The Lamar register., 1901-06-26
CHAPTER XIII.

It is strange how ultimately scenery
becomes connected with some of the
strongest emotions and passions of the
human mind. We gaze out upon fair
and sunny landscape in midsummer,
as we lie beneath the trees. and a
vague sadness steals over us. because
the eyes whose beauty has sunk into
our hearts cannot look upon 1t too; we
look up at the moon as she floats Sc
renely through the deep blue sky and
sigh, thinking OF the days that are no
more. Nay, even the storms that roar
loudly over land and sea, set us brood
ing over the past. and our tears fall
with the rain.
So thought Rose Cowley, as she sat
alone in her dressing room one gloomy
morning. Poor Rose! she had been
washed in many a shower of tears. in
spite of all her present gayety.
Her father would as soon have be-
lieved that Cog and Magog would come
down from their pedestals and fall in
love. as that his merry Rose had fallen
victim to the little urchin with the
bow. Yet it was true. A year after
she left school. she had paid visit to
one of her mothers relatives-a genu-
inc, oId-fashioned. hearty English
squire. 1t was at his house that the
mischief was done-under his protec-
tion that she met the man who was
to be at once the blessing and the tor
ment of her future life. She had first
seen him at church, where. am afraid.
his blue eyes and regular features and
golden hair had attracted more Of her
attention than she gave to her prayer
book. And when. at the end of the
SERVICE her host came up to her and
introduced the handsome stranger as
the son of his Oldest and dearest friend
there were not wanting those who
marked the shy smile, the slight blush.
and the bashful dropping of her eyes
as she greeted him. Rose was free.
wild Rose no longer. Love, even at
first sight, will be lord of all; and
there is no time on earth, l think,
where he plays SO many vagariees as
during the visit of pretty city girl
to an old-fashioned English country
house.
Mr.. We're became a constant visitor
at the house of his friend, and Rose
entered upon a new phase of her life.
and that sweetest, happiest and most
foolish of times, when young girls
heart first finds out that it has other
work to do besides beating. She would
sit for hours, when her lover was alb.
sent, recalling every trivial circum-
stance of their last interview; and then
with a blush at the thought of her
employment, welcome another idea,
touching in its tenderness, to her heart,
and weep for joy that she had reserved
the first fond love of her young spirit
for him.
In such musings-such happy COM
panionship-a month passed rapidly
away. No word of love had been
spoken between the two; yet enough
had been said Though something al
ways seemed to check the avowal upon
his lips) to leave her happy in the
belief that she was very dear to him.
True. he had never asked her to be
his-had never told her definitely that
he loved her. But he had kissed her
hand: and n lock of that beautiful
golden hair rose and fell with every
pulsation of her happy heart.
Alas for that first sweet, innocent
ioy, Ere long that sunny curl was
wet with bitterest tears. and hidden
carefully away-the first of the lost
treasures which she, like every other
woman, was to gather around her as
she went through life.
1t was her own folly that first came
between them. She was young and