The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1897-08-26
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

IT was an April evening, with the
warm rain dropping softly in the
sbrubberies and a scent OF growing
da8odils in the air--just the magic
|hour between daylight and dusk when
There is nothing to be done and no.
[body wants to do anything; and in the
biz saloon parlor, where the satin
|,lamask hangings rustled mournfully
|and the carpet was faded to dull
dust-color, fair young girls were play
line "blind mans buff" their voices
and footsteps hushed into sort of
semi silence, as if they feared to dis
turb somebody.
Light and quick they rushed to and
bro, smothering their merriment, cut
hing short their tinkles of silvery
daughter in the gathering dusk, until
the sharp, sudden peal Of bell
sounded in an adjoining hall. Then
blank silence fell ON the rejoicing
four.
81 knew it!' gasped Kate Godfrey.
'Tt's Margery Dixon!" whispered
Emily Hardwick. "She does giggle
30 dreadfully."
"But it was you knocked over the
ootstool, Katel" retorted Margery, the
Eiggler. "You know it WASP
Girls, hushr'. said Mary Mellen,
he youthful hostess of the occasion.
DO hush! Please go home, Kate and
largery. We had no business to be
playing such noisy game. Emily,
cave off poking the fire--the logs
Brate SO dreadfully against the fire.
honsr'
Just at this juncture the door opened;
wrinkled, haggish old dame stood in
he black portal holding candle.
"T'd like to know" croaked she,
how you young ladies come to be
baking such racket? She wants
+ sight away, Miss Mary"
ome," said Mary, heaving
eep SO resignation.
Mrs. Jacqeuline Rozelle lived here
Rozelle Croft like handsome old
|gress in an enchanted castle-seni
lind, half-dead and wholly eccentric.
She was supposed to be rich, al
Dough she never spent any money,
nd Mary Mellen, her grandniece, rep
esented the captive-maiden element
the story, while Polly, the maid,
% the homework and helped Aunt
acque to scold poor Mary.
Why did she endure this? Why do
all endure the inevitable? Be-
use she had to; because there were
other Mellen birds in the nest at
PINE, and because the parent birds
~ reloiced greatly when Mary was
ked to go and live with her aunt.
She must be rich," said Mrs. Mel
~ because she has lived in that old
Pase and spent nothing for 40 years.
Perhaps she hadn't it to spend"
ggested Miranda Mellen.
'oh, she must have it'll" said
fiana.
Besides" suggested Alfred, the
ger son, there are the Rozelle dia-
onds that Uncle Fernando gave her
Wedding present-the diamonds
y wore at the ball at Versailles when
danced with Louis Napoleon, the
:. president of the French republic.
humphp' commented Miranda,
y was the doubter of the family.
ne hozelle diamonds, indeed! Did
yone ever see themr'
'N-no! But"
Wen, when see them I'll believe
theml" nodded Miranda.
children, all this has( to
with the question:" said il. el-
conclusively. "Your n rs
II. Jacqueline has asked Mary tc$sEzo
hozelle Croft for an indefinitely
= visit, and Mary must gor'
20 this poor little human flower
transplanted from a large,
Try family of boys and girls, living
city flat, to the solitudes of a
AIRY country house, standing behind
TOW OF Lombardy poplars in a
ampy plain.
wen old Polly took pity upon Mary,
suggested to Mrs. Rozelle that
~ OF the neighborhood girls should
a sS, in to keep her, company.
one N amt used to place like this,
ut Mrs. Roselle shook her an
~ y, lace-capped head.
NOT she said, decisively. 81
y none OF the neighborhood girls
'ng around here, and won't have
unit Jacque, however, was confined
p1e big echoing room upstairs, and
uia not know it, when Polly, driv-
y desperation, consented to Mary's
ous appeals for companionship.
IN, Polly, do let me ask Emily
awisk to come here, = she sobbed.
shall sleep with, me, and she
y H. *. ,.t 'last M. LII 9'ssI1