The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-02-11
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the lagoon. but Marian Dane was blind
| to its loneliness as she leaned back
] languidly in her gondola. These months
Of travelling had failed to make her
forget
1t was all the fault Of the pink roses,
she told herself. Why could they not
keep to their own proper season Of
June? But In these lands of summer,
in Italy and southern France, even dur
ing January, their fragrance, like
breath of poison, had deadened her in
terest in new scenes and experiences.
And yet pink roses had once meant
happiness to Marian. They had first
come into her childish life In pleasant
dreams. When she grew into slender
slip of a girl and graduated from the
Young Ladies' seminary, 1t was only
the frantic clasp Of her fingers on a
/ bunch of roses that kept her voice from
faltering over the prize essay Jack
Dawson's card was tied to- the long
stems, and Jack and she were boy and
| gill AOfCI6s IL AdNl- COLlGl dDOQC lAdbu-
rally, for they lived side by side. with
no envious wall to bar their twilight
confidences-only q low hedge. They
were in that delicious stage when
secrecy seemed to add new tie Of
/ love-a tie that shut out the rest of the
| world. So she wore the ring on rib
bon round her neck and stole down to
meet her lover by the big pink rose
| bush.
All, how long ago that seemed! Aft
erward had come dreadful day, the
day of the quarrel Being their first,
they took 1t far too seriously. 1t was
In the old garden whose charm for
once was broken. Jack wasaimpetu-
Gus, she cool and reproachfuk Before
either of them knew what had hap7'
pened she had slipped the ring into his
hand, and he was out of sight across
the hedge.
She had sat there at first too stunned
to think, but pride came to her aid.
Her cheeks famed as righteous indig-
nation grew. She planned 1T all out
Jack was too impetuUus and must
have a lesson. and she was quite Arm
enough to administer lit. Il was a
very proud little figure that started
for the house, defantly pulling bunch
of pink roses out of her belt and fling
ing them into the grass. But the next
minute she was down on her knees,
gathering them up carefully as she
whispered, "It was not your fault.
poor dearsv'
Slowly the days passed by. If Jack
were having lesson, he was learning
1t in silence. for no oyertures came
from beyond the hedge. Her anger
was dead, and In its place was the
growing fear that he would never
again come to her. In vain she had
called up all her pride and tried to
follow his example. 1t was too hard
task when he was so near.iei
She grew restless. She would go
abroad and leave even his memory far
behind Mr. Dane did not suspect what
was the matter with his motherless
girl, but if she wanted trip to Eu-
rope she should have it. Jack must
have known about the plan, but he
made no sign. They sailed from New
York. Among the gifts sent to the
steamer were no pink roses and no
card from Jack.
Now the splash of oars could not
rouse her from her bitter reverie, but
as they turned a corner a breath Of
the old fragrance brought stab Of
pain to her heart. They foated close
to a tiny garden set like an emerald
between the dark buildings, and over
it's low wall hung a blooming spray.
At sight of the roses came renewed
longing for home. She would fight
against it no longer. She went back
to the hotel filed with peace
A letter was waiting for her. AS she
opened 1t, leisurely, she wondered what
had moved Leslie Prince to write to
her. Leslie had been one of the bellies
of the home set, but she and Marian
had never been particularly ehummy.
The letter began effusively leslie
was always effusive):
Ny Dearest Marian-I have surprise for you. I
am engaged. And you can't guess to whomtc
Jack.
The sheet almost fell from Marian's
trembling hand, but she forced herself
to read on:
It is all very sudden. had no idea that he
cared for me, but he awfully-and insists on
being married in June Now, want you for 4
bridesmaid. Do promise that you will come home
in time. You won't have to bother much about
the dress. 1t will be pink and white wedding,
just white null with pink roses. Haf
There was more, but she could read
6arTt~~ To- thu 4e 1,of
her brain kept repeating: So soon-to
marry another SO soon. And they
wanted her to be a bridesmaid-it was
too cruel-at his wedding-neverl She
would stay abroad always. But as she
thought it over, through long hours Of
the day and of the night, she found
herself feverishly eager to go. Deep in
her heart there was a longing to see
him once again before he was gone
from her forever, but this she would
not admit, even to herself. She wrote
that she would accept the invitation
with pleasure.
The wedding was to be on the 9Th
of June. The Danes should have ar
rived in New York on the 9Th, but
| THEIR StcdluGI was uC1dy GU ny 6tOA LII,
so it was not until noon of the we'd
ding day that she found herself walk
ing through the well remembered gar
den. The roses were all in bloom, and
as their fragrance met her it seemed
that the past year must be hideous
dream. But no, 1t was his wedding
day, and she was to be a bridesmaid
and carry pink roses.
She dressed at home, with the aid
Of her old nurse. Through the window
came the garden scents, and she could
even see the pink glory of the old
trysting bush. And were these not
some Of its roses that Nancy offered
for her hair? She shivered as she put
on the soft, clinglng dress. If it were
only her ~shroudl
The carriage came and in few too
short moments she was at the house.
They were finishing the dressing Of
the bride. Leslie was indeed beautiful.
She insisted on stopping to embrace
Marian. How poorly she looked, and
1t was a shame that the old steamer
had to be late. But it would be all
right about the procession; she need
only follow the other girls.
Everywhere pink roses! Their fra
GRANGE seemed to affect Marian like a
narcotic, but she drew herself up
proudly Should she show the world
how she suffered? Now came the sig-
nal to start. Marian clutched her roses
SO tightly that the thorns cut through
her gloves, but she walked without
a tremor. Suddenly her new found
self possession vanished. There, before
her. among the ushers, was Jack Daw-