Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1902-01-07
THE ROMANCE OFAGE

Nouiu IL not De ipseftS<lnt4 Tor ia 10
i brin. the little people out 10 the park
tomorrow he suggested 4 should
/ like TO see your Srands- n. Indeed |
/ should
And I should so love 70 see the little
girl 1t would be nice. wouldn't it:">
And we could show them the bears
and other beasts and LET them play up
! on the grass. and we ourselves might
! talk of those other days. There WAS
meaning in his eyes rs he Looked info
/ the sweet old face She knew il. and
with faint hutter of the heart like
/ that of the girl who had given him tile
| flower before quarrelinc with him. she
scquiesced in the arrangement She
would bring a lunch for the children.
and they could watch them at their
play.
He saw her while she was yet dis
lance and walking across the flower
marked lawn toward the fountain
where they had arranged To meet
Somehow the vision of other days
came to him. and he remembered that
she had once looked like this when she
had moved down the path and under
the apple blossoms to meet him at the
gaTe,-only then there was no blue cap
ped and white wasted grandchiId run
ming at her side. He remembered also
that no little golden haired girl in q
white frock had held his hand while he
had waited at the gate or had looked
up at him aud asked him childish ques-
tons in the name of grandpapa.
The children were shy and hung
back when they We're earnestly
prampted TO shake hands and Kiss each
other. and the little boy finally re
fused fatty and was child therefor.
Then they all went to green hillside
and under the shade of tree they
gayly spread the little lunch.
do they not he asked. indicating
the children. make you think that we
are beginning life all over again in
stead of coming rapidly into its ending
and TO a lonesome ending at that? Do
they not-hold on. my little man. you
mustn't smear jelly on your sweet
hearts frock.'' The admonition was
called out by fiercely hostile action
on the part of her grandchiId. Before
they could check the youngster he had
repeated his sweet and sticky assault.
and the little girl burst into spasms of
tears. They comforted her. and the sill
yer haired grandmother warned Bobby
that such disgraceful conduct. If re-
pcated. would meet with swift and ter
rible justice.
Il have always kept that rose you
gave me before our quarrel" he said,
suddenly turning to her. Il did not
think it disloyalty to my wife to treas
ure it. and it was a great comfort to
me. r.
He was interrupted by scream from
her.
Your little girl is scratching bis
face. Oh. the poor little manr'
He had his hand in his coats inner
pocket. and it was clasping a small box
in which he knew there rested withered
rose leaves. but he drew it out again
and interfered between the two chill
dren.
stop. Mabel. he said sharply.
There. there: don't mind. You mustn't
cry about your dress. Grandpapa will
get you fine new one tomorrow. and
a dolly"
'.And candy?" snuffled the weeping
girl.
And candy" he promised.
Somehow this episode seemed to have |
severely wrenched events. She comfort |
ed the scratched Bobby with promises |
Of edible merchandise. occa sionalIy |
speaking of the dreadful nature of his |
wounds 1t was ten minutes before I
they had worked around to normal /
and then he said, Il have I
kept that rose for all these thirty t
years. and you had forgotten me-
Forgotten YOU? No. no. You must +
not say that. | pledged my faith to my /
husband and kept it-but-sometimes-
here is the little ring I
you carved out of a peach stone for
me. and
.Wah-h-h-hr' came from rearward
she turned the sweet old face Just in
time to see the little girl leap to her
feet and butt the boy fiercely and
in the stomach. Bobby roll
against a sapling.
''Oh, what do you mean? You wick
ed little vixenv she screamed Az
lacking poor child like that. That is
four grandmother's spirit in you. I'll
ss
He put a choad down my back"
little Mabel. "A nasty hop
.hoad"'
"a toad?" the old man called angri-
y, You outrageous little villain.
lust wait till l peel . switch OF this
rec, and
A silver haired statue lowered before
him With her right hand she thrust
he sniveling Bobby behind her. What
Will you do. Robert Harden:" she ask
d. with flashing eyes. Assault my
,randchild for being nearly killed By
his scratching. fighting little spitfre?
Never. Over my dead body alone shall
Iuch an outrage be committed" And
he looked at him like q heroine.
VERY we'll. madam" he snapped.
Perhaps your daughter knows how
o raise children-perhaps you do your