Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-03-11
sseAeaease Asaseaaae
!! glus Roses !, !
sss se es'0
"Will you marry me?"

VIII you marry me?"
Certainly mott"
There was no indecision In the clear
voice, and Arthur Shlrley's face grew
anxious.
"Why not?" he persisted.
"You had better ask why. To begin
with, l am an old maid, and-I don't
/ like men. and-and you have chosen q
most inconA.derate time to worry me
As iffS had not worries enough already
Look at this Bessie Brown! Blighted
and the show 80 near!'
Rita Clay's statement lacked accura-
cy. She was four-and-twenty, clear
skinned and gray eyed, and she had the
prettlest crinkle in her golden-brown
hair. There was crinkle on her brow
as wei at this minute. as 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 vet
you persist in putting 1t second to a lot
Of roses that have the measles!"
Rita's heart acknowledged the justice
Of his reproof. and she instinctively
seized on the offending point to turn
1t into a grievance
Your remarks just prove" she said,
-that you and are not In the least
suited. Our tastes are different. You
don't care bit for fowers!"
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
" over what have said. Keep your
answer till then.'
"My answer is final. And you need
: never refer to the subject again, for
you have no more chance than you have
ofSgrowing "a blue rose!'
The dark band Of clouds In the east
that had brought blight to the roses
had also blighted poor shlrley's hopes.
When he had been ordered from the
hotbed OF the stock exchange to the
cool glades Of Durley, he had dlsobeyed
his doctor by putting double strain
on his shattered nerves. For he fell in
love. At first he worshiped In silence,
for Rita was Indifferent and thorny,
until he adopted the right tactics Rita
helped him to gov rosesl
Everyone In Durley grow roses
beautiful roses. too, in spite Of the fact
shat no one possessed any exact scien-
tic knowledge. But the climate and
soil were congenial. and the roses evi-
IDENTIFY liked the attentions they re-
ceived. Instead Of being a remote Sur
reg village, the little hamlet might have
been a 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
ley Rose Show.
The following evening, when he
srolled out on his lawn to smoke his
after-dinner 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 industrlously syr-
lnged 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
I'VE minutes had the andacity to ask
her opinion about an ailing bud.
The bait was too tempting, and a
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 present Of confidence.
"Just think she said, 81 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
II believe. at least, have a chance
Of winning It ! shall never have one
again and you can't think how excited
a III Ia l1.ss-