Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1857-01-30


gentleman carry off the child in nothing but
his shirt
Meanwhile the traveller slept on. The
whole village seemed to him irradiatcd with
a heavenly light the foliage colorcd with
ircshcr grecn the humble little cottages
smiled to him, and it was for him the birds
were singing their enchanting song; the air
seemed filled with glowing life and balmy
odors.
Rcycllng in this now feeling Of happiness,
he bad turned his attention from the child
His eyes were fixed upon the distance, and
his glance tried TO penetrate the trees which
limited the prospect at the other end Of Che
village. Suddenly the child pulled his hand,
and cried with loud voice
"rherc down there, comes blind Rosa
with our Tionyw
An old blind woman rispas be seen, led by
a little girl of five. entering the broad street
of the village from behind little house.
/ Instead Of responding to the child's eager
ness and haste the traveller stood still, and
looked earnestly and sadly at the poor blind
woman as she slowly approached. And was
this then, his Rosa ;-the beautiful, the love
ly maiden, whose image, so fresh and young,
was yet deeply cngraven on his heart
In u moment these thoughts vanished, and
he hastenod on to meet his friend. When he
had approached to within fifty PAGES of her,
ne could restrain his emotion no longer, but,
Rosa, Rosa' burst involuntarily from his
heart. When the voice fell upon the blind
womau's car, she Withdrew her hand from her
guide, and trcmbled as If she had been struck
by paralysis She stretched out her arms
gropingy before hcr, and exclaiming John,
John :" FASTENED towards her long-lost lover
At the same moment, she put one hand in her
bosom.a and tearing a string which hung around
her neck, she held ont golden cross with an
unsteady and trembling hand and SO she fell
into her friends arms Then gently withdraw
ing from his embrace, She took his hand and
exclaimed
"Oh John. die of ioy-but have vowed
a vow to God. Come, come, lead me to the
churchyard.'
John Slaots did not understand what Rosa s
purpose was but feeling, from the tone of
her voice, that an earnest, perhaps a sacred
work was about to be done, he at once COM
piled with her wish and, without paving any
attention to the villagers, who by this time
surrounded them in great numbers, he led his
blind friend to the churchyard. Here she
turned towards the knechng bench, and with
the words -
"Pray, pray / vowed it to God she for
ced him TO kneel by her side.
, She raised her hands, and for long time
prayed in a low murmurring voice. She then
threw her arms round her friend is neck and
D kissed him but hor strength had now taloe
! her, aud specchless, but smiling, she laid he
; head upon his throbbing breast
o Peorken. meanwhile, danced among the vii
a layers, and as he clapped his hands, KEEP
a shouting as loud as he could
: 1t is Long John ,-Ais Long John =
On beautiful day in the autumn Of 1916
the Diligence rolled as usual over the high
5 way between Antwerp and Turnhout. Sud
denly the driver pulled up, not far from a lone
Y " tavern, and descending from bis box, open
ed the carriage door. Two young traveller
; sprang out upon the road laughing, rejoicing
and swinging about their arms like two bird
u Just escaped from long imprisonment The,
T., looked at the trees and the beautiful blue au
tumnal air with the cheerful, bright expires
II sion of people who have left the crowded city
o and would now fain inhale with their broatl
the whole of broad, laughing nature sud
/ denly the younger of the two turned his fac
'r towards the fields, while his face shonc wit
u poetic enthusiasm
u Listen, h,ten!' he said
10 From behind the fr-clumps there came TIA
sound of distant music. The measure wa
y SO light aud gay that one was compelled
e associate it with the quick beating of dancer
feet.
The younger companion pointed with sllen
SC delight towards the pino-copse, and then eS
! claimed in jocular way
w. Oh hark to the sound Of the fiddle and horn,
ne The dance and the song--1is a festai morn.
th Oh little they rcck Of duH care sorrow;
,o They will laugh for the daythough they weep on ii
'' morrow
n Come come, friend John, your inspiratio
'o is premature. 1t is probably only the ne
bmgomaster whom they are inaugmating.
''No, no. that is no official merriment. 1t
d" us go and see the peasant girls dancing-it
a' so wonderfully pretty"
's9 I'VE shall first drink glass of beer wit
" mine host Joostens, and ask him what is g
-, ing on in the village
'h And defraud ourselves of the pleasure
>, surprise Prose
an Tho travellers entered the tavern, and bot
90 burst into loud laugh the moment they h'
to put their heads into the room.
nm Mine host Joostens stood in front of Il
mo- fireplace, as straight as an arrow, and as st
9 as a log. His long. brown, copious Sunda
,is coat hung around him, reaching to his ieet.-
10 He greeted the guests with a constrain
ou smile, in which appeared a certain porplexit
.cn for he dared not move his head in the least,
,rr his high stiff shirt collar took every opport
nifty Of pinching him behind the ears. VIII
lie, the travellers entered, he called out with il
ro patience, but without the slightest moyeme
A. of his head
81, "Zanno, Zanna, I hear the music Did
saw not tell you that you would be too late y
Zanna came running into the room viii
great basketful of flowers. Oh she was
lie beautiful with her folded lace-cap, her GO
low of pilot-cloth the great golden heart up
md her breast and the dear little earrings i
face was red with JOY and delighted anticil
and ton; it looked like gigantic flower VIII
is just on the point of unfolding its petals
he "a majestic peony opening its cup on
h a beautiful May y-dayi whispered the young
the Meanwhile she had fetched two glasses
the beer, and then hastened out Of the house W
irst her flowers, singing and laughing she we
rms With the greatest impatience mine host n
raw shouted
ith. "Beth, Beth, if you do not come dowr
hild once, ] shall go aione,as true as stand her
ling just at this moment the old clock, VIII