Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-06-12

MY gfanQmOtnef Is aQylnS, salO
the trembling girl in an almost mar
| ticulate voice, "and she has sent me
to beg you to come to her immediate
ly," s7se s =
.aI will only step to my house to
lock up this fruit safely, and will be
with her immediately" f ~
"Oh Rose" cried Agnes, sean you
think of that fruit at such moment
as this? While you are going to your
house and returning she will be dead"
Rose stood irresolute "Can you not
take the fruit with your" continued
Agnes; cit will be quite as safe in
your pocket as if locked up in your
house. Oil do not hesitate, if you
love MEL
Rose hesitated no longer: he wrap
ped the fruit up in some moss, which
he had taken with him for that pur-
pose, and placing it carefully in his
pocket, went with Agnes to the cottage,
determined, ifhe found the old woman
sensible, to implore her to witness his
union with her granddaughter be-
fore her death.
He found the old woman i'll, but
not so much so as he had expected,
and as neighbor was sitting with
her, he could not, of course speak of
love and marriage. The King was
expected to arrive that evening, and
as it was probable that he would send
for the pineapple Immediately, it was
necessary that Rose should be at his
post. He accordingly bade adieu to
the invalid, promising to return soon,
and hoping that, when he did so, it
would be to claim Agnes as his bride.
The old woman slcpt in an inner
room; and, as Agnes lighted her lover
through the outer apartment, he did
not resist pressing her hand. and
whispering a few words expressive of
his feelings; but no answering look of
love beamed from Agnes face; she
was pale as death; her eyes looked
sunk, and her lips trembled. She
could not speak, but she returned the
pressure Of his hand with q fervor
which seemed unnatural in young
and timid girl. Rose looked at her
but she turned away her head, though
not before he saw that her face wore
an expression of horror, almost of
despair, which terrified him; but, be-
fore he could speak, she hastily bade
him good night, and returned to her
grand-mothers room.
Rose walked home, musing on what
had passed, without being able to
guess at any explanation of Agnes's
conduct. farfa
As he went musing along he was
aroused by noise Of carriages and
horses, and he saw passing along the
high road past the end of the lane the
equipages Of tho King and his cortiers
with the fiambeaux OF tho outriders
shining through the darkness, and
all the noise and hustle which usually
attends the movements of q court
He started up at the sound, and, has
tily recalled to sense Of his duty, he
entered private lane which led from
the road to his own house. W
Gloomily, and without any of those
proud feelings Of satisfaction that he
had fell only few hours before, he
prepared the ornamental basket In
which the pineapple was to be pre-.
sented to tho King; and when oil was
ready, he put his hand in his pocket
TO take out the fruit; but what was
his CONSERVATION when he found that
II was not therel lie felt in oil his
pockets, emptied them, and shook his
clothes; but in vain-the pineapple
was gonc. Ho hurried back to ths
lane, and searched wildly, but with
out success. lie was almost mad; th,
thought Of the shame and disgrace ht
must undergo-the loss Of position
on which he prided himself---the In
sulting laugh Of the courtiers, therid
icule of the King--all rushed upon hi
mind, and, in n tumult Of passions toc
fierce to be described, he seized hi
knife, and was Just on the point o
putting an end To his misery and :,
his intolerablo sense of shame, by des
troying himself, when Agnes rushed
up tho lane, and foil exhausted ut hi
feet, Her face was palc, her hair dis
hevolled, and sho was painting fol
breath; but she held n parcel In no,
hand, which Rose instantly recogni
zod. Hsn.
BLESSINGS, blessings on you." erie,
he, ''you have found 10; you have 80
we'd mo from despair y
Agness heart beat violently, y,
violently that she could not speak
but when her lover continued blessing
her and thanking her, with an efior
that seemed 10 be her Inst, she ex
claimed, "Don't praise me; can
bear i'll Istole II from youl" and sh,
fell sonseless on the ground.
With difficulty Rose raised her, AM
carried her and his recovered priz,
into his dwelling, Tho motion reyl
we'd Agnes, and, falling on her knee
before him, she confessed that on th
! preceding evening, as she was return
ing from fetching water from sprin,
q man had met her and offered her
. large sum Of money IL she could 20
this pineapple; that the man had as
! sured her is loss would not injur
Rose; on tho contrary, that tho sun
Of money she would receive would b
: of tho greatest service to him. Her
4 her voice filered, and she hurried ol
to tell how the man had persuade'
her TO promise to try 10 get the frui
: for him; he had told her what to sa,
I and when TO 60 to her lover. All ha'
Q succeeded as the man had prophesie
q for, indeed, Rose had never suspects
5 her. But when she had obtained pos
y session Of tho fruit, and when th
I time drew near at which tho man ha
appointed TO come and fetch II, he
: heart revoltcd at what she had don,
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