Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-07-25
A MAIDS MOOD.

SAo " WY AAcoAo encouragement
except a smile at odd times, for which
they were evidently thankful. But it was
not intended by her poor but fond parents
to allow her to lose the freshness of youth
without in some way settling her future.
She was to marry ~money-that had been
decided long age. She had rare beauty,
nj while she maintained that anything
was possible.
"This is the last time I shall aid you in
any way to obtain a suitable husband"
said MIR. Dare II day angrily. "Al my
efforts in the past have been useless, but
you ought not, in fairness to your mother
and myself, to go on for ever like this. I
cannot afford to keep you in dress and
fallals such as you like much longer, for
year by year, as you know, the value of
our property Is decreasing, and what the
end of it will be heaven only knows"
"But, dad, I do not want a husband. I
do not want to marry yet" answered
Rose, her pretty lips pouting.
"But you have said that for the last
three years. Now, my dear child, do listen
to reason"
"But, dad, I do not love Harold Rod
ney."
do you love any II else?'
emo"
"Then, my child, love will come. Now
do not let this excellent chance go by.
You know how hard your mother has
worked to entertain him and what an ex-
pense his visit has been. Now run away,
child, and no more nonsense" Mr.. Dare
waved his hand toward the door with an
air of a pasha and a look on his face that
forbade further conversation.
Rose wandered out into the sunshine,
her white dress and childish pink sash
looking fresh as the morning itself.
She sighed as she went nevertheless.
The sun had no charm for her that day,
and, strange to say, her dress gave her no
delight either, although it was new, and
a very pretty one, too, donned with much
pleasure and pride an hour before.
II wish I was like Alice In Wonder
land" she thought, $50 that l could
change my appearance by growing too big
or too small for my dresses, SO that |
should look a sight; for then perhaps Mr..
Rodney would not propose. That would
serve dad right"
A sudden thought seemed to enter her
head at that moment, and with a merry
twinkle in her eye and mischief lurking
In the dimple in her cheeks she hurriedly
entered the house again, and assembled to
her room, from which she came forth half
an hour later looking a different Rose al.
together.
"Let him propose now If he CAM she
murmured. "As he spoke to dad last
night, I suppose he mean to do it today
She smiled a satisfied smile as she turned
her head to view the hang of the back OF
her skirt. Presently from amid the trees
she smelled the perfume Of a cigar and
made straight for the place whence she
guessed the aroma came.
She walked very strangely too. Perhaps
something hurt her foot, and her boots
looked extremely large for such a small,
dainty body to wear
GOOD morning." she said, with a
drawl. Doesn't the weather make one
lazy9 Too lazy to wash oneself eyen."
"Good morning." answered Harold
Rodney, allowing his eyes to wander from
her head to her heels with widest aston
ishment and pain mingled. "It is rather
warm he continued as he threw his cigar
into the hedge and proceeded to seat him
self upon a fallen tree, looking the picture
Of q healthy, handsome English gentle
man.
"You are out early, are you notP'' she
asked, seating herself beside him and
thrusting into sight a boot with half the
buttons undone.
An amused smile rested on his face, but
he did not let her see 1t, and, indeed, IL
was hard not to laugh, for Rose had on an
old gray dress too small for her, a dirty
ribbon tied around her neck, and another
Of a different color around her hair. Her
hat was a green n which had seen some
hard winter weather, and her boots were
her mothers.
"What in the world does 1t means''
thought Harold, for he had seen her 90
out before in her fresh white gown and
had followed her, hoping to speak Of his
hearts desire. But he could not find her.
This Rose was not the dainty maiden he
had seen there.
"Yes," he answered, II was restless
and unsettled, so I came here to look for
you"
"For mel" Rose exclaimed, looking
rather frightened, clutching at the brim OF
her hat with hands covered with white cot
ton gloves which had, by the look Of them,
been used for fruit picking.
Eyes" he answered. II wanted you to
talk me into o better frame Of mind. r.
~ cans talk. never do. At least
ann generally considered rather silly at
conversation Of any sortr'
"Indeedl Since when, Miss RoseG" be
inquired.
"Oh, always" she answered, moving
her arm 10 that a hole IN the sleeve could
be seen.
II think I must differ with you, for eve,
since I have been here your conversation
has been charming"
"Ah, | expect that wal after dinner
she said.
AFTER dinnerl" he exclaimed In q sur.
prised tone.
Eyes, I generally wake up a bit then,
you know"
He gazed at her for . moment trying To
grasp her meaning. Her whole behavior
was strange, but evsn this did not dispel
the vision Of the other Rose-the Rose he
loved and hoped to make his wife. So,
glanoing away from her 10 as not to be
disturbed by her appearance, he said
slowly:
II spoke to your father last night upon
: subject that has given me q good deal Of
food for reflection lately"
Eyes, he told-no, ! inean-did your"
she suffered.
J He turned suddenly toward her and