The Washington weekly post., 1900-01-02
,-----Est ILL. Yssssl


,q.E slim house with as little body as
-...r.a Tae sun, however. shOne In at
.-. windows. and IN every direction,
l.-~ every point OF view might be seen
.-. ...fL-.lE blue waves and the low
s-. 70 rHg other side of the bay. and the
s.-e smasks and pleasure boats sailing
.--a bosom o. the waters.
n. ..-U was al that was picturesque.
,-r-r. house Itself, notwithstanding that
81. winds aJWled through # in winter,
.-s .-. sun seemed to scOrch IL In sum
80 ras a favOrlte residence. IL was
-...- Iona. empty, but there was one cur
-.. .-.ra a0Uu; ii. The tenants who came
-.-- away AS a rule AT the end OF the
81. wear. They made no complaint what
-..- they never said that they found
... rrsr. uncomfortable or that the
.--.rar OF The wind kept them awake,
In -egs-theless they gave notice to the
.r--E. hacked bag and baggage. and
ra ---
0r. o. the chief characteristics OF the
-r was the prOfgsion OF red roses
.Ha climbed up the walls OF the old
-..- r..-. and blOOmed in the garden
Fl roses of every shade and variety,
f-s..uIag abundantiy and shedding their
rr-4-s su over the ground. Some Of them
r-ar fr Cd, sters, some singly-some were
c-s deep crimson, some were Of paler
.ts5. Lat an OF them had damask hearts
-r. E- sweetest perfume and seemed
m r.-aren lavish plenty and happiness
sf5 goodwill
N..a-tLr.,~s, there was legend about
n. ola house which referred to the fact
-a.t tEsr. was q certain mystery about
these roses that they had been planted
~ one whose lot had not been happy,
.-F whose death had been dark and ter
rra There was a room in the house
.s-5 q stain on the floor. which no amount
q. ..a.-Lfl.ug and soap and soda could re-
move To seemed 10 be indented into the
y.r. boards. and this room was not a
---rf.l chamber and only those whose
nerves were Of the strongest cared 10
sleep lg iL
prrtlre All these circumstances together
Che house was let at low rent, and Wheh
rr certain summers day i came 10 Al
y.rs-8ke 20 look round me for a cheap
and cheerful Labitation | was much taken
v-a the slender house ana its sraceiuI
surroundings / inquired of the landlord,
who told me that / could have II Tor the
moderate sum OF 10 pounds year.
There were plenty Of rooms, good sized
ones. too. the air was OF the freshest anG
sweetest. Ile roses were in perfection, ana
! closed with the matter Immediately. In
q months time l arrived on the scene
With my sister, little older than myself
and % great Invalid. Our furniture had
gone on before US, and soon We were COM
.uably settled in the tan house ON the
UD OF the hill.
#e knew a few friends in the place
who called on us and expressed surprise
at0ur settling down in their midst.
Though why, Miss Lowell, you should
have come 10 this especial house battles
me- said Mrs. Hornibrooke, a buXom lady
Of about thirty years of age.
And why not this houseT' said my sis
ter. She came forward TO a chair close Il
Mrs. Hornibrooke, and looked up into hei
face.
My sister Josephine had a thin face
pale big blue eyes, and light brown hair
She had the somewhat worn appearance
O. a person IN bad health, but there was ;
look of such dignity aboutfher. her man
Hers were so gentle, her voice so sweet
that most people fell in love with her OIL
The spot.
As Tor me, my name was Patricia, and
was round and buxom and rosy and pro
fessed TO laugh at nerves, and as I
ghosts l did not believe In them.
N-u Mrs. Hornibrooke now locke,
mysterious, and nodded her head an,
said:
Notwithstanding all those red roses il
The gaIden and the sunshine and the BIZ
rooms, ] would rather have little house
with no garden at all, in the town."
"Nh. 20 asked Josephine.
Because, my dear, l value my Quie
nights was her ambiguous reply.
Another visitor who happened TO b
Present gave her warning look. and sh
dld not say anything more. Josephin
q. Ired al me. / shook my head emphat
ically.
Now You want TO tell US that the plae
Is haunted" l said, "and neither Jose
laiHe nor / believe in the very least il
ghosts"
All, Wen, dear, ah, WELL" said Mrs
N-'A!Drooke, in still more ambiGuou
manner
Nonsense. Mary. the girls have com
90" and must make the best of things,
s-- Miss Johnson, who was also on
our guests. For my part l think II /
,-TE Courageous of the LOVells 10 com
mere aLd they may break down the su
le'sution All / can say is this, Mis-
L''ril 1 hope you won't go at the end o
Nr first year"
Why should we?' answered Josephine
W. have come 10 live here all our days
t.gr soul poor SOUL" said Mrs. Horn
"..'ae We'll, there are plenty of house
!. .r had in Alverstoke, and il is a prett.
A.-. place and healthy, too. You'n enjo,
u. -.ru- here. both Of you, with all thr
'sA.i- The Tackerel fishing is one o
'Ar features Of the place, and IL is
S.s-l worth seeing when the nets ar
Drawn up
~" turned the conversation. Tea wa
'al-Hr In; the ladies had . cup each aHl
vent their way.
"a.H they were gone Josephine and
1-l ay lae open windows of the drawing
....N- De- scent Of the roses came IN
".l ".f. m perfection at that moment.
"-.i pity tnat they shed their pet
as -s issr" l said Il hate waste OF an,
POT. j Tell YOU what Il is. Josephine. Wei
.."E some potpoUrri. / have got an old
.allf.l recipe of my grandmother
I'D collect the rose petals Immediately
-.- 'a.i shall be your employment"
r,s'tA.H. sat quite listIess and still a
.laA. She often got into that state O
-..--. aai ] wondered what she was think
.He about
wa-.I rather not" she said ther
Very slowly
"H-. Why dear; you are so fond c
20 fond % them that have come her
e.-.a, My better judgment" she al
sa.IsI
40" what do you mean by that?'
-.a % dream the night before cam,
.. those three times repeated dream
""... make such an impression. In eac
.""se dreams / was haunted by ms
-' ra'4 the one sentence: DON'T 90 I
. iase with the red roses. He wa
- .'-..ary looking person OF middle ag,
.a 70 E.cEed face and q cruel snee
.'fi his mouth. lie did not belong 10
t'.. generation. lie was dressed AZ an
.-.T man would be in the present da,
Ar warned me most emphatcally an
.M sorry now that ] did not listen I
..a. nonsense" l answered, "anybod
...- iaFe a dream % that sort. and 20
.."h'r. Josephine. we were so excite
t..Aag the house SO cheap. we!
. .-5 par / am charmed with Il. and
. mean 80 leave ID az the end of ia