Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-11-26
Continued.

then, as she had been thinking at
Bradstone, whilst the floor throbbed
with dancing feet, whilst singers were
performing, of the bouquet Of yellow
roses which she had flung away. Was
it still lying on the grass in the quad
rangle? Had Jane, the house maid,
seen it, picked it up, and taken it to
sorn the kitchen table?
Che knew that Jasper must have
ken a long walk 70 procure those
20 punches Of roses. She knew that
e could i'll afford the expense. When
he was Ill, she had put aside his lit
tie purse containing his private
money, and had counted it, to make
sure that none was lost or taken. She
knew that he was poor. Out of the
small sum he owned he must have
paid a good deal for these roses.
She had thrown her bunch away in
angry scorn, under his eyes. She
had been greatly provoked; but-had
she behaved in a ladylike and Chris
tian spirit? Sic might have left her
roses in a tumbler in the parlOr or the
hall. That would have been a cOur'
teoUs rebuf-but to fling them away!
There are as many conflicting cur
rents in the human soul as in the
ocean, some run from east to west,
and some from north to south, some
are sweet and some bitter, some hot
and others cold. Only in the Sargas-
so Sea are there no QUEENSLAND
that is a sea Of weeds. What We be-
deve today we reject tomorrow; we
are resentful at one moment over a
wrong inflicted, and are reDentant
the next for having been ourselves the
wrong-doer. Barbara had been in
fiery Indignation at three o'clock
against Jasper; by five she was cooler
and by six reproached herself.
AS the sisters drove into the little
quadrangle, Barbara turned her head
aside, and whilst she made as though
she were unwinding the knitted shawl
that was wrapped about her head, she
looked across the turf, and saw lying,
where she had cast it, the bunch of
roses.
The stable boy came with his Ian
tern to take, the horse and carriage
and the sisters dismounted. Jane
appeared at the hall door to diYest
them of their wraps.
How is papa?' asked Eve; then,
without waiting for an answer, she
ran into her fathers room to kiss him
and tell him of the party, and show
herself again in her pretty dress, and
again receive his words Of praise and
love.
But Barbara remained at the door,
leisurely folding her cloak. Then she
put both her own and her sisters
parasols together in the stand. Then
she stood brushing her soles on the
mat-qui;e unnecessarily, as they
were not dirty.
You may go away, Jane said Bar
bara to the maid who fingered at the
door.
Please, Miss, I'm waiting for you
to come in. that / may lock up
Then Barbara was obliged to enter.
Has Mr. Babb been with my ia.
there she asked.
No, Miss. I haven't seen him since
you left
You may go to bed, Jane. 1t is
washing day tomorrow, and you will
have to be up at four. Has not Mr.,
Babb had his supper?'
No. Miss. He has not been here at
ALL
That will 90 She signed the maid
to leave.
She stood in the hall, hesitating.
Should she unbar the door and go out
and recover the roses? Eve would
leave her fathers room in a moment,
and ask questions which it would be
inCOnyenient to answer. Let them lie
She went upstairs with her sister,
after having wished her father good
night.
'Barbie, dear! said Eve, did you OBJ,
serve Mr. SQuash?'
DO not, Eve. That is not his name
I think he looked a little discon,
certed. I repudiated.'
What do You mean?'
I refused to be bound to the en-
gagements we had made for a qua
drille and a waltz. l did not want
to dance with him, and did not
Run back to your room, darling
and go to ped
When Barbara was alone she went
to her window and opened it. The
window 1CCl-pd into tho NO1vr r
she leaned her head out far. she could
see where the bunch or roses ought tC
be. But she could not see them
though she looked, for the grass lay
dusk in the shadows. The moon wa:
rising. and shone on the long roo
like steel, and the light was creeping
down the wall. The long roof wa:
over the washhouse. and next morning
at early dawn the maids would eros:
the quadrangle with the linen anl
carry fuel. and would either trampIt
On or pick up and appropriate tn
yellow roses.
Barbara remembered every wore
that she had said to Jasper. She coult
not forget-and now could not for
give herself Her words had beer
cruel; how they Tnust have woundet
him, He had not been seen since
Perhaps he was gone and would no
return again. They and she woul
see him no more. That would b.
well in one way. it would relieve he
of anxiety about Eve; but, on tn
~. III