Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-09-20
ELLIE OF
the ROSE
BY JOSEPH RAuoHER
Copyright, by Joseph B. Bowles.)

She was poorly clad, child of the
people, but with face that a princess
might envy.
NARROW took no notice of the voice,
as he hurried through the street-it
was highway of the slums-but the
patter of the child's bare feet kept
pace with his own tread.
They say they are made out OF
dead people," she persisted, Offering
him tube-rose.
Thanks" he said, as he paused to
take a flower. do you grow them?"
he added.
Grow them?'' she laughed, with
wondering eyes. why, they are made
out of dead people, l tell you"
Indeed? Then, where did you get
this?"
From Nellie's coffin. She was
buried from our court this morning"
"Ah! And what is your name, lit
tie one?"
my names Nellie, too"
"Nellie-Nellie Of the Rose!
shall accept your flower, and l shall
keep it always"
H"u6hLIlS, Tie Cullu DluSueu, anu
ran.
NARROW wondered at the young
girls beauty and grace, but not at
the floral gift, for he had always at
tracted children.
1t was twilight when NARROW ar
rived at his rooms. He placed the
flower upon his desk, wrote his edi-
torial, dispatched it, and fell asleep.
A street piano was playing to dancing
children on the sidewalk below. The
air grew cold. He arose and closed
the window. Though the stiffness of
the room came family the splash of
dropping water. An odor that sug-
gested death chilled him to the heart.
On turning, he saw in the center of
the room coffin, in which Nellie
not child, but a grown woman-lay
dead.
Without understanding, sense of
his head, he kissed the dead woman's
brow, and awoke. The air was heavy
with the perfume of the flower the
child had given him, and her words
fingered in his thoughts.
Five years passed. Nellie of the
Rose had at first interested NARROW,
and. he educated her; and, although
he learned that she was the daugh.
ter of a Gypsy mother and spoiled,
home-loving son of a noble house,
NARROW loved her and made her his
wife.
Society at first laughed, then
sneered, and finally ostracised him
But he laughed at society and was
happy for year.
Yet, the spirit Of unrest-the spirit
of Nellie's Gypsy mother-possessed
the girl, and without word, without
sign, she left him.
Society said Il told you So" and
opened its arms to receive him again,
but NARROW toiled on, and awaited his
wifes return. Dim of eye and hollow
of cheek from toiling and waiting,
men said he drank. But his work re-
futed the charge.
Two years passed. One day a mes
sage came to him.
Come to me-" he read, as the paper
fluttered from his grasp.
In free ward of the city hospital,
NARROW knelt by the bedside of his
wife.
A spirit of her home-loving father
was asserting itself, and longing for
forgiveness and for home, she con-
fessed.
Don't! Don't! Oh, Tom, don't
look at me so kindly" she moaned.
Il have forgotten all save that one
year of happiness you gave me-" he
whispered.
But the world-your world, Tom
what will it say?"
You are my world, dear love-" he
said, tenderly smoothing her hair.
Perhaps she sighed. But, only
for short time, only for little
while. Oh, Tom, take me home!
Home! Our home Won't you, Tom p"
yes, little one" he answered, as
she fondied and kissed his hand.