Mower County transcript., 1906-12-26
- ~: -" ...~"~ ~: @T%1
Lavender Creighto on
Lovers
By OLIVIA B. STR o H NJ
copyright, 1905, by Olivia B. Strohm).

are great and good IN power VINO are,
as you say, ready to cruelty him. 1t
feems, therefore, as though we, be-
tween two fires, had better keep as
cool as possible.'
But this view met with no sympathy
from the young partisan. She ap-
pealed to her father: dad, do you
think Aaron Burr a martyr, as l do?'
The elder Creighton smiled. ''Hard-
ly that; he may come out of this
trial with flying colors; in that case,
be sure he will find no lack of friends
of reparation. If he does not-well,
l am too much of patriot to think
he will be convicted unless he deserves
it. Let US abide the ISSUE"
! But Laver.ler was unconvinced. 1T
is audacious, l know, to hold opinions
where two such wise heads dare to
form none All the same, l believe
that Aaron Burr is much prosecuted
man."
Encore, encore, I quite agree with
you,' and at the door stood WinsloW,
smiling and clapping his hands.
Lavender glided to meet him; then
on a stool at her mothers feet she
Sat- with eyes on the fire, quiet and
happy.
They talked of the trial, although as
yet only meager news had reached
them.
$50 Aaron Burr has but one cham
pion in this assembly," and Winsow,
laughing, turned to Lavender.
1T seems so,' Mr.. Creighton as
sented women are, as rule on
his side. That is why I marvel at my
wife's impartiality.'
Winslow took a letter from his pock-
ct. II have here word from friend
who is summoned as witness in the
trial. He is now in St. Louis. He
urges me to accompany him back to
Richmond, and I may go" He fin
ished with an involuntary glance at
Lavender
She sat within the radius of the fire,
her face suffused. less by it's glow
than by the throbbing of her heat at
the news.
Mrs. Creighton was the first to
speak. But this is not sudden deter
mination? You had planned to go
soon?" and she glanced at Lavender,
and back at him.
Winslow was perplexed by her man.
ner, full of fond meaning. Here was
another loose end of the tangled thread
which had begun it's aimless spinning
with the mothers words: You, whom
she loves"
But, puzzled, he replied, without hes
! itation: mo, l had not intended go
i ing at all this year. I had decided
upon remaining for the school work,
; but now there will be business mat
! ters in connection with the claim
have taken, and-and my plans are
incomplete" He finished, vaguely.
A mystifed silence fell, but in a
flash the situation was clear to Law
ender, when her mother said, coldly:
when I was i'll, one day, you said
you were going back east. and-and-
we'll, you held out other hopes. You
have, then, changed your mind?"
81 am afraid there is some mistake,
Mrs. Creighton; until very lately l
had no means, no hope of gong I
am quite sure l have mentioned none"
In silent wonder the mother lis
tened. but before she could speak, Law
ender whispered: "Say no more, Gear
est, think I understand" and the
talk was of other things.
But constraint lay upon the Little
company, and it was relief when
America came in and insisted that the
invalid go to bed. Lavender walked
out of doors with the guest, anG to-
gether they leaned over the SO den
hedge The tall trees hemmed mem
close as in cage over which the
stars peeped curiOusly.
WinsloW was first to break the long
silence: l am. distressed at your
mothers coldness tonight. l cannot
understand it,"
Il think I can," she said.
He bent nearer, trying to see her
face, but she kept it from him, her
eyes on the mock orange she was idly
lingering.
"You understand it? Then please
let me into the secret"
With an effort she met his eyes.
''She is hurt because, we'll, because she
thinks you are forgetting a promise" "
Il? A promise? Surely never prom
ised her anything l would not gladly
fulfill" and he seemed mystifed.
| She paused to gain courage, listless-
ly twirling the fragrant fruit. ''The
lron.i,c vas made by q1u~@er." she
said, 'but-but in your character
whether Intentionally or not, we shall
never know"
'No, it would never be Clear" she
sighed to herself, "and it need never
be. 1t was part of the hopes and
fears, the sins and sorrows OF the
dead; a part of the final tragedy in
which they all lay buried beneath the
new-piled turf within the tiny church
yard ~ ~ ..'-.
+ From this Short, :sorrowful reverie
= she r36dsed herself to say: T., During
:mothfa1 Illness she she did not always