curtains. Mrs. Granton faced the wiz
dow.
"oh." she said, to Lady Aylme
"might he waib little? 1t is so beas
tiful from where / sit"
Lady Aylmer turned and looked, an
Aylmer looked too. Iir truth, the seer
was too fair to shut out. gs
Leave the curtains as they ar
Charles" 2A5
''Very good, my lady"
So Mrs. Granton saw the woods
the disappearing point of dusk.
Later, when the moon rose; Aylm'