The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1899-08-24

stone building on the corner. When he
was seated at his desk II was still In his
hand. lie looked at II curiouSiy. IL
had large, oval. dull-green leaves, deli
cately scrratrd; n pungent, wholesome
oder lose from II. prevailing over the
other odors In the room-odorz a. Rus
siR leather. of tobacco and of the street.
The gentleman inhaled It's fragrance
long and deeply.
what IL it2' he asked himself. 81
seem 10 remcmber-ah. yesl have H..
II is--rOscmnry! Yes. That's WHIST II
Is. Rosemary"
The steely eyes softcned still more,
and fixed themselves like those Of one
hypnotized. The full, proud mouth
grew tender.
There was clump Of rosemary III
mothers garden" 20 ran his thoughts,
'and near II WAS a great mat of clover
pinks. They bloomed In June, can
smell them now. There was huge
bush OF suuihcruwood there, too, and
some tawny lilies. and spiderwort, and
monkshood, and striped grass. Strange
how the old names come hack 10 mel
The lilac bushes In the corner were ike
trees TO nae IN those dnys. | used to sit
under them and plny at matching
blades Of striped grass with sister
Mary, aud wonder why her hands were
80 white, and why mother never let her
work hard. know now. She faded
away and died, and there was only me
left. | remember those Sundays in
summer. when was not allowed To play
or run about. How long they were, and
how hot, Like to-day, but with such u
difference! Mother always had .
spray OF rosemary and pink folded IN
her handkerchief when We started for
the meeting house, and some caraway
seed In her pocket, which she gave me
now and then during the service when
she saw / was almost asleep. taste
them now and smell the rosemary and
the pinks, and the pine odors coming IN
at the open window, and the varnish
on the pews, all mingled together. And
hear the crraking " the womcnf
fans, and the horses whinnying under
the shed behind the meeting HOUSE
and the minister's droning Noice--now
1t all comes back to me,
And Abby-Abby Grover-her folks
pew was across from ours, and used
80 try my best TO make her laugh 10
meeting, but ! don't think I evrr-suc.
creded, She was u nice girl, Abby was,
Not pretty, but with something about
her that was better than beauty. And
her eyes and hair were really lovely, |
remember.
ABBY generally wore a sprig Of rose
mary pinned TO her dress when / went
over 80 zee her Sunday nights In sum.
mer. Tha, was nfter We grew up. We
used to sit on the orchard wall and talk
until the whippoorwills began crying
and Abby's mother woull conc to the
door and say the dew was falling aud
she guessed We better coI1e Ia.
~ fancy / did most OF the talking
though, for Abby was one Of your NJ.
lent, deep sort. told her all my plans
for getting away from the farm and
making my fortune In the city. And
she would liAten patiently, though !
must have been terrible bore, and
look at the with her nice clear eyes and
say: How ambitious you are, joey!
Joey! Fancy anyone calling me- joey
now!
And how proud she WIS Of n,e wher
began to get ON in the world and
she helped me, too, Abby did. She lent
me her little savings from school-teach.
ing, and. later on. when the farm came
To her. she raised money on that 10 start
me In business. Is there anything o
woman will not do for man she
ioyek?"
At this point the color dcepcned on
the old gcntlemnn's forehead and 6
deep breath like n sigh expanded his
glistenihg shirt front.
"Oi course. paid her back. every dol.
lar. with interest" went ON his
thoughts, land ! meant 10 keep my
promise Of marriage, too. II was Abby
herself who broke the engagement
when she found out that loved another
girl better. II was the right thing. She
did not seem 10 take /, much To heart
either: but she never married. At least
never heard that she did. II Is e.
years or more since ! saw the old place
There was nothing to draw mc there
after the old folks died. WONDER
wonder what become of Abby, Dead.
probably. She would be AN old woman
II she were liying-not NO very old
either. She was two years younger
than |. and am not yet turned 65--"
A clerk came In and laid n Telegram
on the desk. The old gentleman took
II. The stecly look came back TO his
eyes.
The old woman In the black shnwl
was Etill standing on the street corner.
She looked tired and anxious, and the
plants In the basket had wilted sad.
". The cars looked more alike than
ever, and she did not dare TO stop one.
A policeman on the corner had scowlrd
at her unpleasantly two or three times
and Aunt Abby felt almost ready to
drop, what with the heat and the fa.
tigue and the dread that the police.
man might speak to her, and she he
hope.eSsly disgraced thereby.
Suddenly her face broke into de.
lighted smile. A ruddy. youngish man
came hurrying up TO her
"Wall, there!" exclaimed Aunt Abby
as he shook hands with her and kissed
her. and began asking questions and
answering them all In the same breath.
wall, there, now, William Henry, II
that don't beat ALI"
Then she told how she had waited
In the station, and then on the street
corner, until she was 'all het up" and
had left her palm-leaf fan on the train.
and wondered u the plants would come
mp again. and asked how Lucllla was,
etc.
Meantime the man bad picked up the
black saichel and the basket and hua.
tied Aunt Abby good -naturrdiy into the
car, and the two were gone.
And the Sprig Of rosemary lay for.
gotten on the floor under the old gen.
tleman'a feet Outlook.
-
unprovtdea.
Hhe BOSTON gentleman colored
deeuiv