Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-02

The bishops rich, deep voice broke il
on her words.
But we are old friends, are we not
Miss Carruthers? Do you still teach
the roses how to grove
He had drawn her little apar
from the others. Tall, lean ant
clean shaven, with his keen, merry
eyes, he made her think of the young
rector. Most unaccountably Miss
Carruthers lost her sense Of humor
and her tender, beautiful lips quiv
cred.
Paul, Paul. how wronged you!
Oh, don't be kind to me now and try
to smooth it over I was a selfish
untaught girl. hope life has giver
you in full measure all the happiness
you deserve.
The bishop smiled down at hel
whimsically. What sort of happi
ness, Rose? am a bachelor"
Here Bettina swept down on them
and bore the bishop away to the tea
table, where her mother wished to
speak with him. Rose slipped back
to her room. She would not be
missed in the wedding rush Of guests,
she knew, and she wanted to look
at the face the bishop had just seen
after twenty years. Unsparingly she
raised the window shade, and threw
back the softly tinted curtains. Then
she moved the little dressing table
over in the full daylight and sat
down before it to look at herself.
And presently she put her head down
on her arms and sobbed quietly, al
most pityingly, for the stupidity of
that girl who had taguht the roses
how to grow twenty years before.
do you know, auntie," Bettina told
her in strict confidence that night,
when she came in and sat on the
floor before the fire to braid her
hair. II am almost sure our bishop
is seriously smitten with Grace.
Wouldn't it be interesting to have a
bishop in the family? Keep us all
in good order, think. He admires
Grace immensely, and she's nineteen
almost. How old is the bishop?
"Forty-fou answered Rose, smil.
ingly.
"That won't do at ALL But he is
such a dear, and I do want 20 keep
him in the family"
so do I, Bette" laughed Miss
Carruthers.
But the bishop remained heart
whole and very circumspect. The
wedding was junior function, and
the girls eddied around him like
brook wavelets around the roots Of a
sturdy oak.
. Miss Carruthers was to take an
early train. 1t was in the dim win
ter dawn that she found her way into
the Southern express, and as it start
ed, saw the bishop placidly arrang-
ing his suit cases in the section
across from her. When he found out
he was discovered he crossed the
aisle.
But | said good-by to you last
night" exclaimed Rose.
THAT was only goodnight, but
could not contradict you, dear. for
there were too many spectators. You
know, Rose. I never liked spectators.
Therefore, I am going down to Vir-
ginia with YOU
ITO Virginia-why
II am going into the old rose garden
with you, and ask you the same ques-
ton I did twenty years ago. Rose"
"But-'
Now don't scold. or plead, for I
am surely going. And dear, if l
could have seen your eyes and lips,
/ should have come years ago. They
have grown so tender, so Infinitely
tender. dear Surely they betray
you. they are betraying you now"
Rose looked up at him wistfully.
"But-the roses are gone
The bishop laughed. ..
"You can't scare me off this time.
spring is too near. We will brush
the snow off the sundial and read
the old legend on it. See how we'll
I remember 1t, dear. i only record
the hours that are bright Let us
forget our own lost hours and gather
the bright ones while we may. Shall
we, Rose?"
Don't ask me- she answered
softly. 81 would rather tell you that
Id the garden"