The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-28
FELICITY AND
THE ROSE TREE
BY JEAN COURTENAY.
could not honestly say that she had dis

liked it. - 80
But q, there WIS more ore than t,,, that t -,
Mordaunt. She found it harder than
up the COO, friendliness and. Indifferent
N With him ne She a eoud h no
longer meet his eyes with steady frigi-
dity that absurd a., kiss kept coming be,
her and her cheeks grew rosy. 1t was
most veXatious!
And somet!mes-but this thought. she
was asnamed to h meet even In the strict
he would do it again, Clearly a kiss was
a very dangerous thing to tribe with
1t had affected Mordaunt, too, she was
sure. His face was not now, really half
SO sad as she had thought it that day.
and there was a little demon of mischief
fully. infectious that she was afraid of
meeting it for fear of disgracing herself
forever, by joining in
Now life felt fuller and grander, and
nature seemed to encourage her to re-
elfe ana be With its tender
BUSH She watered it resuIariy she turn
Of that tiny swelling. Would it turn out
flicker Of life and would the tree die?
She had a superstitious feeling that her
whole Whole, future happiness depended on that
Perhaps her visits we're not quite so
secret as She fondly imagined. Certainly
there was triumphant CLEAN in Nor
daunts eyes whenever he, found that
the earth round the rosebush showed
signs of recent watering, though 1t may
have been caused by pleasure that his
gardeners did their duty.
One day when Felicity was presiding
at the breakfast table, picture of dainty
freshness and cool composure, her hus-
band remarked that the, rosebush he had
1.-The one Just outside the porch-had I'M
folded two leaves, and he felt confident
that it would. now do we'll, And there Is
no shadow OF doubt that he appreciated
to the full every shade Of feeling that
chased across his ,wife's tell-tale, face as
he spoke, the sudden alarm, the over.
whelming relief, the hot shame at that
relief; none We're lost or misunderstood,
and when he quietly and confidently laid
it was not till an appreciate interval OF
time had elapsed that she withdrew it
gently and asked him whether he would
take a second cup.
And after breakfast was over he wicked
ly retired to favorite position of his
in the garden. from which he distinctly
remove every sign of blight or other
marauder from the two pale green leaves
1t now boasted
1t was a glorious September that year.
merely mention this In passing, be-
cause 1t really would not have mattered
to them, | believe, i the weather had
been absent altogether.
Her mother had passed away early in
June, and soon after they went abroad.
I dare say the really large things, those
I mean that loom big and cannot be is,
nored. such as customhouse officials. hotel
proprletors, French garcability and Ger
man appetltes, We're forced upon their
notice, but the less obtfusive things such
as weather would certuinly be outside
their combined consciousness.
They came home in September. and
the morning after their arrival Mordaunt
entered the breakfast room with one hand
held behind his back. -,
Guess what have here, darling?
IAN appetite for breakfast" was the
"Ciever Child said he. sitting down
beside her and finding all beauty reject
ed In her face. Don't you want to
| know?"
"of course do. Toll me- s., she m, an
swered. leaning her head against him.
What will you give mo for 1T"
Greedy boy!" she said, llughingiy, as
she kissed him. SHOW me?
He held up before her, a spray of creamy
blossoms which filled the air with their
delicious fragrance, Then having, fasten-
ed 1t in the bosom of her gown. he drew
her tendedly into his arms and whispered.
My queen of roses! My felicite Fer
Detuelle.p Ft8I'4 lff