Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-11-09
Maoic OF the Roses

Madame De Longerel, is very fond of
flowers, and am in the habit of talk
ing her bouquet of my choicest
roses when they are at their best.
One evening | went with my GUS
tomary offering and found her play
ing game of backgammon with an
elderly man who had shortly before
taken up his residence on a nearby
property which had been left to him
years before by a relative. No
sooner had he seen the roses than he
said:
would you believe that this
bouquet has awakened, as If by magic,
an entire epoch of my very youthful
days? For five minutes was, in i'm.
agination, 20 years of age; in love
with woman, who, if she exists to
day, must be at least 60 years of age,
The affair had an immense Influence
on my life and the memory of it even
now moves me in an extraordinary
manner"
Urged to go on with his story, my
new acquaintance Sdlu.
81 was 20-that is more than 40
years ago. | had just finished college
and my father had, without consult,
ing my desires or future path in life,
secured for me a lieutenancy in the
- regiment, then in garrison in
Auvergne. He desired me to be
ready to leave home in three days.
81 was taken aback for several
reasons. The greatest Of all was
that | was in love. Nothing in the
world could have induced me to ut
ter a word of this to my father,
whose only reply would have been to
send me away that very night
Il was deeply in love with Neomi
Amelot, but had never had the cour-
age to tell her so. One hundred times
tried to do so, but each time re,
NAMED speeches., until some trivial
remark fell from my lips. | wrote
piles of letters. but these always
seemed too weak. and l gave it up.
Burt now | was going. | must write
to Neomi and find out if she cared
for me. The most embarrassing cir.
cumstance was to send the letter to
her, Nevertheless as there was no
time to be lost purchased a bouquet
of yellow roses, and after placing my
note in the heart of the cluster, sent
them to Neomi In this note l be-
sought my darling to wait three years
for me and implored her, If she cared
for me in the least, to wear one of
my roses that night, when | should
tell her of my great affection of her
Evening came, but Neomi wore no
roses | was desperate, but had to
go to Clermont There l plunged into
my new work and in the course of
time married the colonels daughter,
who died eight years after our mar,
rage. Now | am quite alone. | often
think of Neomi, and what is more
serious, | always see her in imagina
ton as a young girl of seventeen.
with dark brown hair and eyes like
black velvet whereas. II she is
living she must now be an old
woman"
You DO not know what became of
herr" asked Madame De Longerel.
No"
Your name, then, is Edmund
d'Althien"
How did you know" queried
her friend.
y will tell you" answered
madame. Also. | will tell you what
became Of Neomi"
Can youe" hastily questioned the
aged man, his eyes Frightening with
the emotion of long ago.
Yes. She loved you. She did not
see The note. Your hasty departure
caused her many tears. hut. as she
did not know OF your love. she mar,
ried Monsieur De Longerel."
Monsieur De Longerel."
Monsieur De Longerel. whose
widow | am today"
Going to her writing desk she