The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1928-01-26
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1t Was the Last
Stitch
By ROSE MEREDITH
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(CopyrightD

p OSE CLEMENS sounds like the
name of pretty young girl. And
indeed when Rose was d little young
er, she was prettier than most of
them. Today, Rose Clemens, not SO
young and pretty, sat and sewed all
day long She only stopped for cup
of tea and bit to eat, or to fit some
customer of the village who wanted a
new pattern, for Rose was the only
dressmaker in the village and busy
from morning until night.
She lived all alone in the cottage
because all her family had either
married or moved to other houses,
or, as in the case of her parents, had
died. So Rose Clemens lived all alone
in the small white house, no longer
young, and yet not old.
This afternoon she was sewing,
as matchmaking a new silk dress for
Mrs. Cheeseman, who lived up on the
hill in the large white house. Mrs.
Cheeseman was very gracious and al
ways most considerable of Rose Glenn
ems. You know we are expecting
the new minister tonight" she said,
just before she left. "My husband
has invited him to stay a few days
with US, until the manse is quite
ready. He seems to be such splen-
did mani am hoping that he will
fall in love with one of our girls and
marry A wife is such a great help
to a minister, | believe" And Mrs.
Cheeseman had hurried out to her car
and the very smart chauffeur had
driven away with a great air, and
Rose Clemens had settled down to her
sewing again. She wondered rather
casually about the new minister,
whom she had not as yet seen. He
had preached twice at the church, but
it was during the month she had been
in the city sewing for Mrs. Cheese
man, so all she knew about him was
that he was evidently very popular
with everybody, and that his name
was John Harry Jones.
AS that happened to be the name
of the only man Rose Clemens had
ever wanted to marry, and had re-
fused because he had been so wild
and reckless, she was rather curious
to see him. OF course her Harry
Jones had gone to the dogs long ago
at least, people who claimed to
know the Jones family after they had
removed from the village always
said so.
The very first Sunday that the new
minister preached, Rose Clemens, in
a soft blue dress and hat, with a
lovely pink rose at her breast, came
softly up the aisle to her pew, her
new little patent leather slippers shin
ing brayely under her short skirt.
Perhaps Rose had been thinking
about the poor black sheep-Harry
Jones. whom she had loved so long
ago, and when she sat there with
closed eyes, while the organ softly
played the prelude, she was praying
for that poor lost Jones boy who had
flung away so recllessly when she
told him that she did not love him!
Then the organ Doomed out triunl-
phantly and Rose lifted her head to
see a tall man ascending the steps to
the pulpit. He stood there for a mo-
ment, looking at them with such a
warmth of feeling in his fine face, be-
fore he spoke a word.
1t was a long service-a glorious
union Rncn
Clemens FASTENED down the aisle and
out of the door and into her small
house a little way down the street.
When she got there, she went upstairs
to her own room, and took off her
blue hat and knelt down and prayed a
thanksgiving for the safe return OF
Harry Jones!
Then she went downstairs and
made her preparations for dinner
/ Suddenly she noticed group OF
women and girls pausing before her
| gate, while the tall minister broke
| away from them, with some pleasant
word, and came around to her side
| door Not to the front dOor-that
| WOulu NC tOO lOI lOl LCl olu
friend, Harry Jones.
He raped at the screen door and
then opened it and came right in
Il haven't forgotten old tricks
Rose" he told her, and there was an
eager look in his eyes as she gave
him both her hands.
Harry JONES'" she said with tears
in her lovely long-lashed eyes, 'you
have made me so happy-to come
back to us this wayw
81 am glad, Rose" he said simply
"Am l TOO late?" he asked.
"No-dinner will be ready in five
minutes, and"
"Dinner" interrupted the minister
placing his hat on small table
"Rose Clemens, there is an important
question that must be settled before
either one of us eats today"
"Yes?" trembled Rose.
II told in my sermon just how
went away, a reckless, foolish young
man, but 1 did not tell them, of course
that it was the contempt Of the only
girl l had ever loved that sent me
away! l went to the city and got 9
real job, and when my people came