Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-11-23
NOTHING BUT ROSES.
A THANKSGIVING STORY.


into which / glanced with some fire.
quency each day. 1t gives me satisfac
| ton to contemplate this type of features.
| | am cashier Of the COrnyille bank
| COrnville is not a financial center, but
we have some deposits, some checking
out and some exchange business. | do
all the work, and have some time fer
| the mirror and the daily papers.
| Before me each day are a few hundred
| dollars in a tray. | read of bank rob
| berries and dynamite FRANKS. ] look at
| the little pile of money cOnfided to my
| care, and finger the siXsh0oter within
| easy reach. | think of the square jaw
and the gray eye, and proceed with my
entries, confident and compliment.
| | told my friend Perkins one day, and
| emphasized it with deliberate gesture
| and with set teeth, that if confronted
with one of the banditti demanding the
banks money there would be shooting,
and that | would be the one that would
give the testimony at the cOroners in
quest. | had faith in the revelations of
| the mirror.
| 1t was Thanksgiving morning. 1t was
customary in COrnville, as in the large
| cities, to close the bank on holidays, but
for the last few years | had been in
the habit of opening up in the morning
for an hour or so to accommodate few
of our customers.
Within five minutes after | had opened
the cashiers window l was confronted
| by bushy-headed, wild-eyed man whom
| had never seen before. He thrust
revolver squarely in my face. 4 chill.
went TO the marrow of my bones, ana Il
creepy sensation chased its way from
toe tips to the roots of my hair.
Quick. $50 or you are dead man"
| passed him gold piece of that denom-
10. Sam 4 4 IL
could nave shot him in the back, but |
forgot that was armed. Besides, it re-
quired my best efforts 10 pull myself to-
gether A few moments later | crawled
10 the door and cautiously peeped ont.
The robber was not in sight.
Why had he only demanded $40? Why
not two hundred, or two thousand. or the
banks entire movable assets? He could
have had all for the asking.
did not tell Perkins. | felt that | had
not arisen to the occasion. That, per
maps, so far as my personal glory was
concerned, the less said the better.
FIVE minutes later, however, | hung
mp the notice on the door, Bank Closed"
| Then ! registered vow in the circum.
ambient air that alone and unaided I
would run the robber down and bring
nm before the bandaged-eyed Goddess
| with the apothecary scales. Time
| enough then to tell Perkins.
| looked fnto the grim face of my re-
| volVer to see that it was loaded. | but
| toned my coat tightly about my throat.
| l. pulled my cap well down over my eyes.
| rms pantomlmc was suggestive of dos
| peratc determination. The effect would
| have been heightened by low lights ana
| sort, trembling music from the orches-
tra, but | was short these accessories.
| III was two hours or more before /
| found clue. II took me to CLAY Center
| n Z | 10
| had seen party answering the dcscrip-
| tion gave. The trail grew warmer.
He had gone west in Main street.
came to the greenhouse. The pro-
| prletor was radiant.
=" Bout the. best customer " had since
w been in the business said he He
wanted nothing but roses. | sold EN- to
MN. Some rare ones, too. | made him
three wreathes. All roses. Got $50 for
en-: Price no object. said he"
IBID he pay you in gold?"
lie answered by holding up tho coin.
How hong has he been gomez"
Bout an hour or more"
Did he let you know where he was
| going?''
Not a word. But he went west on n
Kind of trot and jump, and l didn't
take any particular notice after that"
| followed the lead. Well, out in the
country | learned that a man with some
bundles had passed that way.
At last / came 10 quiet spot in the
road. where there was a cluster of ma
pies aud pines. II was a country burial
place. The gate was open. In the dead
unkept grass little back from the road
| caught glimpse of fresh, bright col
ors. | hurriedly tied my horse aud went
IN. There were three poorly kept graves
and on each was a pretty wreath Of
freshly cut roses. A brief inscription
told that mother and two children rest
ed there. Strange coincidence they had
| died Just year ago to the day. | felt
| oppressed and hewildered These were
| the flowers my gold had purchased. No
| doubt of il. And the robbers hand had
| placed them there in loving remembrance
| How lncongruous! | made a feeble eff
fort to reconcile the facts. looked help
| leSSly about me in need of something
| further farmer came along and | ac-
| coSted him.
Jim Stones family is buried there"
| said he. And Won never heard of the
| circumstance? Well. They moved into
| this community a few Years ago, no one
| knows where from They were nice.
! quiet people, hut didn't mix much. The
| woman had passion for roses She had
| them upon the porcheS, along the fences
| ana walks, and every June their place
| was a wilderness of bloom In the winter
! the upstairs was a kind of conservatory.
| 1t seems that the arrangements she had
/ IVA NNNPth- tAtN' hhuHt> from lERtEluG ser
| the house afre one night. The wife and
! the two children persisted. In trying Ia
| save them. Jim was badly burned and
! hurt in the head besides. When he got
| up again, he wasn't Just right in his
| mind, and they took him To the asylum.
| They say at times he's rational enough
! and at other times he gets desperate. He
! escaped from the asylum two days ago.
! hut the officers captured him about an
| hour ago, right where you stand, and
| have taken him back"
! | did not disturb the wreathes. 1t
would have been Sacrlege | turned my
face hUmeward. | had a sentiment Of
| tenderness for the poor captive. felt
| that over the darkeued mind the clouds
had parted for moment mt least, and
that ray Of Gods light Of love had
poured forth Then darkness again. He
was on his way back to his cell. and by
this time, no doubt the whole affair was
a blank "a him.
! got back 10 Cornville late in the aft
ernoon. | found a groun Of timid de-
positorS hanging about the bank door.
Sensational suspicious were being wills
pered about of SpcculationS, looting and
the sudden disappearance OF the pale