The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-05

Of Rose against her fathers knee.
"MasterDavid, Bills cabin will al
ways be happier for your comm near
1t, and Rose will always be glad to see
you. Now. goodbye, lad, and God bless
you. Leave my little 'un to me, for her
sorrow is deep, Master David"
Goodbye, Bill
David respected Bills word too high
ly to thwart it-even so much as In
thought. After that evening Rose and
ne spoke Of their love as something
that made their lives more sweet, yet
as something that was going from them
hourly, momentarily, and in their
hearts they askeG themselves, How
will it end?"
1t was noon. The air was filled with
mellow autumn sunshine. At the mines
the hour of rest and refreshment had
come gladly-as it does ever to the sons
Of toll. The hum of ceasing labor was
still audible. Rose, as she kisses her
father tenderly, places beside him the
dainty collation. which 1T had ever been
her loved task to prepare for and to
carry to him. She smiles sweetly to
the gruff and griZzled miners about
her. who doff Their hats and respond
cheerfully.
The story of the love of Rose and
David had been whispered-but merely
w'hispered-among them. To them 1t
was something strangely holy, this
wonderful love-it awed them. They
could not tell why, Lod was wont to
look intently at the coming of David
and wonder perplexedly why nature
had not made him such as he, that he
| might have won Roses love. Still, he
loved the pale aristocrat, too, and he
venerated his noble conduct toward
Eose and worshiped Rose all the more
for her sacrificing love for David.
Rose waves her hand blithely as. at
some distance from her, David doffs
his cap in greeting. Then those who
were watching her saw her face sud-
denly whiten, wild light dart into her
| blue eyes, her hands to clench tightly,
| to stand hesitatingly for a second
| and then to dart forward with lightning
| rapi6ity There is a sound as of some
| thing falling heavily to the ground; a
| mans voice shouts, Master David"
woman's shrek. and the voice of David,
my GCd! Rose!'
Those who witnessed the hurried
scene flOcked to the place of disaster,
the rest of the miners following Won
dtringly. Athwart the ground a heavy
wooden beam lies aSlant; close by the
body of Rose, her head horribly gashed.
her slender hand clutching tightly the
Loose blouse OF David. VINO lies prone
hesiGe her (co-s 'iousless, but uninjur-
cd, where Rose had dragged him from
the reach of the hand of death, offer
ing herself as satisfaction to Che grim
ogre in David's stead.
Pawnee Bill views the scene in silence.
The still unconscious form of David is
conveyed frc m the scece. Hands, rough
from laborious toiling, gentle with
love, stoop to lift the PROSTATE form
Of Rose.
Don't touch her. comrades" Bill
says-his voice does not Quaver, but
it is a tone deeper than usual-"that
task is mime"
He lifts the form tenderly, and with
his face pressed tightly to hers-white
with the death tnge-he moves onward.
The next day the body of Rose. S i'll.
in the last, calm sleep, lies in humble
state in the little sitting room. Loving
hands CT kindly women have arrayed
her daintily and fastened a cluster of
wild bloom in her 70 ded hands. Large
sheaves of blooms are about her.
breathing their sorrow in whiffs Of per-
fumes upon the still air.
Beside the silent sleeper Pawnee Bill
sits; his hand covers caressingly the
raIe. folded hands of his little Rose.
He looks neither around nor about him;
his glance is transiXed with sOrrowful
intentness upon the marble-rale face
before him. A hand is laid lightly upon
his shoulder, a voice whispers his name
IN broken accents and David kneels be-
side the sorrowing father, his face
buried in his hands upon the old mans
knee, sobbing bitterly. Pawnee Bills
arm steals lovingly around the stoop-
ing form and gently strokes the bowed
head.
q She's going from us. Master David"
he says in low voice. David answers
Only with so5s. "My little GIL died for
you Master David. but I'd We done the
same. Maybe, anyhow. she's tetfe err off.
for this was a rough old world for my
little 'un."
They watched t g=ther in sill nee; Da-
v;d's head leaned sadly upon the coffin
edge, the hand of Bill lovingly twined
around him.
In the quiet ohur1 hyard that sleeps In
the shadows of TIE chapel room is "a
little grave, and at it's head stands a
heavy cross of cleaning marble, on
which is carved the one word Rose"
It is Davis last gift to Rose.