The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1911-05-02
THE YELLOW
ROSE LADY
<Copyright. 1910. by the Associated Lit
erary PressJ
BY TEMPLE BAILEY
u ~


her hair arranged in curls and puffs,
and banded by pale yellow ribbon
in strange yet fascinating fashion.
Two hours later, when Abner had
milked the cows, he picked four wild
old-fashioned yellow roses that grew
in the fence corner. When the
boarders appeared on the porch after
supper, with the goddess OF his
heart in their midst, he waited until
the darkening of the shadows made
his approach possible, laid the roses
on the rail, and, with beating pulse,
withdrew again to the shadow OF the
trees.
He had his reward when he heard
4 voice say--a tender, thrilling
voice, 'sWhy, the lovely roses-how
funny! They weren't here a mo-
ment ago, and--why, who could have
picked them ?"
Abner could see that she was not
satisfied with the explanations that
followed. In the background he
heard another feminine voice, lit
tie naughty, ask, "How do you know
they are meant for you?"
The girl with the roses in her
hair said in startled way, "Oh, Of
course only they matched-my rib
bon"
"As If anyone could not have no
ticed thatw said voice in the
background.
Abner wanted to speak out and
say II noticed it," but he had no
place among those people. To them
he was simply a countryman. a
farmer. How could they, who esti-
mated a mans worth by the clothes
he wore and the money he spent, un-
derstand his standing in his own
community, where his fathers large
ownership Of land made him some
thlng OF parsonage!
He had asked her name and found
that it was Campbell, Elsie Camp
bell, and that she had much wealth.
"All the men tag after her." said the
waitress who gave him this informa-
ton, "but l don't understand what
they see in her. l like that little
Miss Wells much better"
(Which is Miss Wells?" Abne1
asked.
ooh, she's the other girl" said
Mary, vaguely, as she went back to
her work.
Abner decided that the other
girl must be the one with the haugh-
ty voice. He did not wonder that
the men did not care for her. II
was the little lady with the curli
who was altogether lovely.
he was surprised, therefore, al
time went on to see how much she
was left alone. After that first nigh,
the men drifted toward the naughty
girl, who, by daylight, appeared t.
Abners curious eyes as a stately
She Wac Al In White, With Her Hal
beauty whose arrogant manner
matched her voice. She seemed t.
be much in demand, men in auto
mobiles and men on horseback es
corted her everywhere, while the Vel
low Rose Lady, as Abner had calle'
her, after that first night, seemed
have few invitations.
Abner, weaving romances abou
her, decided that she held hersel
aloof. He liked to think Of her q
4 princess, to whom these peopl
were but vassals at her command
As for himself, he was content
be her slave, to worship afar of, VI
seen, unknown.
Yet a time went on he felt this
this was rot adequate. He wante
to speak to her, to show her some
the beauties Of forest and Of stream
Now and then she spoke to hi
in her soft little voice, and he wou1
grow weak with rapture at her sin
pie "Thank you" or please as
did some small service for her. On
she came out to the barn and four
him mending the harness before Il
open door. A white cat and two ki
tens lay asleep in front Of hi,
"Oh," she crooned, and went to ?
them.
you'll soil your Dress" Abr
warned, and she caught it up Al
laughed little when he insisted
bringing a newspaper on which 9
knelt as she Rugged the pussies.
Abner thought her gown was To-
IL r. waa lawn and II waa emf l.