Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-12-07
BLUSH ROSES

bowed glasses because she was near
sighted. and gold-bowed ones would have
seemed an extravaganza; and did her
hair up in a tight little knob because it
could be done quickly so, and there was
nobody to tell her that It was unbecom-
ing. And she walked very fast and
straight when she went on errands, and
nobody stopped her for a chat because
she looked as If she would resent such
an interruption. To most people she was
either forbiddlng or uninteresting. But
most people had not seen her in her
garden.
Passing Miss Rebecca's story-and-a-
half house. spick and span in its coat OF
white paint, you never would have sus-
pected the presence Of that garden; for
in front was only a narrow. grass-cov-
cred embankment with q small Towering
ounce on one side Of the front door, and
on the other an aged syringa bush But
once behind the house, something from
the country seemed to have slipped into
the midst Of this New England city
Apple trees and pear trees dappled the
grass with their shadows; grape vines
clambered lovingly over unsightly wall
or she'd and a line Of phloX marched
beside the one garden path. In a corner
where most Of the day the sunlight fell
fun and warm was clump Of rose bushes
blush rose bushes-that had bloomed
40 years or more. Miss Rebecca's father
and mother had set them out and tended
| them in their lifetime, and now Miss Re
/ becca pruned and watched over them.
| Each year they filed the air with their
| fragrance, and in due season were gath
/ cred by Miss Rebecca and borne proudly
to her church vestry to be used as deco
| ration for its June festival 1t was her
one vanity-to sit primly by and feel
| that on so many tables. with their spot
! less tablecloths and shining silver. there
| were no other flowers so beautiful as
| hers
To this end she weeded and watered
and fought bugs and blight. and. reck-
less Of twinges in her back. coaxed the
bushes with beguiling touch to do their
| utmost And for one day when the
tender pink Of one Of her flowers shone
out from bowl and vase, she bore an ex-
ultant spirit, a thrilling sense Of public
| importance.
1t was nearing the time now Of this
annual rose gathering delight, and Miss
| Rebecca at work in her front yard felt
her mind concerned with the number Of
basketfuls she would have. The season
had been one most friendly to roses
Never had there been more buds; never
had the bushes been more vigorous or
free from blemish. She paused a moment
while she allowed anticipation to have
its way with her. Into the pause there
the SOuuQ OF a gate laICD being
lifted. She turned toward the noise and
saw a scantily clad figure wedging through
the partly opened gate.
Now. Miss Rebecca was not used to
having small figures, scantily clad OF
otherwise, open her gates unbidden. She
had waged a sharp but decisive war
against that very thing many years be-
fore, and the fame Of It had not wholly
died out All newcomers on the street
were cautioned against letting their
children ask her for flowers or fruit
The children who disregarded warnings
climbed over the back fence at night
and all the next day lived in terror OF
Miss Rebecca's avenging presence.
Miss Rebecca Strengthened up. scowled
over her glasses and CROPPED round in
her mind for the old phrase she had
, been accustomed to find effective on such
occasions. 1t was a Run away. little
boy" uttered in so severe a tone that
seldom was anything else necessary. But
the phrase had lain unused for a long
time, and 1t failed, in this instance. tC
respond before the little boy had wholly
wriggled himself in and was standinl
beside her. He was quite dirty as t
his hands and face, and very untidy a.
5 to his attire; but he smiled happily.
''You's got nice flowers" he said
: pointing to the ounce bush; Il likes
nice flowers"
Miss Rebecca relaxed her frown IL
come into peoples yards without beinl
= asked" she heard herself say; don
| | you know that?''
} The smile wavered uncertainty on tn
round face. II likes nice flowers.
| Theer was a pause; then the smile shon,
out again brilliantly. You give nttl
boy nice fower?"
Miss Rebecca tried to summon som
other arrangement Of words that shoul
: express severity. but failed. Here wa
! something that didn't fear her. Sh
: moved toward the syringa bush.
= We'll" she said, I'm give you on
: piece. and then you must go right away
She broke on large spray and he'll
It out to him. He took it in one chubb
d hand but the other he reached up to her
: THANK you" he gurgled. Il like t
e kiss you
d II the house had stood on end or tn
Syringa bush gone walking down tn
: street, Miss Rebecca could hardly hav
e been more astounded. child wante
l. to kiss her! 1t was the first time In a
IT her life that such thing had happened
but she dropped her sickle, and, stoopin
e awlxwardly. offered her cheek to be hug
y ged against a very wet kiss.
e Watts a bear hug. Now go homt
y but come again"
! He trundled on. and Miss Rebeccs
5; still in a daze, went slowly on with he
/ work.
J. The birds sang blIthely from the elm
: the soft wind dallied with the grass tn
l. bumblebees buZzed about the flowers
N 1t was a very lovely day. thought Mis-
? Rebecca.
By degrees she got back TO her normi
state of mind, and when she went in
get her solitary dinner she could sa,
with something of self-disdain- ''Whi
4 nonsense"
o.; But the next morning she was out
her yard long before her usual tim
g. digging up dandelion roots that ha
AZ grown there in security for many year
ar AS she worked she listened, and at Ia
ne there came a sound-the gate late
clicked.
Miss Rebecca looked UP. There stoC
.. the small boy, and with him anoth
- small boy. They both came in-b'
~ number two hanging back and lookiI
e. ready to run. That was the old remen
~ bered attitude OF children; IT was VIII
- Miss Rebecca was accustomed to; b
somehow 1t gave her a pang to see
b. Would boy number one be affected
h II? Apparently not, for he came straig
ay on dragging his companion after.
n, This little boy likes nice flowers, toe
IS he announced. Yves come for some.
ay Without a word Miss Rebecca went
her syringa bush and stripped on an arr
~.