The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-04-15
vI.-THE WATCHING.


When old Lucas came at noon from the garden
of the castle to dinner, he said, who has been play
ing these FRANKS upon me The unknown gar
dener has been at work agan-,he beds are well
trimmed, well smootheJ, and he has began to
plant some with flowers. watched all the NOR
ming, and have again watched in vain. There is
something wrong in the matter; perhaps he works
n, night by starlight
When Floreta, in the evening went with her
bucket to the fountain, it first occurred 10 her that
possibly the young Prince might be the gardener;
for it was from that direction that he had come in
the morning from the garden to her window.
When the Court after sunset, returned from the
festival, Henry found nothing more delightful than
to wander through the castle garden lie came to
the fountain of Garenne there he found FIore,ta's
bonnet lying on the ground. lie took up, press
ed it to his breast and kissed it, lie plucked in the
darkness, the preties, flowers, wherever he found
them; brought from ne castle an clegan, sky blue
ribbon, twisted the Aowe :, A wreath around the
bonnet lie then went TO the gardenr,'. house.
The windows were closed. They were all asleep.
lie hung the hat on The easement.
The next morning, Fore,la, contrary 10 the usual
practice of the family, rose earlier than the sun;
for she had determined to surprise her father, by
discovering the nightly gardener She was also
little curious herself wilhal though tbs indeed is
not trait of young mdies Perhapsr'so there was
another reason, but as she told it &c no one, we
know nothing about it.
When she had very quietly dressed herself and
opened the window, sic saw the int with the sky
blue ribbon, and the lrgo wreatbof flowers. She
then remembered ihs she had lal her hat the eve
ming before lying byhc fountain She smiled first
n, the flowers, theshe ribbon and then a cloud
passed over her brw.
.Ahr sighed sh he has lecn up earlier than I.
lie has been herelrcady.'
Whom she mott by he. she did not say. She
looked again a, e fowersook them otl,and pac-
cd them in a CT Of Sater---roiled up the sky
bluo ribbon, anpul it away with the rest of her
6nery. Then isteppd into the window--(rom
the window on b li,ti bench, and from the little
bench to the ghd. The cottage indeed had Il
door to it, but tas bolteh, and she could not
open it withdrawing noise
She crossed bridge, and stood hesatngly.
u certainly Cd to late. lie works only by star
,iuht. father I And the stars have all dsap-
peared, and sun is about rising. Already the
trees are gldg in the dew. | have come to late
So she thouand determined to return, still went
slowly rory, from the streamlet 10 the garden.
.Du, if lloud be really here! What woul,
he think Of, if should come so early Would
he not thlhat it was on his account, lie shall
M, think He nIight--nu, will go home .brn,
my bucks went 'o' wa'er-'hen he'll not
think Z on MS account 90 she thought, ont
concDo,o return; bu! kept going slowly forward
to The hs
sbobn ieard the bubling of the fountain. sh,
SOM ! Trough the shrubbery, the beds freshl,
laid ! nDrnt the fountain. All! with what {
low Sunrise did she see a spade in the ground
ne of he beds.
lie cinnot be far away since bis things ar,
ere. Ifue he isn't here, or should see him.
ferhapsh he has only gone 10 dig up some flowers
IN order to transplant them here will hide
will watch him." So were Floreita's ,bonrh,s
md she g'dod lightly over the dewy grass behint
atiIl, green grove of elms, through the foliage o
which, unobservcd by all, she could see wha
might happen at the fountain of Garenne
And as she stood there concealed her little hear
heat violently. For as the morning bre eze pov.d
lightly tho the leaves, she thought she saw the
motion OF some one approaching. And III bird
hoped and llnttcred through the lofty elms. she
believed that she heard footstep. Blu, her alarm
was all in vain. For as keen ard aitcn,ively os
she looked around, she saw no one coming.
V1i--THE SURPRISE.
Two hands weio soon lightly placed over her
eyes ana held there; but they were strong hands
not her own The poor child wa, very much