Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-08-08
4 SPR|G OF ROSEMARY.

It was a corner Of Blank street and
Broaway. An old woman was standing
on the curb looking uncertainty about
her-noW at the endless chain of street
cars, now into the faces of passers by.
She was a countrifed old woman, stout
and plain, yet with such goodness in her
face, such simplicity, such all-embracing
human kindness, as to make it, for eyes
that really see, lovely to look upon.
1t was a hot summer afternoon, and
she, too, was warmly clad in dark, home
~ garments. Near her feet on the curb
stone was a large enamel-clOth satchel,
with a robust cotton umbrella strapped
TO it. On her left arm hung good-sized
basket filled with growing plants-old-
fashioned things seldom seen outside Of
farmhouse gardens. With her right hand
lncased IN gray cotton glove, she was
tanning her heated tace with corner of
her black shawl. Her pleasant gray eyes
wandered from face to face of the hurry
ing throng, as if seeking sympathy, but
few gave her even a casual glance, and
of those few only now and then one gave
her second look lit up with momentary
curiosity or amusement. The woman
was so obviously out of place!-as much
so as an apple tree OR a clump of CHINA
mon roses would have been.
The guileless usefulness of her bright
old eyes pierced the hard crust of world
illness and conyentionality, and crept in
to their hearts. and more than one was
moved to ask the stranger if she needed
help or information, but the little creyice
closed quickly, and they passed on. On
~ the look remained imprisoned in their
bosoms and they recalled that day things
they had net thought OF for many a
year.
The woman had arrived on the nom
train, expecting her nephew, William
No 10 Of A.
ton. She had waited a long time for
him, then, thinking her letter had mis-
carried, she decided to so on to his house
and she knew how to reach it. but she
was timid about going alone.
William Henry was her only brother S
child, and had grown up on farm. lie
was a smart boy, and had grown up into
a smart man. He was prosperous pro-
vision-dealer in New York now, married
to nice girl from his own township, and
living comfortably in his own house out
Harlem way. Whenever there arose a
domestic emergency in his family-and
they arose with astonishing frequency
Aunt Abby came on to nurse William
Henry's wife. For that matter they
would have liked to keep her with them
all the time, but Aunt Abby would not
leave her home-the home of her humble
farming ancestors for several genera
lions. She was essentially of the soil,
being. The city was to her a monster,
splendid but full of terror, whose glitter
ing scales panied her eyes, whose inces-
SAINT roar hurt her ears accustomed to the
quiet fields and woods. Not for worlds
would she live in the city.
But she dearly loved William Henry,
and Luclla and the children. and was
glad to come and stay with them during
emergencies like the one pending. Luz
ella was a country girl, too, and loved
the old place, and when Aunt Abby came
in she always brought with her some
thing from the old home. This time it
was some plants for Lucllla,s window
garden, from the place where William Hen
rvs folks used to live. She had left a good
deal Of soil about the roots, and that
made the basket very heavy. Her arm
ached sorely but she would not set the
basket down for fear some one might
tread on it, or even steal it when she was
not looking, and she kept sharp eye
also on the satchel. Aunt Abby read the
papers, and her opinion Of New York mo-
rails was not high.
She began to feel very tired and wished
William Henry had not missed her, and
wondered how she happened to leave hel
palm-leaf fan On the train.
I'm gettin' all bet up.' she said to
herself YEARLY.
She had thought that she knew just
which kind Of a car to take to get to her
nephew's house. but they came along sc
fast, and looked so much alike, that she
was getting doubtful. And she meant tC
be very cautious. She was morally GER
tain that, once on the wrong car, he1
doom was sealed. There was no know
ing to what dreadful den she might be
lured, robbed and murdered, and no one
would ever know what became of her
She had read of numbers of people dis
appearing mysteriously that way. So she
let car after car pass until she could
feel quite. quite sure.
When she had been standing there
some time in the hot sun a handsome
coupe stopped near her, and an old gen
tleman stepped out. He was very fine
looking old gentleman indeed. cleanshav-
en-, rosy, and somewhat pompous. His
hair was silvery white. and SO were the
heavy brows under which were eyes as
hard and bright as polished steel; his
mouth was the mouth of a man who
loved pomp and pleasure, but it was not
altogether a cruel mouth. AS he stepped
on to the curb he noticed the woman