American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-08-18

that rested on neck almost rivalhng its white
ness. The mother could not say no to the ca
ger face raised inquringy to hers, and with a
kiss on the dimpled cheek, away sped Lily,
while that kind, matronly face looked after
her through the window, with a shade OF sad
ness at the thought ofparting, blended with the
flush of maternal love and pride.
"Whcre is Lily?" asked lremmingham a
short time after Mrs. Ross mentioned the
wish she had expressed and he started through
the garden TO 90 and meet her. The walk was
Il short one and pleasant, very pleasant to him,
for every spring when he and Lilly were child
rem, they had ram6led there in quest of wild
flowers and Strawberries that grew along the
path. The bright berries were pceplng out
now in great profusion from the clustering
leaves on the knobs; for the little hands at the
house had been SO busy for few days i'll max
ing preparations for the wedding, that they had
been permitted, though sVer-rpe, to remain
undisturbcd on the vines Every thing looked
as beautiful as it had thousand times before,
and perhaps not more So; bu' to the eyes OF the
young lover, skies never smiled SO softly nor
green fields wore so bright hue as on that
day; even the go|d-robn which yearly wOye its
pendant nest or a bough Of the old elm tree ny
the water SIDE, seemed to feel an unusual hap
pness, for he tnlIed out his clear notes so loud
~ that Hugh paused moment to listen.
1t was not strange that Llly wished to see
those beautiful haunts once more, and gather
again some of the blue violets which bloomed
i'll a cool, quiet place, so shaded by tutt oil
tall flags and an over-archng bank, that they
never reared their heads from the bed Of moss,
till long attertheir earlier sisters were faded and
gone. Hugh had twined them in her hair
hinl
was the brighter blue, the laughing eye or the
flower that rested in the curl above it. But
that was years ago when both were children
since that time he had been absent for months
and even when lie met the playmate of his in
fancy had hardly dared to take the cousinly IL
berries offormer days. Now, he would wreathe
a garland of them, Just as he used to do, and
place it in her hair--those modest blossoms
were so like her own meek, gentle heart With
these thoughts when he approached the dell
and found that Lily had already left it, he
stopped down, and hastily picked handful OF
the vlolets, pulling roots and all in his eager
ness to get them; and then started to seek her
in another OF her favortc retreats, pausng yet
a moment, as he Gncicd he heard her call his
name, to look in the willow thicket where she
might have hid herselfwhen she saw him com
! ing. Lilly was not there, and with a smile al
his own fancy in assooating every sight and
sound with her, he turned INTO the oak grove
which had been dear haunt in their childhood
1t was dearer nov; for on an autumn day il
the last year, he had sat with the young girl or
the fallen trunk ola tree, and whispered in he
ear for the first time, the wish that she would
be nearer than cousin 10 him; and Lily had an.
swered with blushing check, what no one bat
Hugh ever heard her lips confess. There was
the old oak with the sunshine dancing through
the leaves; there was the seat, and Il tiny foot
print III the yielding moss below showed that
Lily had been there; there too was Il squirrel,
perhaps the same saucy one That listened to
the tale Of love. Hugh looked at the little
risky thing as it scampercd over the rusltlng
leaves and up the trunk, nor stopped till it had
reached the tarthest branch where it had bent
down with knowing look and seemed to tell
him it was beyond his reach. Then came re-
membranes of the little Lily, who had 50 often
dissuaded him from harnipg the bright-eyed
creatures, though with true schcol-boy taste
he was wishing much to try his hand at shot.
Perhaps these were simple thoughts, but tri-
vialas they were, they came knocking at the
heart o! the young man as he Gctraced his steps
to the house.
"Ask Lily to come into The arbor mo
ment," he said to II little sister of hers whom
he met in the garden; and seating himself there
he commenced brading the vioets with myr-
tie vine, in which tasteful employment he was
surprised by Mrs. Ross, who came with an anx'
ious face to ask if he had not seen Lily She
had already been absent half an an, hour, and
it was hardly five minutes walk to the brook
Hugh was alarmed, but observing that she
might have entered the house unnoticed, &C
companied by her mother lie sought her cham,
Der. The trunks ready packed for the journey
and boxes containing the books and harp wert
placed by the door. There was the little straw
bonnet with its delicate ribbon and brda
wreath; there were the veil and scarf OF silvery
gauze; the white kid gloves and boquet OF
forget me-nots and rosc-buds and by their side
the travelling basket open, displaying its neat
ly arranged contents; but though all about bore
traces of her hand, the fair tenant of the apart
ment was not there. Mrs. Ross was consider
ably agitated, but unwilling to alarm any one
by apprehensons which might be groundless
kept herself calm as possible, and went about
en4uring anxionsly for Lily.
No one had seen her since she passed alone
through the garden gate. Tremmingham
half frantic, mentioned the brook and ththe
accompanied by the whole family, he speedll,
went. They called aloud up and down thu
stream, but the hooking echo was the only re
ply; they searched in the thcket of the silve
willows that frnged the margin, and looked
carefully far down the water. Finally Hug
sprang under the rude bridge, where Lily, b
skipping from rock to rock, had sometimes gon
to reach small sandy island where the scarle
cardinal flowers grew. But all in vain, til
suddenly one of the party saw farther dow
the brook something white drifting around tn
rocks and among the green brake leaves tina
dropped into the water 1t might be foam-o
it might be the white dress of Lily. Swift a
thought, Hugh dashed into the stream and
few moments after appeared in the midst of TIL
anxious group, bearing in his arms slight form
with its mass of snowy drapery clinging abou
him; the straw hat with its blue ribbons fallin!
3 over his shoulder, and the fair, sweet face q
| Lis haautiful ilv resting chilly chilly rs deaf