Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1850-09-10

when the three gathered ssain around the bod.
Bu, Ralph Elliott did not die.
Five times the roses tha, clsmbered over
the gothic arches Of the Elliott mansion hal
covered its walls with bright blossoms, and
laded III, air with sweet Perfums-hv. times
the 'ioletS had PoePcd up from the .srh aud
looked timidly down into the miuOr of the
spring, while making their new year toilet,
since the time that Ralph rose up from his
bed of sickness.
The rose, acre still blossoming on the
wall, and the violeis dropping by III. spring
and the soft, warm air va, full Of dreamy
murmurs and qui,e-i., ,hsde~s from the old
elm trees, whose new, green leaves were
waving IN the glow Of sunset, =, Nellie
passed down through the mossy walk, Of the
garden, to her fa'orlic sea, b~neaih the tree
that bent over the spring. Her pretty hand
vas busy n she passed along, pushing aside
III, branches Of the rosc-bushcs that skirted
the path, and gathering all the fresh buds
that had nestled In the shade with dew IN
their bn,oms By the time she had reached
tbs tree her lap was foil and sitting down
on the grass, she commenced twinlnr her r..
grant treasures into glowing wreath Skill
fully her tiny fingers wrought them together,
and beautiful smile dccpcncd on her erin.
son cheek As she completed hor fairy task
were the rus-s aud the vole,s and the trees
any less brirh, ,ha, year than they had been
five years before Certainly not, Neither
vas Nellie, darling liule Nellie, any more
faded, any less bnght--she vas only an hun.
dred times more bcauiiiul-she was more wo-
panly--hcr trcsscs were darker, her eyes
deeper, her brow more holy. her smile more
cluqucnt and her voice more thrilling. Ralph
had been gone all this ilmc-he was Ear rawsy
IN ano,hcrcime, winning f,mc by his passion
a,c muse. md weaving = wreath of laurel
over the lshr, OF the passion flowers tha, had
burnt upon his Young brow And To Nellie
It had hccu lett To comfort and bless, with her
bright presence, the lonely heart " Ralph's
moihcr-ihl, gentle woman who had taken
the iriruilrs. orphan under her roof, nnd
given Ter a name, aud home and kndEcss
Wha, Il Nellie was sometimes sad, and wep,
over the darkness # an unrctumcd Affection ?
Her heart was naturally all sunshine, and III,
tear, of her sorrow sparked like gems ~ the
light of her splu,-it vas enough Tor her To
br pur" aud isithhl. and keep the iowcls uf
her soul bright aud beautiful, Il hlm she
loved should ever loarn their -prih and seek
for them.
They vc-, expecting Ralph home that
very evening and no wonder the crimson on
Ncllic's cheek Oas 80 deep, a. she placed the
wreath upon her trcsscs, and beat over the
hulc spring ,u mark the ciTvc, On, II was
bcautfl-,hO,c cool, green leaves kissing
hrr iair forehead, and those bright buds nest.
/ ling among her curls--lud all dropping ~
prcrily on one side oi her lovely head
Nellie"
The Young flrl .pang To her ieet. Cous-
10 Ralph was before hsr--no, the bright
beautiful, darling boy of DAYS gone by--but
4 pale, intellectual, and exceeding handsome
man, with proud glorious owes, manly form,
and calm, polished dcmcanor Nellie iorgo,
tn speak, OF even 10 extend her lule hand n
wclcomc and Ralph, too, Was silent TOT a
moment, but h,s deep eyes were on her face
making the eloquent color noun, to her
check, and the quNcr oi her long, dropping
l4shcs.
You know We are cou'ins, don't YOU,
NcllIel" he said, putting hIs 'uns round her
and drawing her to hls bosom.
The Young girl looked up to answer him,
and me, his warm lips qui'ering on her fore
head
~ nave though, Of YOU, dear Nellie" he
said, ." for the last two year. tha, have been
gone have read your sweet leltcrs-lha'c
pictured your luycliness-and have come
home to tell you how we'll ! have learned to
lows you You know al about my past folly
tell me, then, II YOU have 10, forgotten me
it you love mc even as well as YOU did
once What will YOU no, say word, Mel
'l,e'-look up, then, and lie, me read yonr
eyes"
Those eyes were brln,iul OF tloaucn' tears
when she raised them up and Ralph Vas a
poe, and knew what they meant. So he
pressed her closer TO his bosom, and thrilled
her ear with whispered blessings and low
words Of tenderness ,ill The tear, were dried
nm he, ,I,,vinu cheek