The suburban citizen., 1900-12-01


the meadow lands in gold; the
wld-roses were opening their
pink cups along the course of
the little brook, and a fragrant rain of
daisies and buttercups followed the
"swish" of Harry HuttOn's scythe, as
he worked on the hillside.
And little Barbara, perched on the
fence, with her lap full of wlld-straw-
berries, watched him, with a sort Of
dreamy delight.
Harry Hutton and his sister Bar.
bara were all alone in the world. A
little to the south, half hidden in a
tangle Of brooding apple-tree boughs,
could be seen the steep gable-roofs Of
the old Hutton farmhouse; and more
than one blooming village maiden
wondered that Harold could be con.
tent with only old Betsey to keep
house for him, and little Barbara to
be company in the big, echoing rooms.
"He can marry if he chooses" said
Alice Lee, with a sidelong glance at
the mirror Hes richp'
Eyes, ifp' said Amy Vokes, saucily.
"But you know he has never seen the
right one."
SO there he was, all unfettered by
Love as yet-straight, manly beauti-
full to look upon as Apollo's self, with
the glittering scythe swinging through
the high grass and little Barbara sit
ting on the fence with her brown,
gipsy-like face half in shadow.
1T was so nicer' said Barbara. ooh,
Harry, if you could only have seen it,"
"Nonsensew said Harry, hinging
down his scythe and leaning up for a
moment against the fence. "A COM
mon travelling circus! 1 can't think
little Bah, how Uncle Potter ever let
you go to such a place"
"But the lions!' cried Barbara "And
the elephants! And the lovely young
lady that rode on the white pony and
jumped through the garlands Of roses!
Oh, Harry, do take me again! Just
once, dear Harry"
And she threw her arms around his
neck and pressed her strawberry
stained lips to his bronzed face.
They're going to stay in Millyille all
summer, Harry" coaXed the elf And
Uncle Potter is going to take the chill
dren once week, he says"
Harry resolutely shook his head
"Not Iw said he. "a circus, indeedp'
And nothing would induce him to
go and see "Mademoiselle ROsita
Raven, the Danseuse and Equestrian
Queen" who formed the most attrac-
tive star Of the travelling circus
"Her very name is enough for me-"
said Harry with a shrug Of his broad,
finely modelled shoulders. "A painted,
spangled popiniay, risklng her life to
make the gaping crowd stare; No, I've
no curiosity at all to see Mademoiselle
Rosita Ravenw
There was a little onc-storied cot
tage, however on the outskirts Of the
village-a rudely-built nook, with a
popular reputation Of being "haunt-
ed;' and about this time it obtained a
tenant-a dark-broWned, soberly-
dressed young woman, who was usu-
ally mending stockings or hearing les
sons for two blue-eyed, golden-tressed
little maids, who played around the
door-stone; and as harry Hutton,
whose business frequently took him
into the village, rode past the humble
domicide, he looked with sort of
pleasure upon the moving pictures at
the cottage door, and wondered, vague
ly why the little blondes and their
olive-faced young protectress were so
unlike.
"They are like twin daisies" he said,
to himself; 'but she Is a royal rose. 1
wonder who they can be?'
One day his horse dropped a shoe
in the road. One of the little lassies
ran after him, with it held aloft in
her hand
THANK you, my girl" said he, stoop.
ing from his horse to give her a coin.
"Will you tell me what your name
is?"
But the child shook her head, all
dancing with sunny curls.
Sister Rose don't let us talk to
strangers" said she.
Blood rushed to Harry Hutton's
face; but he smiled, nevertheless.
"Sister Rose is quite right" said he.
Nevertheless, 1 am much Obliged to
you, my pretty maidw
And the next time he passed the
cottage, the picture he saw through
the half-closed lattice was pretty he.
yond expression-Sister Rose at her
sewing, the queenly brow half bent,
the black bralds dropping on the neck.
and the children reciting their cate
chism in shrill chorus, to her, chirping
out:
"'To get mine own living, and to do
my duty in that state of life to which
1t shall please God to call meg"
"And that is a lesson,' the young
man thought, to himself, (which a
great many Of us are slow enough TO