The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1906-11-23
CHE Red and
6Ubne Roses

very important question, and | had at
last promised 1t him. We were both to
attend the ball, and l had agreed to
give him his answer there by signal.
II the word was Eyes" l would wear I
a white rose in my hair; If it was NO.
q red one. / was not able after this
promise to make up my mind any more
than before ald thought it better that
l should signal NO" l would still be
on the safe side, and l had no fear OF
his giving up the chase.
On the evening of the ball. while
walking through a broad hall between
suits of rooms, / caught sight of my
figure-as l supposed-in mirror. At
any rate, a Cir the counterpart of my
self was moving toward me. At first
sight / supposed our costumes were
identical because our dresses were both
of a gauzy white material. But what
astonshed me was that In her hair she
wore a white rose. l was not aware
that she was not my reflected image
until she turned and assembled stair
case
She was with an escort; l had just
left mine l followed her to the ball
room, and. desiring to see more of her
unobserved. went up into little bal
; cony where could look down on the
dancers. watched her for some time
and saw many Of my friends nod to
her. To most of them she returned
surprised stare She appeared to be of
a merry disposition, for she finally got
to laughing with her escort because SO
many people whom she did not know
bowed to her. Finally l saw Reginald
at the other end of the room and kept
my eve on him till he met her. When
he first saw her he started. Then, see
ing the white rose in her hair, he hur-
ried forward and literally forced her
attendant to retire.
The girl by this time seemed ready to
permit strangers to approach her, and
she took his arm as If she had long
: known him. He bent over her and
: whispered something in her ear. There
was surprise, a blush, then merry
/ twinkle in her eye. She must have
known that she had been mistaken for
another and was evidently ready for
! an escapade-in other words, to play
Juliet to Reginald's Romeo.
1 watched them from the balcony
while they danced several numbers to-
gether, but sat most Of the time In a
= window seat / could see that the girl
g occasionally surprised Reginald by
II something she said She was doubtless
: betraying herself, but she laughed at
5 him and played the lover SO well that
she always drove away his wonder and
escaped the pits she had fallen into.
If These explanations OWNED, though l
: could not know for certain.
a 1 suppose l should have been pleased
=, at this pantomime Reginald was GER
IS tainly very happy in the smiles Of one
= who he supposed was myself. At first
It was greatly amused and thought the
y way the girl played her part was
=. charming. Then suddenly 1t occurred
d to me that she might supplant me. My
Indifference to Reginald vanished in O
y twinkling. The girl was evidently 1e
re lighted with her supposed lover and
did not attempt to conceal her prefer
ence for him. But to me from the mo
ment l saw my danger her every ac
ton was repulsiye "There is nothing
like me in this forward thing" l said
e, to myself, except her face and figure
She acts as If she had never had q
e lover before and If she loses this one
Of may never get another" Then the
a. e. color left my cheek as | added, "Sht
~ will surely make a serious affair of i
II she Is able
Finally saw Reginald look up at thu
is balcony and say something to her, anf
Of they both arose and left the ballroom.
st knew they were coming up to be alone
ne where I was and sprang behind a cur
I'd tain. A moment later they entered and
finding themselves alone, sat in tn,
=, very spot where I had sat and wher,
they could not he observed from below
7, Reginald took her hand and with hi
:" other hand clasped her waist, then ben
ly forward to take an engagement kiss
to The girl shrank back for a moment
Reginald looked surprised-the submit
ted to his embrace.
This was more than I could bear
Throwing aside the curtain. l stepped
out before them. Reginald. half arts
Ing gazed at me as though he had seer
- ghost.
ce II have observed this billing and COO
OF Ing" I said to him. land am astonishe(
e. that one who has so long been begin,
rs me to be his wife should so easily b.
turned in another direction. 1t is quit
evident that It is the face and form yo,
of desire; the soul makes little difference
se I do not know who this girl who re
of sembles me SO remarkably is. but
III hi have observed her actions, and do no
An care to see any more of them A cir
s sr who will palm herself off as anothe
lie. and receive kiss intended for tina
u other must be bad indeed
II While I was speaking Reginald look
f. ed straight at me. When 1 came to
H. stop he said coldly:
lie II do not see what interest you hav
Id in me since you wear in your hair
:, token Of refusal"
Then for the first time remembers,
the red rose. Inyoluntarily l put M