The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1903-04-24
THE GIFT OF ROSES.
M ERNEST HERBERT.

Il stories usually euue- Aafpu4r whereas "e
1 knew that iog himself II would be madnes;
~ hope for anything ave disappointment
II He was in love desperately, maCly IN love
/ xith Nella Rensaaw, clever aud popular
/ actress, the admired Of all atHIlers
Il lie eusnrined Eer IN Als AeJti TIE very
irsl time ne saw her, waioE W. tae DAY
on which he commenced IA, eng gem. H.
A. viOlinist IN the erelestra OF the LONDON
tleaIer al when she wds playing ieaaihg
part.
lie made no effort to cheek tai, hopeies,
owe which grew aud grew a ne watched
her ngnt aiter niglt.
] He could only see her when tie acton o.
| the piece brought her sell forward upon
/ the stage: but he soon learnt 70 know wLen
these places came, and was always ready
for her 20 as not to lose single second Of
the time taat sac Was IA ME- view.
| Once her eyes met MS upturned gaze
| That night he walked TO M, poor Lodgings
with lis mead among the stars. Alter tEat
lie found her look turned towards ann on
several occasions. On tHoSe nights ne lay
awake for hours asking himself whether
the smile in those beautiful eyes could pos
sibly nave been for him; but by morning
he mad called himself tool for imagining
for one instant that what was obviously
| an accident in her acting, could have slgnlh'
| canoe for nm Yet for all his Wise reason
ing-. those gances made MIN absurdly
happy.
Then came a blow that hurt him cruelty.
Nella was to tour in America Even the
pleasure OF looking at her was now to be
denied him. He would not see her Tor
long time-perhaps never again.
A farewell performance was announced,
and. sad at heart. Dicky took his accustomed
tplace Before then he had always felt
thrill of pleasure and pride when came the
thunders of applause in Acknowledgements OF
Nellas superb art, but on this night 1t filled
his heart with sadness and great lump
came to his throat. This was the last time
that he would see the triumph OF the woman
ne loved-the last time.
| Then, as the curtain fell, he did thing
that he had never dared before TO do. he
quickly made his way to the stage door ana
waited there to watch her departure As
she passed him the fragrance OF her DAINTY
silks and laces seemed TO hold hns whole
soul in bondage, and when her rustllns
skirt brushed him he nearly swooned.
She carried magnificent bouquet that
had been presented to her, and when she
was half way to her carriage rose dropped
| from it on the pavement. Dlcky darted
forward and picked it up. Murmuring some
thing, | knew not what, he stepped to the
side of the carriage, and handed 1t to her
As she took it she looked straight INTO MS
ryes. Then, quickly drawing another bios
som from among its lovely fellows, she
.milngly thrust it with the other back INTO
| his hands.
keep them, and-and-th YOU she
said.
Every now and again, during the year that
followed. audacious thoughts filled Dicky,s
mind as he gazed on his most cherished pos
sessions-two withered roses. Soon after
however. he usually read in some newspaper
me of the numerous accounts of Nella's
trans Atlantic successes Then his splendid
hopes collapsed dismally. Yet they were
always there, and though he did not know
it. grew stronger and stronger until they
became part of his life.
At last Nela came back. She was to open
he autumn season at her old theater and
nee more Dicky could see her every night
| He p1ayed first instead of second violin now
and his position had been altered to one
| from which he had far better view OF the
stage.
1t was not that thought, however, which
set his heart pounding with excitement as
! he went towards the theater that day-the
Iay on which he was to behold her again
| sfter wear In his heart there was a great
none that she would recognize him in some
way or another. Surely she must. Then he
would wait at the stage door, and perhaps
she would speak to him AGAR.
| Bitter and terrible was his disappont
ment. Not even glance came his way.
The next day he was not at his place IN
he orchestra. Instead ne sat at home in his
| DOM before table covered with manuscript
| ongs. They were those which he had writ,
en- cut Of his great love.
| He was going anywhere he did not
! now or care During the last year he had
20 live6 On the almost unconscious hope
horn in him by the gift of roses, that the
realization that it had been founded on moth,
ing lad dazed his every faculty. 1t was as
though he had fallen from the clouds.
AT first when the wish to leave the place
of his sorrow had come to him, he had de.
termined to burn his. songs; but they were
his children-the only children of his love
and he could not Then came wild desire
| that she should know of his hearts longing
| and after examining them all to make sure
that they. at least, were worthy of her at
tention, he gathered them together to send
them to her.
lie took the withered roses from his
breast. She should have them too. Press
ing them passionately to his lips he laid them
tenderlv on the top of the pile.
Then the stupor that had dulled his un
Outstanding went and in its place an awful
despajr seized him. He laid his head on his
arms and sobbed-soEbed as only can the
man from whom is taken his only hold on
life
Tor a ,ung while he lay. Then there came
tan on the door. He did not hear it. The
door opeued gently, and woman entered
II was Nella. quietly she stepped to the
fable Her eyes rested on the roses. She
read her name on the dedication of the sonr
ON which they rested and great sob, hall
Of sorrow. half Of JOY rose in her throat
Very tenderly she touched the bowed head
Djcky started up and stared at her with.
ont comprehension. Then light came into
bis eyes. "You?" he said, huskily.
dyes. l." she answered, smiling.
"But-but-I-'
"Te,l me-" she said, stopping him; "why
YOU kept those flowers"
Though her voice was without emotion
D;,lv saw something in her face that cent