Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-06-17
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
ROSES FROM
ASHES.

happy marriage lost his wife. he fell
into morbid condition which grew
upon him ms he gave way to it. He
had the body cremated and the ashes
placed in AN urn. One of the rooms in
his house he fitted up as n memorial
chamber. decorated its walls with pie
lures OF his lost wife at different ages
from babyhood to womanhood, loaded
its tables with things she used TO have
about her, and on the mantel. which
resembled an altar, deposited the NOR
tuary urn.
Mrs. Jane Pitman, an aunt of Mil
lard. hearing Of his sad condition.
made him Il visit with the intention OF
bringing him back to II healthy mental
state. She took with her Rose Thorn
ton. veritable child OF nature. There
was in Rose neither reverence nor fear.
She was pretty and plIuant and with
al absolutely innocent On the after
noon OF her arrival Willard, Oh return
ing from business, entered the cham
Der of death. as was his custom, and
found there little Rose examining it's
contents as if she were doing" Il mu-
scum.
you are Mr.. Prescott, aren't you?-
forgive me for entering your mauso-
lcum. It's just too lovely for anything.
Your devotion is so beautiful. How
many portraits. One, two, three. four"
She counted eleven. 'One more would
make il an even dozen. And the urn
Did you ever see such Il delicate, slen-
der shape? l suppose it's for flowers
Willard looked at the girl in wonder
Was this an intentional PROCLAMATION:
She met his gaze with pair of blue
eyes so guileless that he was sure she
did not realize how inappropriate was
her chatter. Furthermore. in that up
turned face there was a look of heart
felt sympathy.
In cases where the mind is innicting
its own torture the load is often lifted
instantaneously. Ii was as if Willard
had been living in dungeon and
some one had suddenly struck a light.
Unbending, he led the girl about the
room, telling her something of each OF
his treasures. then went with her TO
the library. where before an inviting
fire he enjoyed restful talk. ...-
The next afternoon when Willard
returned TO his home and entered his
mausoleum his mind, instead of being
occupied with his grief. reverted To the
bewitching girl whom he had found
there the day before. Cutting short his
stay, he went into the library and. not
finding her. sent Il servant up stairs TO
ask IL she would like TO play Il game
Of pingpOng before dinner. Rose came
down two steps ut time.
why, Mr.. PRESCOTT she exclaimed.
II supposed you always spent this
hour in the chamber of grief I've been
in there great deal today. 1t is SO
peaceful"
With this lively bit of humanity be-
lard that the room was very gloomy.
''Shall we have Il game?" he asked.
"Pingpong? Certainly. love ping
pong"
Half an hour later Mrs. Pitman came
in and heard the ping pong Of the little
ball beating on the. dining table and
against the racquets. accompanied by
bursts of laughter. When her nephew
saw her, it suddenly occurred to him
that he had changed.
For several days little was seen of
the widower by the other members OF
the family. Ashamed of having been
led away from his grief by u chit of n
girl, he had resumed his former hab-
It's. but his attempt to concentrate his
mind on the past was interfered with
by the bright face that continuously
thrust itself before him. He heard
snatches Of song without and now and
again when Rose had visitor the
ping pong Of the ball I'm the dining
room.
One day when he returned from his
office and went into the apartment
which some mOcking spirit now put it
into his head to call the chamber of
horrors he saw something that filled
him with establishment. The top of
the mortuary urn had been removed.
and from the urn itself stood out on
long stems three American Beauty
roses. He was standing wonder strick-
EN-. gaping at the transposition. when
he heard a movement behind him. and
turning. there was Rose Thornton peep
ing through crack I'm the door.
Its only l." she said. Whats the
good of making people happy If you
don't see their happinessY'
did you put the roses there:" he
asked.
Indeed did"
'WhawEat did you do with-the-
the contents:'
Il didn't know there were any con-
tents till l spilled them on the floor.
Then swept them into a dust pan and
threw them out the window"
By this time she had come into the
room and was looking up at him with
panied expression.
lone would think had broken your
heart" she said ruefully
He stood looking at the roses spring
ing from the urn which had contained
a handful of cold ashes. He was sooth-
ed by their perfume. and his heart was
warmed by their glowing hues From