Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1846-05-07

ure the regulator of the taste but the
remembrance Of the absent idol halloweC
this rose-bush, and her devotion to it in.
creased, until there mingled with it 6
peep tinge ofsuperstition. She shielded
it from even sun and rain until it began
| to droop; and then she feared her sweet
cousin was in trouble, and wrote letter
OF inquiry; but Lillian was in usual health
and even more than usual spirits. The
gentle, simple, spiritually lovely girl
who had traVersed the green wood, and
been delighted with the song of the rob
in and bob-o-link, now told of the exhiI-
aratIng pleasures of the city, and seemed
to love them. Rachel wept and wonder
ed if Lily would be ashamed of the old
farmhouse, and her country cousins;
when summer came again; and then she
blamed her heart for its selfshneas and
dlstrust; and was vexed to find that she
could be grieved at nything which made
Lily happy.
As winter approached, Rachel's treat
ment of the rose-bush was more Judi
cious, and tgradually improved, until, to
the delight Of the whole family, tiny
bud pressed Out from the midst of the
green leaves. o! how watchfully did
Rachel guard that bud ArthuI's eyes
glistened with satisfaction as he locked
upon it; and even old Carlo, the house
dog, seemed to understand it was some.
thing quite too precious for dog to ap.
preciate.
AS the holidays drew near, old farmer
Blair began to make preparations for bring
ing home the favorite. His sleigh was new
ly painted; a string of bells and new buff
talo robe were purchased, and his good lady
had duly prepared the double yarn mittens
and the muflers, before any one had dream
ed of the possibility of a disappointment.-
Then came letter saying that Lillian was
ill-il was only slight cold taken at an
evening party, but it would probably detain
her till after Christmas. A cloud, during
thatday and the ensuing one, rested on every
thing al the farmhouse, and at evening an
other letter came. Lillian was no better;
indeed, she might be worse. She was fe-
yeriSh, and seemed quite unlike her usual
self; and poor Mrs. Brayton scarce krew
what to do with her. for she begged contin-
ually to be taken to her dear old uncle and
cousins. The old man shed tears; Che had
not wept when Lilian's mother died, al
though she was his own siser,) and the
good dame was sure they ought to go to the
child, for better or more loving one never
trod the earth. Bring her back! be sure
you bring her back with you," said Rachel,
as she saw her parents seated in the sleigh,
on the Christmas morning that had long
been the subject of bright anticipations.-
Tell Aunt Brayton we will nurse her-oh,
so carefully! And l am sure she will get
we'll again"
The old people had been gone almost
week, and it was now the last evening of the
year. Sadly did Rachel turn from the win
Voice, as She feP3lqqeaai u higfpneRs was her
aging words
"No, no, Arthur; they will not come to
night! Poor Lily"
90, what anxious hearts sought rest in
the farmhouse that night! Early in the
morning Arthur was astir; for who could
sleep when the fate of a loved one was so I'M
certain? Arthur built fire and kindled it
into a blaze; swept the hearth-stone, and
shoveled away the snow that had during the
night drifted in before the door; and then
he went to look at the bud they had watched
so carefully and see if it had opened. The
leaves looked stiff and half-transparent, with
a delicate tracery of white along their edges
and the poor boy claSped his hands together
in silent CONSERVATION, while the tears gush-
ed from his eyes and rolled unheeded down
his brown cheek. In moment he waSj join
ed by Rachel; but she looked on the ruined
treasure calmly, and only sighed, "Poor Lii
ly !" as she had done the evening previous.
Cold wafer was the only remedy that Arthur
could devise; bnt it was useless. The 1ro-
zen bud soon dropped, and they knew that
the expected flower had persisted.
With the blighted rosebud had passed
all RachaePs anxiety. She was very sad,
but no longer restless for, as / have before
said, her devotion to the flower was tinged
with superstition, and she imagined it close
ly linked with her Cousins destiny said
mag med, and l suppose it is what the world
would say; but know not why the gentle
and pure in spirit, and the beautiful in per-
son, may not have their types in birds and
flowers, and the other frail things to which
they seem so closely allied.
Rachel Blair laid the blighted bud away,
and told her brother Arthur that she was
sure their sweet cousin had gone TO heaven
to ioin her sister angels. And so she had.
When she was brought back to them, her
hands were crossed upon her breast within
the coffin; and sorrowfnlly they laid her
down. in the humble church-yard, among the
flowers she loved so well while living.
The blighted bud has grown hard and
dry; but Rachel stills preserves it among
her most precious treasures; and the bos-
SONS from the parent tree, which still -four
ishes, are thrown on Lilian's grave.
Arthur's Magazine.
RASPBERRY BUSHES,
Raspberry fruit is borne upon new