The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-12
Eoening Story
The Rose Garden Ghost.
BY KATE EDMONDs.


of my friends will enter it after dark"
The women drew closer together
while the men grinned skeptically at
their host. Haunted, you say:" asked
Benton.
In way" hesitated the profess
sor
What way?" asked a chorus of
voices.
1T is mostly heavy perfume-and
queer cold wind-sometimes the sight
of a greenish gray shadow fitting
! away under the locust grove
They glanced toward the gorgeous
rose garden and beyond to the tall
grove of young locust trees. Beyond
the grove was a rail fence and
ghmpses of tumble-down chinneys.
rs that a farmhouse? ?" asked Ben
ton inquisitively.
"Yes-belongs to Cherry Faben-
she teaches school in the city" ex-
planned Professor Raynes stiffiy, and
ne changed the subject.
Il shall walk in the rose garden to-
night" averred Cynthia Parker to
/ Madge Benton
walt for mel shall go, too. Let
us go up to bed and then when all
| lights are out we can come down and
frolic with the ghost in the garden!"
The moon was riding high in the
heaven that night, and the rose gar
! den took on weird coloring under the
/ magic rays. The jackroses were dull
J blotches of color against the foliage
and the-bride roses were pale and wan
as if waiting for ghostly bride fingers
to pluck them; the pink roses were
faintly tinted and the whole garden
was swooning with fragrance.
1t is beautiful-and so strange"
whispered Cynthia. as she chung osher
companions hand. Il am almost
afraid. Madge:"
"Hark! What is that?' Madge
! dragged her down behind the hedge
that bordered the garden. The twelve
faint strokes of the clock on the dis
| tant church tower sounded thru the
! night, shivSring the silence with tin
| king solemnity.
| Midnight" shivered Cynthia. DO
| let us go back hate rose gardensl"
"Wait-some one is coming" eau
! toned the other, and so they waited
with frightened hearts and icy hands.
direction wish 1 could Sect
Slowly she raised herself until she
could stand erect behind a tall bush
of immense white blossoms, then she
dragged Cynthia to her feet. Look"
The girlish faces pressed close to
the roses grew pale with the tragedy
! of what they saw. woman's tall
form. thin almost to invisibihty in that
uncertain light, clad in soft gray,
moved among the roses with a beauti-
full, cold face; passed slowly from bush
to bush, garnering the faded, bursting
roses. She seemed to know when to
! touch them-for they would fall into
her outspread hands. She buried her
proud cold face among the sweet
! petals and then dropped them into a
deep basket hung from her arm.
AS she went from bush to bush, she
murmured little snatches of song-old-
/ fashioned melodies that the girls had
laughed at when they heard them else
where. but tonight they wept as they
listened.
such a poor sad ghost" sobbed
| AS if the whispering reached her
ears, the ghost turned swiftly and
glided rather than walked out of the
| garden and vanished beyond the To-
Gust grove.
we must tell Professor Raynes."
whispered Madge.
Let US wait another night" urged
| Cynthia. and Madge consented.
| The next day they were driving thru
| the village when they saw the tall form
of the rose garden ghost. She was
! just leaving the woman's exchange and
her gray gown disappeared around
| corner as their motor stopped at the
door Let us go inside said Cynthia.
! They examined the delicate fancy
work the home made candles. and
finally, Madge plucked her compan-
ions arm. Look she whispered In
! bags filled with dried rose petals, tied
with rose-c olored ribbons and deli
cately embroidered.
Miss Nash's rose sachets," eX-
planned the attendant. They are de-
| ifghtfuly fragrant-her roses must be
very finc-here are lavender ones,
too The girls bought some sachets
and went back to Rose Court.
I'VE must tell Professor Raynes,
said cynthia that evening. she is
] of cOfrSo-hnt the moor
soul may need the rose petals-I am
sure he would not care, for rose petals
bring her living anyway"
Professor Raynes listened to their
story with Incredibly They walked
down to the rose garden. Look. there
is hardly a fallen petal
Il have noticed that thought it
was Henry's diligence and raised his
wa ges-I told him to let the petals lie
IL liked to see them"
But Miss Nash began Madge,
when the professor clutched her arm.
Miss Nash-Rose Nash?'' he SIAM
mered.
Il must wait and see her-I thought
| she had gone away forever, years ago
she used to board with Miss
Cherry" His head dropped into
/ his hands-'Rose-m queen of all
the roses" he whispered.
The girls left him alone dreaming
among his roses, but that night he was
very silent at dinner and late in the
evening he vanished and did not re-
4 turn.
I'VE must go to the garden cried
! Cynthia. and they planned to meet at
midnight. The garden was alight un-
: der the moon and two forms moved
along the roses. Beautiful Rose Nash.
plucking haIf-blown buds to wear on
her breast and one for the professors
| buttonhole.
Bride roses. dearest he was say
/ ing tenderly- Always bride for you
to make up for lost time. Tomor
row-a wedding here among the
roses -
She said yes " murmured Madge.
as the two girls crept away. dazed
| by the wonderful love story that had
been revealed before their eyes.
Copy right, 1920. by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)