Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-07-30
CHAPTER XIX.


aboard" was sounded a handsome equip
age drove slowly up, and from it alight-
ed Mr.. Lincoln, bearing in his arms his
daughter, whose head rested wearily up
on his shoulder. Accompanying him
were his wife, Jenny and gray-graired
man, the family physician. Together
they entered the rear car, and instantly
there was a hasty turning of heads,
shaking of curls and low whispers, as
each noticed and commented upon the I'M
earthly beauty of Rose, who in her faith
er's arms lay as if wholly exhausted with
the effort she had made.
The sight of her, so young, SO fair and
apparently so low, hushed all selfish feel
ings, and gay bridal party who had
taken possession of the ladies' saloon i'm
mediately came forward, offering it to
Mr.. Lincoln, who readily accepted it, and
laying Rose upon the long settee, he made
her as comfortable as possible with the
numerous pillows and cushions he had
brought with him. As the creaking en-
gine moved slowly out of Boston Rose
asked that the window might be raised,
and, leaning u.,on her elbow, she looked
out upon her native city, which she was
leaving forever.
Toward nightfall of the next day they
reached Glenwood, and Rose, more ia
tigued than she was willing to acknowl-
edge, now that she was so determined to
get well, was lifted from the carriage
and carried into the house. Mrs. How
land hastened forward to receive her,
and for once Rose forgot to notice wheth-
er the cut of her cap was of this years
fashion or last.
81 am weary" she said clay me
where Lean rest" And with the grand
mother leading the way, the father car
ried his child to the chamber prepared
for her with so much care.
It's worse than thought twas" said
Mrs. Rowland, returning to the parlor
below, where her daughter had thrown
herself with sigh upon the chintz-cover-
ed lounge. Its deal worse than
thought twas. Hasn't she catched cold
or been exposed some wayP'
Not in the least, returned Mrs. Lin
coin, twirling the golden stopper of her
smelling bottle. '"The foundation of her
sickness was laid at Mount Holyoke, and
the whole faculty ought to be indicted for
manslaughter."
Jenny's clear, truthful eyes turned to-
ward her mother, who frowned darkly,
and continued: "She was as well as any
one untifashe went there, and / consider
it my duty tao warn all parents against
sending their daughters to place where
neither. health, manners nor anything else
is attended to except religion and house
work"
Jenny had not quite got over her child
ish habit Of occasionally setting her moth
er right on some points, and she could
not forbear saying that DR.. Kleber
thought Rose had injured herself by at
tending Mrs. Russelrs party.
'sDr. .sKleber doesn't know any more
about it than do,'' returned her mother.
Hes always minding other folks busi-
ness, and so are you. l guess you'd bet
ter go upstairs at once, and see if Rose
doesn't want something"
Jenny obeyed, and as she entered her
sisters chamber, Rose lifted her head
languidIy from her pillow, and pointing to
a window, which had been opened that
she might breathe more freely, said,
Just listen; don't you hear that horrid
eroaking?"
Jenny laughed aloud, for she knew
Rose had heard "that horrid croaking''
more than hundred times in Chicopee,
but in Glenwood everything must neces-
sarily assume a goblin form and sound.
Seating herself upon the foot of the bed,
she said: why, that's the frogs. love
to- hear them dearly. It makes me feel
both sad and happy, just as the crickets
do that sing under the hearth in our old
home at Chicopee." =
Jenny's whole heart was in the country
and she could not so well sympathize
with her nervous, sensitive sister, who
shrank from country sights and country
sounds. Accidentally spying some tall To-
Gust branches swinging in the evening
breeze before the east window, she again
spoke to Jenny, telling her to look and
see If the tree leaned against the house
for if it does," said she, "and creaks,
shan't sleep wink tonight"
After assuring her that the tree was al
right, Jenny added: 81 love to hear the
wind howl through these old trees, an6
were it not for you, should wish il
might blow SO that could lay awake an6
hear it."
When 1t grew darker and the stars be
gan to come out, Jenny was told 'to close
the shutters"
Now, Rose" said she, you are max
ing half of this, for you know as well al
that grandma's house hasn't got am
shutters"
''Oh! mercy, no more it hasn't. Wha
shall l do?" said Rose, half crying will
ve1ation. ssThat coarse muslin stuff Ii
worse than nothing, and everybody'll b,
looking in to see me-"
., They'll have to climb to the top of tn,
trees, 'then," said Jenny, "for the groun,
descends in every direction, and the road
too, is so far away. Besides that, VIII
is there that wants to see your"
Rose didn't know. She was sure ther
was somebody, and when Mrs. Howlan,
came up with one of the incest little sup
pers ON a small tea tray, how she wa
shocked to find the window covered wit
her best blankets, which had been packe
away in the closet adjoining.
Rose was afraid somebody would loo
in and see her," said Jenny, as she rea,
=, her grandmother's astonishment in he
face.
Look in and see her!'. repeated Mrs
Rowland. 'I've undressed without cul
tains these forty years, and I'll be boun
nobody ever peeked at me. But come,
she added, 'set up and see if you can
eat mouthful or so. Here's some broil
ed chicken, a slice of toast, some curran
jelly that l made myself, and the swim
minest cup of black tea you ever see
It'll eenamost bear up an egg."