River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-10-30


and raised her troubled eyes to Rose
Trelawny's face.
"Oh," she answered, 1T does
touch me! ] have heard that Mr.. MGR
ritt-Jack Merritt-loves you. That
he is mad about you-and l-he made
me believe he loved me last Christmas
when he was here. He did love me
then-we were engaged. See." Lift
ing her slender left hand where shcne
one star-like diamond. "See! this is
my ring. But, during the last month
I have hardly heard from him and it
must be because what they say is true.
l could not bear it any longer without
knowing"
There was the soft closing of
door at the end of the room, and then.
in little mirror which hung above
the bowl Of daisies, Rose Trelawny on
CHANGING up saw the reflection of Jack
Merritt's handsome face.
"He has come down then by the
five o'clock train" she thought, and
by the expression of his eyes in the
glass she knew that he had overheard
the words just spoken.
"Well. he should hear more"
sharp pain contracted her heart for a
moment, and the rose-tints faded
from her face, leaving it whittier than
the one Of the girls beside her. Then
she gathered her strength up and
commanded her voice as she had often
commanded it when the world had
come to listen. Giving little light
laugh, she laid her hand over the one
that wore the single diamond.
my child! my child! she said,
gently. ''Do you not know better than
to believe all you hear? twould make
life too difficult if we did,
"And so this is your engagement
ring? Well, listen then; | owe you
confession / am not such dear good
little fool as you are, for | will never
break my heart over any man, and
fear-I very much fear I have firted
somewhat seriously with this Mr.. Mer-
rift of yours. didn't know about you,
of course, and L like men to fall in love
with me, they are so much more anus
ing when they do. Now Jack Merritt
was of the obstinate ones who at first
defied my charms, so | punished him
for it, and of late, for the last two
weeks, victory has perched on my ban
ner, and he has been what one might
call attentive. But" went on the beau
tiful clear voice, "but he does not love
me, and as for myself, he is not the
kind of man L would ever dream of
marrying. He is good-looldng-but
that is all"
The girl looked up with flashing eyes.
"You are unjust!" she cried. "You
! have been most wicked-for it is wick
ed to play at love-and II have been
| the one to suffer"
Miss Trelawny leaned over sudden
| w and kissed her soft cheek "Why,
| then" she said, ''suffer no more, my
dear, but be happy, and do not pull
your toys to pieces to see how they
are made. He should be very well con-
! tent. You love him-and "a man is not
loved every day. Besides, you are
| beautiful, much more beautiful than
| am, and younger-Gnd possibly bet
| ter woman"
Then she stepped out through the
| French window into the rose-scented
garden, and left the two alone in the
shadowy room.
at would not have been possible"
she said to herself, 81 could not have
taken what was not mine by right, and
anyway-the marguerites told the
truth"
That evening when the moonlight
was white on the world, and the long
south drawing-room at Bolton Park
was bright with lights, Lady Bolton
| spoke to man who stood beside her.
please do find Miss Trelawny," she
| entreated. "This will be our only OPP
portunity to hear her sing, for she is
going away in the morning to answer
| some sudden call. These musicians
are such awfully spoiled people, and so
uncertain"
Presently Rose came, and, sitting
down at the piano, waited moment
hesitatingly-a though She even she
were not always sure of herself.
Then the plaintive prelude to ''The
Rosary" foated through the room.
The hours 1 spend with thee, dear heart,
Are as a string of pearls to me;
1 count them over every one apart,
My rosary-my rosary
Each hour a pearl-each pearl prayer
To still a heart in absence WIRING;
I tell each bead unto the end
And there a cross is hung.
o memories that bless and burn,
o barren gain-and bitter loss;
1 kiss each bead and strive at last to
learn
To kiss the cross-sweetheart, to kiss
the cross
The chattering crowd grew very
quiet as she sang. The wonderful
voice went out through the open win
dows and was carried away on the
wings of the night wind. The unfath-
omed tenderness of it, the beauty of ii,
stirred the hearts of those who heard
with a vague pity, and in a way they
! understood the loneliness of genius,
and the isolation of those who are of
the very few.
"By jove! how strangely she sings
that song" said man to Jack Merritt.
as they stood listening from the veran-
| da.
Yes" he answered, with a shrug,
and as he lit cigar. almost as if she