Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-03-12
49, 3. q. q,
s D1ue Roses :
"ooo8p oe'"o1o 0oop8o oo~oS"~@

"Will you marry meE'
Certainly not!"
There was no indeciSon in the clear
voice, and Arthur Shirley's face grew
anxious.
why not?" he persisted.
You had better ask why To begin
with. | am an old maid. and don't
like men, and-and you have chosen a
most inconsiderate time to worry me.
AS If had not worries enough already.
Look at this Bessie Brown! Blighted,
and the show SO neur!'
Rita Clay's statement lacked accura-
cy She was four-and-twenty, clear
skinned and gray eyed. and she had the
prettiest crinkle In her golden-brown
hair. There was crinkIe on her brow
rs we'll at this minute. rs she gaZed dis
tractedly from her importunate lover to
the wilted spray.
Shirley frowned.
I'm talking of marriage, which Is a
serious thing" he objected. land yet
you persist in putting it second to a lot
of roses that have the measles."
Rita's heart acknowledged the Justice
Of his rcproof. and she inStinctively
seized on the offending point to turn
1t into grievance.
Your remarks just prove" she said.
that you and l are not in the least
suited Our tastes are different. You
don't care q bit for tiowerS,''
II grow roses"
You don't. They grow themselves -
Shirley's voice grew more anxious.
But, Rita he urged, when the
show Is over, and you have no more
distractions, promise me to think quiet
ly over what l have said. Keep your
answer till then"
never refer TO the subject again. for
you have no more chance than you have
OF growing-a blue rose."
The dark band of clouds in the east
that had brought blight to the roses
had also blighted poor Shlrleys hopes.
When he had been ordered from the
hothed OF the stock exchange to the
cool glades of Durley. he had disobeyed
his doctor by putting a double strain
on his shattered nerves For he fell in
love. At first he worshlped in silence.
for Rita was Indifferent and thorny.
until he adopted the right tactics. Rita
helped him to grow roses,
Everyone In Durley grow roses
beautiful roses, too In spite of the fact
that no one possessed any exact scien-
tifc knowledge. But the climate and
soil were oongenial. and the roses evil
IDENTIFY liked the attentions they re-
ceived. Instead of being remote Sur
rey village. the little hamlet might have
been q tiny corner of Persia. so sweet
was the perfume of the rose In summer,
and the essence of pot-pourri In winter.
1t was natural. therefore. that the
great gala-day of the year was the Dur
Icy Rose Show.
The following evening. when he
afterdinner pipe, he greeted his fair
neighbor with his usual friendliness.
She answered constrainedly, and only
allowed him to see the back of her
white blouse. as she industriously syr-
inged her beloved roses. This was bad
manners, and also bad policy, for Shir-
ley, secure from the fire of Rita's eyes.
completely recovered his nerve. and In
five minutes had the audacity to ask
her opinion about an aIling bud.
The bait was too tempting. and n
minute later Rita was on the wrong
side of her fence, putting Shirley right
about his treatment OF his flower.
Friendly relations restored, the girl
made him n present of confidence.
Just think" she said, Il have
heard to-day that DR.. Barton Is going
abroad, and won't compete for the best
collection of blooms at the Rose Show.
He always beats every one. And-and
Il believe, at least. have a chance
Of winning 1t. 1 shall never have one
again. and you can't think how excited