The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-08-31
The Story Of a Rose
By MARY A. BOWERS
Copyright, 1910, by American Press
Association

II all the old books In the world
could be opened at once and the arti-
cles found between their pages dis
played to the world they would gil
museum. These Enclosures would be
made up OF faded flowers. memoranda,
bits of lace and occasionally letter.
And among those letters there would
be found some that would wreck the
peace OF families A librarian once
told me that every book returned to
the library was shaken and almost al
ways something would drop out. How
many of these articles could tell love
story7
Here is one Of rose:
amor was-a white rosebud.
When l was born don't remember
any better than people remember when
they were born. was very young
when was plucked, and that is the
earliest event in my life that | recall.
1t was June morning. June 10 Q'D
tell later why know this! and most
of the dewdrops on me had been alb
sorbed by the air. A young man came
into the garden. He was barely nine
teen and as handsome as picture.
He wore no hat, and the sunshine
poured in and out Of his tumbled hair.
He looked about among us flowers as
If searching for one he especially
wanted. Then his eyes lit on me.
was the only bud just opened. He
plucked me and took me into the
house. After breakfast he put me in
his buttonhole and, calling his, dog
set out down the road Presently lie
stopped before house, on the piazza
of which stood girl She. too, was
very young only seventeen, fancy
and was dressed in pure white, not q
bit Of color about her. The young man
turned in at the gate and Joined her.
81 have come to say goodby," he said
Il am going away this afternoon to
take the position that has been offered
to me-"
saw the girl change countenance.
don't think he noticed It, but you
know man has not the delicate per
ceptiye faculties Of white rose They
sat down together on wicker chairs
and chatted for long while 1t seem
ed to me that he would have liked to
tell her that he loved her. but some
reason interposed, probably the fact
that he was just starting In life and
both were very young. At any rate, he
rose to so without having done so
But he did the next best thing. lie
offered me to her and told her that II
she would keep me TIL he came again
he would have a secret to tell her.
She tried to look Indifferent when be
called his dog and started back home
But as soon as he was well down the
road she ran into the house, taking me
with her, and up to her room. where
she wept a long while Then she no
tlced me on her bureau. where she had
placed me. and put me in water
There l remained till she went to bed
Just before doing so she placed me In
book OF poems.
In the morning as soon as she awokC
she opened the book and kissed me
Then, lest ! should fall from between
the leaves, she pinned my stem to tn,
leaf. Underline she wrote June 10.
This book OF poems was TO be my
permanent home. a very fit dwelling
place for a white rose The girl read
the book very often and always caress
ed me when she did SO. year pass
ed. and when the next summer haC
gone she wrote under me on the mar
gin OF the page:
"Will he never Gomez
Years passed. don't know how
many, perhaps i've or six-and he did
not come. Then the girl went away
leaving me with her other favorites
More years passed. One day maj
came into the room where | was anC
packed all the books. the one | was II
among the number. and they were
carted away. When the box contain
ing me was opened a man took out my
book dwelling and placed II on a shell
OF shop with other books.
must have been by this time eigh
or ten years old. At any rate, IN!
leaves were yellow and brittle. though
my stem was still firm. One day
man came into the bookshop an,
asked II they had a certain book o
poems. was taken down and handle,
10 him. He opened the cover, an,
when he saw the name written on tn
nyleaf | felt his hand tremble. Thel
he turned over the leaves till he cam
to the page to which had been pin
ned. His fingers clutched the book Il
sort OF spasm.
"How muchY" he asked the shop
keeper
"Oh. you can have that for 10 cents
The purchaser tossed bin on tn
counter and. forgetting his change
hurried away. The shopman callet
after him. but he did not hear
| didn't recognize the purchaser I'll
he saw me In the shop and what wa
written under me. Then knew him
despite a full beard he wore. lie too
the book and me to his room In bach
elor quarters, and there l remained
week. Then one day he wrapped u
carefully IN paper aud took us to an
other city on train. We there entere
a house. and In a few moments lad
entered The man looked at her an
said.
~ have come at last"
The lady looked at him and uttere
little cry. lie handed the book Z
her. open at the page to which wa
pinned, and my dear mistress aud