Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-19
The Argus Daily Short Story
The Cedar House-By Clarissa Mackie
Copyrighted. 1910. by Associated Literary PresA

The house stood in a grove Of rec
cedars that reared their conical tops
above the low roof.
Once when she was quite a little
girl Dorinda Rodman had asked bel
father plant such black trees? They
hide the sun"
Mrs. Rodman tapped Dorinda's gold
en- head with her thimble and frowned
Grandfather planted the trees be
cause he wanted them to grow there
You should be thankful that there is
such a pleasant shade during the hot
weather. child
But they are so black" protested
Dorinda.
'"rhey are very beautiful" returned
Mrs. Rodman, with an air Of decision
Dorinda grew up to womanhood be
lieving that the cedar trees that grew
about her home and Swallowed it from
dawn till sunset were beautiful be.
cause Grandfather Rodrnan had plant.
ed them sixty years ago when he made
home in the wilderness for his little
family.
Inside the house Dorinda cared for
two old, old men, brothers Of her
grandfather.
You should put them away in some
institution, Dorinda,'' said a neighboT
one day when the girl had hurried
past on her daily trip to the village.
you'll die taking care of those two
old men. You're young, and you ought
to be having a good time"
''They are all the relatives 1 have in
the world" said Dorinda quietly. 81
could not let them go to strangers as
long as have a roof over my head
Her golden hair began to lose its
luster and her gray eyes to grow sad
and troubled with care, but Gilbert
Fame continued to make his weekly
call upon her. Once every year he
asked her to marry him, to leave the
Cedar House and make her home with
him in some brighter, happier spot. At
last he even besought Dorinda to bring
the two uncles and they would manage
somehow
But Dorinda always shook her head
decidedly. They love the old place,
Gilbert, and they want to live and die
here. AS for me, shall not marry
any one. Do not wait for me. When
am left alone shall go away"
when you are left alone you shall
marry me-" declared Gilbert hotly.
you have lived so long in the shadow
of this dark house that you do not
know how happy you may be some
day. Let me cut down the trees, Do
rinda, and let some sunshine into the
windows"
81 love the red cedars," interrupted
Dorinda coldly. MY grandfather plant
ed them"
when your grandfather planted
those trees the hillside was wilder
ness and there was no protection
against the sweep of the northwest
wind. The tall growing woods on the
other side of the river form wind
break now, and you can well dispense
with the cedars."
"They shall remain here as long as
1 do" said Dorinda obstinately.
After that Gilbert Fame stayed away
from the Cedar House, and Dorinda
nursed her two uncles in solitude. At
last they died IN the late winter.
Perhaps the kindly neighbors did not
know that now, with her labor torn
away from her hands. she was quite
lost and very much frightened at her
own loneliness. One quiet woman
stayed with her and helped her dis
mantle the old house and store the fur
niture in the large barn. Everybody
knew now that the place was mort
gagged to fits full value and that the
interest had not been paid. The last
expenses attendant upon the two I'M
cles had made Dorinda almost penni-
less. The man who held the mortgage
had waited patiently for his money.