LITERATURE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7810, 1 May 1905, Page 4

LITERATURE.

— —» -—- A TRANSPLANTED ROSE. After her father's sudden death, ! ■ Fate threw. OoroHa Burton in the < .way of Via Douglas, a wealthy Am- i erican lady, who wished to engage an English governess to take back ( with her., j Coraila was* a graceful, lovely girl, 1 only eighteen years of agC| and a i blue-eyed, sunny-tempered creature. f She had been thoroughly well-edu- ! cated, and was too high-spirited to i remain dependent upon her relations, ] so she Ipoked natuwlly for a situa- I Uqrjuj. governess. 1 " Mamma, mamma," cried little ' Gilbert Douglas and his sister Min- ' nie, with their arms clasped round , . CoroMa's neck, "please do engage ,' • .Hiss Burton—please do ! " i Mrs Douglas' mother instinct urg- ( ' ed her to engage Corolla, if possible, , seeing the children were so fond of : .her. • I " But, my dear girl, how can I part with you ?" lamented Mrs Burton. " You are all I have in th» would ! -' " 1 know it,, mamma," said Corolla cheerfully, and stroking the silvery hair wtaie aho spoke; "and I am going away to earn, money for you. , Mrs Douglas is rich, and will give me a largo salary. By-and-ove you ■ - - shall cross over to" America and live I with ma.'' ' Mrs Burton had a quiet Interview i .with, Mrs Douglas, and grew more reconciled. .Ihe lady seemed very , kind, and Coaollja would be happy ! with •the children. America is not so far away "in these days, arid if any- . _ thing happened unexpectedly, Corol- , la could easily return to England. They had a pleasant passage, and, I later on, were, comfortab.y settled in tha handsome home of Mrs Douglas . woo, finding Gilbert Lysle, her bache- ' lor brother of thirty-five, still un- . . married, invited Miss Carew, a se- I cond coaßiu of theirs, to spend some weeks with her, for the express purpose th»j together, . Miss Carew" was a handsome, sty- I lish woman, of. tweaty-six, fond of , , dress and Society, ' and not at all I averse to Tie brought within the > sphere of her wealthy cousin. Mrs Dauglas' werdlywisdon prompted nor to keep Corolla oat of ine way as much as ;JoWi!)!.j. " There _ ia ao accounting' for men's .she tekt Miss Carew confidentially.' That lady was arranging some Huuc rosebuds with the soft white Jaw at her throat. Her ripa, lovely , lips curled in scorn at the idea of | the unformedggirti t without a particle I of style, or" Knowledge of Society, i becoming her rival. But neither of the conspirators counted upon the ex- I .Ireme wilfulness of matt. i I?y«rte suspected his sister's designs With, masculine contrariety he made a point forthwith of seeking, the society of the govewess. He Joined ' her in her walks with the children, Making a pretenre of botanising and i •awing her aid; went !nto the I schoolroom to hear them at lessons- , " volunteered to read Tennyson to her, •nd was soon over head-and-ears in | love. She was so innocent and na,- I tural, so charming in her wil<Woso i loveliness, in such direct contrast tcj j the woman how had so long angled I for Aim, that he was enchanted;, | .. .J*fe. f a 5P w , *■■» supe* and dis- ' Douglas) was exaspera,-. tad. Thuf was the cloud" that had I appeared dimly above her horizon | when she engaged Corolla. She ac- I eased her now of artfully enveigling i her toother, and of teaching the i children to caU •■' Uncle Gilbert" into the nursery. At this, Corolla's British Hood was mused. She resented the injustice with a good deal of spirit. Then Mrs Douglas threat? eoed to pack her off home to her mother, m disgrace. Corolla rose equal'to this also, and signified her .wilmgness to leave. Mrs Douglas over-reached herself, lor Gilbert brought matters sudden- i ly to a climax, by asking Corolla to marry hfm. She was surprised. She had not dared to helieva that such a handsome, aristocratic-looking gentleman could care for her in that .way. She had looked upon his attentions as merely friendly ones, and ■ **£ taken herself sharply to task i ' when she had found herself growing I .. fapd of himi Her face was dyed , ' jrith blushes at the unexpected question. She did not find an answer I Readily, I ■■■*• fthat do you say, little one ? W«l the English wild-rose bloom be•Me my hearth, keeping all its i sweetness for me ? Do you love me ■- - Corolla ? " ~ *| It would have been useless for her i tongue to -deny what her fair, blush- j iag, happy face revealed so eloquently. He look her in his arms, and pressed his first kiss upon her lips. Tbay were married very quietly, and went on a short honeymoon ' trip.'and GUbert installed his wife nristms of his well-appointed home, •boat a mile from his sister's. At she first, she had written a glowing letter to htr mother, inclosing 'his photograph. Before long she fallowed it' by another. " By-andj "" hye you are to come out and live with us." she wrote. " I spoke of it to Kim dae day when I could gather I Courage, and he said he should be pleased, if it would add to my hap- ■ piness." Tbs "first six months ef their mar- J ried life were very happy ones. They went but'little into Society. Mrs Douglas refused to countenance her hrolher's wife/and people looked up- . on the marriage as a sort of mesalliance. Lysle cared but little. He tha* reached the" age when the de- ' lights or- Seciety-grew stale. Corolla was only too happy to remain in retirement. Lysle had short office baars in Ms place of business. These ] •ver, be hastened home to Corolla, caring only tor her-wifely welcome and sweet, shy kisses. I After awhile, Mrs Douglas began to unbend a little, calling occasionally upon Corolla, and inviting her 1 to spend the day with her. Jliss Carew,. being, a relative, joined her, and Before 'long, came—on Gilbert's i invitat&en— for a 'three week's visit, ; . seconded perforce by Corolla, who , shrank from her, she knew not why. « Miss Carew was delighted. She .had never forgiven, Gilbert for slight- t ing her. He woidd now have a t chance to institute comparisons be- 1 tween Corolla's und her own beauty. » Corolla could not" understand it,, g fcnt somehow Miss Carew seemed to » il/aw her husband away from her. I -;J3h» monoppAisea'him in the evenings S - completely. She CosW talk well and g ;,brightly on subjects of which Corol- h jla. knew vecy little. a Sbo fcH/unca'sy about, this: then t -took herself {o task. She must ' not -, faxpeet to engross att his attention, ? • «* she had done hitherto. He ' must *l»T« her, else why had he,married f . Ijer ? BteWes. Mj'ss Ctfrew was his -cousin. P

as*

fiC t P*# evening, while she was out in k - U» garden alone, Mrs Douglas called g Corolla ha'd left Mass Carew and her F. ■ . «»»*<UWi to the drawing-room. She #' *?* aroused from, her sad reverie bv | .lie votea Of Mrs Douglas.

Bert is Wring of bread-and-niilk diet. Men do such Miotic things for a mere fancy. U his wife hopes to retain her hold upon him, she must make him Jeal proud of her. Merc sentiment is short-lived." " 1 wash I had my chance back again," Miss Carew said, in a lew,, resolute voice. " I would .bring him lo my feet." Corolla, hidden from their view by sonio foliage, felt the 'blood forsuke iwr cheeks, and her limbs grew suddenly weak. What if their words were true! Gilbert was changed ce--bainly. She had never before suspected that Mass Carew wanted to marry him. The thought made her heart-sick. "He must have preferred n;e, or he would not have asked me to marry him," she thought. But why were his attentions declining ? Was he really growing tired of her. ? » * » * Coro'fla stood by her open chamber window in the warm glow of the August sunset. She was not happy. A reserve was creeping in between her and her husband. She heard volets below somewhere. By-and-bye her husband and Miss Garew walked slowly along a shaded iiath. They stopped and sat down upon a rustic bench, apparently engrossed in cenvei«at|ion. While Corolla watched them jealously, he threw his arm over her shoulder ; then bent his head, and kissed her. j Corolla drew back with a sudden revulsion of feeling. Her sadness changed into hatred of Miss Carew, and anger against her husband. A sense of isolation came over her—of being alone in a strange country, with even her own husband untrue to her. She dropped down on a lowseat, and Covered hor face with her hands. A longing for England and mother swept over her. '■" No love like mother-love," she thought, the trite remark coining home to her as it had never done before.

A servant tapped at the door, and gave her a letter, which had just arrived, The letter read : " Mjp health is failing rapidly. In Si few weeks, at most, I believe 1 shall be at rest, I long to see you. Corolla. *I cannot die in peace, without one more look at jour faqe. You are all I have on earth, dear child ! Cannot you come to me for a few weeks, that yours may be the last face I look upon before I go to meet your father ? "

I In this strain the tetter ran on, [sometimes almost illegibly, as if the fingers were too weak to guide the pen. |. Corolla dropped the letter in her lap wearily. TRere was a duß, aching pain at her heart!. This, then, was the end of her bright dreams the future, llee mother had lig;wed in all of them ; how sho was ito die. Corolla shuddered at the thought. In her first longing for sympathy her heart turned to her husband. But, no ; her confidence I had been shaken. He could not be her resting-place. She was utterly miserable. " Motiier—mother ! " she sobbed. " I wish I could die with you ! " While she sat there he* husband ntered.

I •' What is the matter, my child ?" Ve asked, in a tone of oonccrn, sitting down besido her, and looking into her tear-stained face.

I "■' Mother is very ill—l fear dying, and wants me to go to her," she J said, in a voice that sounded cold and calm, as sho passed tho letter to him.

I "My poor child ! " he said, when he had read it, drawing her within ,bar arms', and caressing the flushed check, I She shrank from his touch. The I words of Mrs Douglas and Miss Carew—the scene she had witnessed that were rankliag in her mind. I "Do you feel that you must go?" he aslvcft. | " Yes, yes. If I, did not I should never have a happy moment. Poor, dear mamma ! It was so hard for her to part with me, and now " I "1£ you think it will be a comfort to both of you, I should a;d|vise you to go," he said. " I o niy ,wish my business would permit mo to accompany you." She looked up iquickly. , " And are you quite sure it would hot ? " she questioned.

'•' It is simply impossible at present," toe returned ? " but I think I can arrange things so that you will not be unprotected." "He would rather stay where he can be near Miss Oarew," she , thought bitterly, drawing herself away from his sheltering, arm. " The British Queen sails for Liverpool on Thursday," he remarked. jafter a few moments of thought. "1 am acquainted with the captain. He is a capital fellow, I can give you into his care."

I •Is it Captain Lester, of whom I Have heard you speak ? " she asked listlessly..

I " Yes. Do you really want to go so Soon ? Shall you be able to complete your preparations ? This is |J\jesday, remember." » J ■" I shall not need much preparation," she said ; and s 0 it was arirangea.

j She folt hearb-sore because he did |Hot take her ia his arms and protest that he could not part with' her for so long a time. | " One short month Be would have ,said so," she thought. I She made her preparations with a heart. She "had the reticent pride that would not allow her to mention her donbts to her husband. • » . .

The British Queen was within fifteen minutes of sailing. Gilbert had introduced Corolla to the captain, and had left a handsome fee in the hands of the good-natured stewardess in her behalf. They were together now in her state-room for the last good-bye. A great wave of tenderness swept over her in these last few moments. She clasped her arm» abou* his neck tightly. It seemed to her like farewell for ever. He, perceiving how acrvous she was, without guessing the prime cause, tried to maintain a cheerful demeanour. His manner made her still more unhappy. "If he loves me, I why does he not express more regret at parting froia me ? " she thought. I Lysle wae not by nature demonstrative. Love's first ardour had surprised him into a lover's ton-demess; now he was the careful husband, more anxious for her comfort than to overburden her with raresscs. J " Good-bye, dear child," he said ] at parting, vlt will not be long j until we meet again. Keep up your courage ! " and. so ITiey parted. " I hope you are not allowing home-sickness to attack" you, Mrs Lysle ? " said Captain Lester oik' day. She looked at him with a smile that he could, see was a little forced.

" I believe it Has, and is drawing me in opposite directions at once."

"Ah, you are divided between Bngland and America, I see. One holds the mother—the other the husband. 1 suppose it is rather hard to jterroine which has the stronger .claim. Well, we are having a quick passage. Don't be melancholy. In u few days you will have a sight of I 1 merry England if all goes well." * * * # (To bo continued.)