The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1922-08-18
ASHES OF ROSES
BY MARGARET SWEENEY

'~~~~~~~~~<<Ss<<s<rs<
s. 1872 by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate,
For almost an hour Judith Hamil-
ton had been sitting in her chair, her
team fingers locked behind her head,
staring out at the swaying branches of
giant cedar upon the lawn. She had
ueeh striving To concentrate her
thoughts, but something, some dis
quletlng thing in the gathering dusk or
some vibration In the weird whine of
the March wind, had prevented her.
behlnd her imlnobile face thought pic
lures flashed and faded-pictures that
passed the censorship of her minds
eye, and pictures that failed to pass
ana left her surging with resentment.
Soft footsteps sounded overhead,
then the squeak of II wheeled chair
| lolting over threshold, and she knew
that Miss Raymond, her foster moth
er's nurse, had begun to fix" her pa
lent for the night.
Every night 1t is the same" she re-
Elected, the same things will happen
at the same time. In another hour
she Will send Miss Raymond To sum
| mon me to her bedside and then she
VIII complain about the weather and
| the food and Miss Raymond, and Or
der me about as If / We're still a little
child"
| judith Hamilton arose and switched
Oh the light. She glanced swiftly, ex-
pectantly, around the book-lined room,
and then, drawing the shades, she re-
| sumed her seat and the fascinating
| pictures again marshalled themselves
,ut of the mysterious stiffness of the
past and crowded back the thoughts
that struggled within her; and always
In the foreground of these pictures
the center and soul of them, the face
| and figure of John Hamilton stood out.
and the old love-light was In his blue
gray eyes and the old smile was upon
his brave young face.
Like shuttle TO and fro passed the
pictures of what ahd been: A lonely,
'oveless childhood; then love and
aughter and roses. Then quiet we'd
ding and almost two years of sweet
content and happiness, and then-sud-
1enly, for John Hamilton night that
had no morning.
Tonight the past had cast its spell
about her, and the majestic mystery of
life and love and death burdened her
thoughts as she sat staring at Il quaint
"Ose jar upon her library table. In it
he petals of the first roses that John
Hamilton had sent had found resting
place. and all the roses that had fol-
lowed had been buried in the depths
IF the old rose jar.
Lovingly she lifted the rose jar and
bowed her head above it, inhaling the
fragrance that fingered in 1t, and then
among the withered petals her half
,losed eyes caught the CLEAN of some
thing white, and with fumbling fin
3 gers she drew it to the light. 1t was
sheet of writing paper covered with
y. 1er husbands handwriting II was
, dated March u. 1919, just three days
before the night that had no morning.
She unfolded it and read:
"AIarch II, 1919.
judith Dear-I have known for
t. some time that | am walking on quick
' sand. Somehow, Judith, it is hard for
] ne to realize this, and / continue 10
/ nope for the best, but. dearest, | am
Y preparing for the worst, and so today
S nave set my house in order as best
!. [ may And now that that is done
!, find it hard indeed impossible, e
a bring sorrow to your heart by telling
you of this shadow that may come be
tween us.
1--WE hear much today, Judith, from
men of learning about the world be
vond. and some of them tell us that
the departed are in close touch witt
their loved ones here. ! like to think
that is true il makes the inevitable
seem to me a little less terrible, an'
so. dearest, If a dsembOdied spirit ol
mind have power (and 1t may have
re- return. then shall | return to yol
one year from tonight And YOU shall
find this note in the old rose jar on th'
evening of March 10 1920, and yo'
shnn know. dearest heart. that ! an
near you. guiding and loving You.
MAY God bless YOU and give yol
strength to- face life and all its trials
with brave heart.
Externally yours, JotiN.
In the quiet. rose-scented library in
dith Hamilton. a-thrill with wonde
and love. crushed the precious lett"
to her lips and bowed her head upoi
her hands. After n little while MIS-
RAYMOND. her foster mothers nurse
knocked lightly uI>n the library door
and Judith Hamilton, her fac" align
with love, followed her TO the room
above.