The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-05-21

boarding school once lived beauti-
girl named Rosa Bud-nn amiablc,
willful, winning whimsical little
creature whom every one called Rose
bud" She was an orphan. Her mother
had been accidentally drowned Whcn she
was only seven years old and her father
had died Of grief on the first anniversary
of that day. Her fathers iriend anu
college mate, Mr.. brood, had COM
fortcd his last hours, and they had agreed
between them that when Rosebud was
old enough she should marry Mr.. Drood's
son, Edwin, then a little boy, Her ia
Their put this wish in his WILL and so
did Mr. brood, who died also soon after
his friend, and Rosebud and Edwin brood
Z grew up knowing that, though not
Z bound In any way, each was intenoeo
for the other. So it came about that
while II they had been left alone they
might have fallen in love naturally, yet
as it was they were always shy and III
at ease with one another. Yet they
liked each other, too.
Rosebud's guardian. was o Mr.. Grew
gious an arid, sandy man who looked
as If he might be put in q grinding mill
and turned out first class snuff. hY
had scanty hair like q yellow fur tlppott
and deep notches in his forehead, and
was very near-sighted He seemed 10
nave Deen r. Dorm lOlup 50 lutiL WliSii 40
came from London to call on Rosebud
amid all tho schoolgirls he used to say
he felt like bear with the cramp. But
Mr.. Grewgious under his oddly had a.
very tender heart, particularly to Rose
bud. whose mother he had been secretly
in love with before she married, living
iii gloomy rooms In London, and no ono
would have guessed him ever to have
been q bit romantic,
The school Rosebud attended was
called NUNS House." Miss Twinkle
ton, the prim old maid who managed IT,
termed it Seminary for Young La
dies It had a worn front, with big.
shining brass door plate that made 1t look
at a distance like a battered old beau
with n new eyeglass stuck in his blind
eye. Here Rosebud lived happy lifo
iii she was quito young lady,Ennd was
& the pet of the whole school.
Cloisterham was a dull, gray town
with an ancient cathedral, which was
f so cold and dark and damp that look
Ing into It's door was like looking down
the throat OF old Father Time The.
cathedral had fine choir, which sang
at all the services and was taught and
led by a music master named John
4 Jasper. This Jasper. as 1t happened,
was the uncle and guardian OF Edwin
SSntSoNSA
marry Rosebud. and as brood was very
; fond of his uncle and used to come often
to Cloisterham to see him, Rosebud saw
a great deal OF her Intended husband.
He used to call on her at tho school
and take her walking and buy her candy
at q Turkish shop, called "Lumps Of
Delight" and did his best to get on well
{ with her even though he felt awkward.
brood and Jasper were much more alike
y Ia Nd rny ,Ioy
for tho choirmaster was very little older
than brood himself.
Jasper seefhed to:1 be extraordinarily
fond OF Dr6od. sand every one who knew
him thought him q most honorable and
upright man; but In reality he was far
different, At heart he hated the cathe-
dral and the singing. and wished often
that he could find relief. like some old
monk, in carving demons out OF the
desks and seats. He had soul that
was without fear or conscience.
Ono vile and wicked practice he had
which he had hidden from all who knew
him He was an opium smoker. lie
would steal away to London to garnet
kept by Il munblng old woman who knew
the secret Of mixing tho drug, and there.
stretched on n dirty pallet, sometimes
with drunken Chlnaman or a I>ascar
beside him. would smoke Pipe after pipe
OF the dreadful nlXture tnat stolo away
his genses and left him worse than De-
fore. Hours after he would awake. give
the woman money and hurry back to
Cloisterham just In time to resume his
church robes and lead the cathedral
choir.
But though no one knew Of this. and
though Edwin brood thought his uncle
was we'll nigh perfect. Rosebud. after she
grew up had no liking for Jasper. Ie
gave her music lessons and every time
they met he terrified her.. She felt
sometimes that he haunted her thoughts
like a dreadful ghost. He seemed al
most TO mako slave OF her with his
looks. and she felt that in every glance
. he told her that he, Jasper, loved her,
and yet compelled her TO keep silence
BUT dlsliking him SO, and shivering when
ever he came near her, she did not
know how 10 tell Edwin, who she knew
loved ana believed In Jasper