The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-01-17
A BUNCH OF RED ROSES.


place of fire-crackers in the world of
flowers?" asked little Jennie Robbins
irrelevantly.
She was rocking for dear life on the
porch, her heels striking in unison on
the floor at the downward sweep of
her rocker with an impact that threw
her backward on her next stroke. The
June afternoon was perfect, warm, yet
with a breeze, fragrant with many
underlined odors.
Jennie's audience of one was on the
other side of the closed blinds, sew
ing behind the partly turned Stats
her sister, four years Jennie's elder,
half a foot taller, altogether more
forcible and, which is not necessarily
synonymous, more enforcing than Jen-
ME.
What are you talking about, child?
What are. floral fire-crackers?" asked
Helena Robbins
II don't know; just asked" said
Jennie. They're the color near
enough; they come at Fourth of July
time; they're lunches. I wondered if
they might be fire-crackers for fairies. -
Crimson ramblers?" asked Helena
guessing from the given clues.
"Uh-eh," assented Jennie, rocking
harder than ever, her eyes fastened
on The trellis at the end of the piazza
which was a solid screen of beauty
green leaves, crimson ramblers in
thick clusters, some beginning to pur
pie, the majority coming into perfec
ton, with hosts of little impatient
buds visible to eyes as keenly loving
to them as Jennie's. Eyes, crimson
ramblers. They are glorious this year;
they are gloriouser and more glori
ouser each summer! I'm glad we ha6
them on one end of the porch anG
clematic paniculata on the other. The
ramblers' only fault is lack of frag
rance. You don't mind that if yor
think they're punches of flower fire
crackers. Old Herman Muller told me
this morning it was going to warn
up for the Fourth 1t usually does
but weather prophecies are always i'm
pressive, even the kind that you coulC
make yourself twelve months ahead o.
time"
eff you rock so hard you'll make &
new piazza floor necessary; that's 6
safe prophecy" observed Helena.
mo; this is a safe 1oor,' said Jen
ME. I'm rocking across the boards
half the weight of the rocker falls OF
the crack; / noticed it. I wondered
where the weight is when it's on {
space? I don't remember that prob
lem in the study of physics"
Jennie, you're as nonsencial, al
f1ighty as chipmunk!" cried Helena
with fervor, inspired by a gay little
chipmunk which at that moment flirt
ed along the fence.
81 haven't seen any special reason
for being serious on such an Afternoon
as this" said Jennie. Besides, yo1
always said was more like Jenni
Wren, little and gay, than I was Xix
Jennie Robbins. If have bird nam
it's natural I should have bird ways
names are supposed to affect thei
owners character. Grave Helena
an antidote to Robbins in your case.
There is no good reason for bein
serious and considering what you wi
do about Jack Lamb" said Helen
severely.
The crimson ramblers' color SCENE
suddenly thrown across Jenne's prett
face It was an exceedingly prett
, face, whimsical and merry, but swee
and strong, too. One would prophec
latent strength and the best kind {
womanliness from a young creatur
with a face like Jennie's but he
twenty years of life had not calle
out more than girlish sweetness an
the light-heartedness it brings, {
should always bring. Helena, thong
not many years elder, had taken the
mothers place to the tractable lit
= sister from her sixth year, and no
that their father was not living, 81
. constituted authority and responsible
ity in Jennie's life.
IF you left it to me, Helen
shouldn't do anything about Jat
Lamb" said Jennie after momeT
"Pd-T'd just let him gambol." 81
laughed, but there was catch In b
voice.
"You fancy you are in love Wi
y him." said Helena sternly. 'That
folly. small Jane"