The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-07-14
LITTLE ROSE
BY FREDERIcKA HOFFMAN.

Inc afternoon sunlight fell aslant the professors
desk He was scholar of reputation dis
unguished among men of letters a rigid student and a
master of the yet even now within the profess
Sor deep gray eyes there a CLEAN OF something
saVorng not at all of sociology the science
people suggesting no white of dust thick volumes.
remote from classroom dictates the rule of. col
iege council Was it that the professor smiled?
re heid a manuscript sent him for correction.
t t oi ms latest book, accompanied BY brief
biographical sketch The professor was reading:
1T is noticeable that from the first DR. Carl stern
study OF human nature in all it's varied phases A
hoy OF sixteen he ran away from home and Joined
people" ~
the paper and the suggested CLEAN of humor took
possession of his features
Yes; he had away. Who would not have rpn
away from the stern discipline of a moody foster
a.aer ana me continual naggng of stern-faced
this thing but when she died all sympathy and love
alone. -
He recalled again that day in early spring-a Sat
urday half holiday it was-and vet he sat alone with
in the barren spare room swinging his legs detected
ana distressed What business had Aunt Maria to
and slender for his age. He was sixteen. and be-
cause she had discovered him buried deep in a vol
ume of history a a time when he should have been
drawing water from the well without, she had sent
MN peremptorily into the cherries room, there to
await his fathers later judgment sxteen--was he
not man? She but woman, A man is AL
ways greater than woman and his lnmost
Again the professor seemed weighed down. as ON
nat gay ny the oppressive tick tocktick Of the
faced clock, looming times tyrant the corner Tick
was that? ~ '
Down the road, far out beyond the gardens white
washed wall, and the of nodding danodils came
sound suggesting to the boy many things At FIRST
1t was but vague and formless nkle then the clear
echoing OF numerous bells. laughter shouts the
rumoilng OF many wheels There sudden call
TO matt the hopA beats paused awhile and above
olater OF the rest voice shrieked Fine lace for
sale-yonr kettles We viii mend!your fortune while
With the last blithe statement the sound ceased
Alht Maria came raging from the kitchen Away
she sco"led you good-for-nothing beggars-away
from our clean streets Go on to the Black Forest
when come"
gay laugh was the answer her ranting and
the band jsnglng on
But the gray OF the boy within grew vide with
sudden question The Black Forest? There would be
forgetting there Of stringent tyranny There he
was open Already ii was dusk. A moments final
argument. and he had dropped upon the new soft
They welcomed him those artless synsy waifs mad.
much OF him and claimed him Of them. From
a he'a efts ana balancing accounts. and saved
the lawess band many scrape They kind
enough but he, too, did his part
Yet what had kept him there enduring hardshtps
Of summer drought and winter freshness. uncom-
Of scholarly Investigation subty asserting itself?
1t the mere obstinate braggadocio a boy. misun-
derstood at home& Or was it-something else?
Little Rose was fragile thing. blue eyed and haxen
cur!ed startlingy unlike jthe other children the
camp. The boy watched her wonderingly and used
TO ponder deeply on her parentage. Being Wise be
yond his years, and knowing the unconformity Of
gypsy wanderers he asked pointed questions. How
ever he was sure, though she. herself could tell
him nothing Of her early life, that the frai girl had
been stolen from her home in hope Of rich reward.
let she was happy here. rejoicing In the flowers
the sunlight
tains oldest night night stared at the stars
through rift within the tent dreaming Of this child
free life in sun and wind, the great terror came.
They were riding along through valley. up hill
and down dale thinking harm. imagining no evil
when the deep fear burst full force upon them The
Rose and Carl were lettering behind the sing
her GROW ned
head. and the boys gaze followed hers
A gentleman on horseback, having ridden for some
time unobseryed close upon them now. 1t was
up into his eyes that the girl staring with that
startled apprehension. The boy saw. in a fash the
clue her strange oveliness; the kinshp was past
question. 1t self-evident the had likewise
seen IT, He sat rigid, thundersruck his hands clutch
ing the pommel of his saddle. his keen eyes wild.
Help" he gasped, help" and Carl caught him
Little Rose brought from a neghboring spring
and restored him. He said nothing, offered
PLANTATION did this distinguished gentleman, when
he handed Carl tiny gold case. the boy the
opening of the tiny clasp, knew all The eyes OF
little Rose gazed out from tangle OF golden curls.
if the low velvet and the twisted strings
Of pearl seemed far remote from what he knew OF
1T was her mother" said the gentleman, 1T seems
she's again"
Her mother The boys heart leaped with sudden
buyoyant gladness and then went black within. Her
mother It was like the wondrous fairy tales the
romance of the folk lore, this uniting of the lost and
wronged But o. it meant the severing of the friend
SNIP 4 nsr les ha ana her ratnsr too
minute. threatening, aggressive and In
moment they would claim their own ana vanish lost
in the circling mazes of the hills. He had but to
can and little Rose and old freedom and old dreams
his again.
But Joe, the big Indian, stealing their path
had witnessed all the scene and guessed it's
fol- and striking purport,
He spoke with all the conviction of king. You
at once" he said. You go unframed, But IL
yol follow make cry of this the worst will come.
You know and ways"
o. the bitter nights the boy lay tossing his bed,
arguing with himself, endeavoring forget To for
get that his inability, his indifference. his
ous selshness that had cheated this brave father
has right. But. thanks to the stern Teuton of his
character the best in him prevailed and. traitor
the camp he restored the girl to her
Ii while travelling through the Reisenthal that
above entrance a estate he associated
eugraven arms with perfect surety With the
dticate racery of the miniature. Baron Stro-
hens lands" said, and the way clear
The professors eyes, still soft with old day dreams.
came back from the still deepening of the dusy.
he fingered thoughtfully the manuscript. Yes he
had proved loyal his TRUST had given nd the little
Rose bowed his head to right. The conflict had
beer and long but he had won!