The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-01
THE RAG CARPETS STORY:
BY MRS. GEN. GEO. F. PICKETT.
 Copyright, 1901. by Daily Story Pub Col

,, " by Charles Hensley
 There is my little Martins coat that ne wore when he was three years old. Your fathers, you know. Cut 1t in strips for me, child. That McClaggin plaid will ! make pretty stretch of coloring.'
 The little Martin who was my father.
 Yes. child. How 1 wish I could sec him."
 She worked in silence for a moment and then said:
 T must have some bright colored pieces to put in here. or the carpet will be gloomy lookin'. Go get that rag-bag in the garret, Florine.''
 The girl ran upstairs and came back with a bag which she emptied on the floor.
 Here is a pretty, piece. and. oh, here strip of shining yellow with silver roses cunningly wrought into it.
 Whose was this, Granjy?" 'I don't know. dear. l can't remember that I ever saw it before. I don't believe I have been in this bag. though, for ten years. but thought 1 knew every scrap in 1t. Yes, it was ten years ago. l re- member they had fancy ball at the Judges in honor of a distinguished guest. I went into this bag to find some mas querading things the young ladies want ed. How 1t all comes back to me now. The poor countess was killed just after the ball that was given for her"
 Shall I cut this brown looking place out Granjy?
 No. 1t will weave in prettily, and the brown will throw out the gold and silver colors more brightly"
 Did they ever find out who killed the poor Countess, Granjy?"
 No, child, though there's been big reward out ever since. Every house was susDected and some even suspic:oned the good old Judge. Many man has been here since then ferretin' around, and some of them from foreign countries, all anxious to get the money and the big name that's waiting for the lucky man who finds the murderer. They come on all manner of pretenses. selling light ming rods, and pretending to buy farms, and all that, and after they're gone it leaks out what they're after. Sometimes times 1t doesn't. I always thought that was what that young Frenchman was here for last year. Do you remember his name?"
 she was winding. It took her long time to remember that name. "Alphonzze, she said softly. Tt needs to be something silly like that. Pretended to be an artist and made a pictpre of me sweeping with my left hand over the right on the broomstick. Wonder how he sposed anybodyd sweep a floor that way. When it could be done he said good artist always leaves something to the imagina- tion. Holy smoke! Howl anybody im- agine a woman sweeping like that?' Florine did not know She only wound and wound and wound the long variegated string.
 She remembereds afterwards that it was the first day. the new carpet lay on ed the door, she looked up and saw AL phonzze He had come to complete some unfinished effects. he said. He was looking straight at Florine when | |. 1nf h m | She was looking down at the carpet. "Humph.' grunted the grandmother shortly. She wondered if he intended to produce an effect of Florine jumping | climbing the mulberrv- tree. She had not much faith in artistic effects. finished or {. rAiphonzze. looking admiringly at the pink profile of Florlne, observed her downward gaze, and followed 1t with his | eyes.
 Something on the floor suddenly arrest ed his attention. His practiced eye could not be regardless of its life-timme calling | even in her presence.
 Florine feeling herself released from | that absorbing gaze, looked curiously at Alphonzze.. He was studying the carpet | where 8 ripple of gold with wave of silver wound shimmeringly through and # through the dark web. Its brightness was dimmed in one place by 2, spot of brown There the eyes of Alphonzze seemed to rest longest. Then he put his hand involuntarily to his breast pock- ct as if he might have there something that would match that gimmer of gold | "I like rag carpet" he said, leaning in graceful pose against the mantle. "It suggests so many artistic things and TO- mantle stories with it's varied colors and many fabrics. There is something | warm and glowing in that crimson square just by your feet. and that soft pale blue is like q patch fallen from May sky That strip of green is like the meadow where I first saw you. Do you remember?"
 A wave of color swept warmly over her face. Did she remember the soft green slope with the white clover shining | through?
 h'I remember" she said The low mu- sic of her voice brought to his memory the cooing of the dove he had heard on that May morning when the meadow was green and Love slept In dreams. E Then that bit of gold-what is that: Did someone have gown of that stuif I embrossed with silver?"
 "Grandmother does not know how that happened to be among her antiques and l relics. She came across 1t in an old rag bag that she had not been in since the poor Countess was murdered. Only that day she had gone into 1t to get some old-fashioned things for the fancy ball Granjy, tell him about the Countess | Grandmother lifted her head proudly, dignitied with the one tragedy which had | touched upon her otherwise eventless l llIe. Tie SnOulQ see that SnS WAS lloI tle woman to use d broom improperly-she who had known awful mysteries.
 Tt was one morning early, IS l was fixing up Martins room, for We were expecting him home that week. wher Hepzy Myers come running in and tolc me that the Countess at the Judges hac been foully murdered.' That's just wha' she said, for all the world like New York paper Killed for her jewels anC they had all been carried off and sh' had been found weltering in her blood, just like novel book woman" ~ -.. --
 And your son-did he come?'
 He came the next day, but he didn tess. though he never saw her. seemed somehow to upset his plans and he wen back to the mines before his visit wal more than begun
 Who do you think could have pu that piece Of cloth into your bag?'
 "Lawsy! You talk as if a bit of raj was worth anything when a body's mur dered."
 His eyes again turned toward the sil yer rose. Because a body was murdered that bit of cloth would have been wortl much more gold and fame to him a yea was looking cautiously at the bit of color She was pale and awestruck, mentalI. contemplating the Countess "welterinl in her blood. Has your son been home since?'
 'No his mines never banned out as h.
 hoped and he has not been able t
 Was he your only son?"
 Yes, FIorine's father was my onl! boy"
 ';How was 1t he lost his little flnger?'
 Lost his little finger! Why, bless you
 proper a man as you ever saw. Wha would he go round losing fingers for?'