United States or India ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !


In front of the window one could see the quaint town, and here and there a picturesque group of dusky natives, enjoying the blistering weather; and far to the right lay the restless ocean, tossing its white mane in the sunshine. Rosannah stood there, in her filmy white raiment, fanning her flushed and heated face, waiting.

"So ho!" exclaimed Aunt Susan, "this explains why you have been a hermit for the past six weeks, Rosannah!" The young couple were on their feet in an instant, abashed, and standing like detected dealers in stolen goods awaiting judge Lynch's doom. "Bless you, my son! I am happy in your happiness. Come to your mother's arms, Alonzo!" "Bless you, Rosannah, for my dear nephew's sake!

"This very night, Rosannah! Oh, let us risk no more delays. Let it be now! this very night, this very moment!" "Oh, you impatient creature! I have nobody here but my good old uncle, a missionary for a generation, and now retired from service nobody but him and his wife. I would so dearly like it if your mother and your Aunt Susan " "Our mother and our Aunt Susan, my Rosannah."

He bent over, and as the last note died away he burst forthwith the exclamation: "Oh, thank Heaven, found at last! Speak to me, Rosannah, dearest! The cruel mystery has been unraveled; it was the villain Burley who mimicked my voice and wounded you with insolent speech!"

All is over between us." Then came a muffled sound of crying. Alonzo hastened to say: "Oh, Rosannah, unsay those words! There is some dreadful mystery here, some hideous mistake. I am utterly earnest and sincere when I say I never said anything about any song. I would not hurt you for the whole world.... Rosannah, dear speak to me, won't you?"

Burley heard that rattling shower of kisses again. "Thank you, my Rosannah! The photograph flatters me, but you must not allow yourself to think of that. Sweetheart?" "Yes, Alonzo." "I am so happy, Rosannah." "Oh, Alonzo, none that have gone before me knew what love was, none that come after me will ever know what happiness is.

It has a fascination that ranks next after billing and cooing. During the next two months many things happened. It had early transpired that Rosannah, poor suffering orphan, had neither returned to her grandmother in Portland, Oregon, nor sent any word to her save a duplicate of the woeful note she had left in the mansion on Telegraph Hill.

"The loveliest hour in the day since it will make you mine." There was a feeble but frantic sound for some little time, as if wool-lipped, disembodied spirits were exchanging kisses; then Rosannah said, "Excuse me just a moment, dear; I have an appointment, and am called to meet it." The young girl sought a large parlor and took her place at a window which looked out upon a beautiful scene.

The heartbreaking conversation went on: "Rosannah, I knew you must be beautiful, but this is dazzling, this is blinding, this is intoxicating!" "Alonzo, it is such happiness to hear you say it. I know it is not true, but I am so grateful to have you think it is, nevertheless! I knew you must have a noble face, but the grace and majesty of the reality beggar the poor creation of my fancy."

They summoned the San Francisco household; but there was no reply. They waited, and continued to wait, upon the voiceless telephone. At length, when it was sunset in San Francisco, and three hours and a half after dark in Eastport, an answer to the oft-repeated cry of "Rosannah!" But, alas, it was Aunt Susan's voice that spake. She said: "I have been out all day; just got in.