The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1861-01-09

with an eye to comfort and convent
ence The windows, sheltered and
shaded by the overhanging vines, were
filed With simple baskets of wild flow
ers, arranged by Laurette's own little
tasty fingers, and on a projecting ledge
swung an open basket cage of tanned
birds, already twitteriag. and chirping
in the gray morning twilight.
When the breakfast table, with its
white cloth, its bright brittania dishes,
0he china in the cupboard was only
for grand occasions, argued the old
crone when urged by Laurette to use
it) its fragrant, steaming tea pot, and
the yellow corn-cake, golden within,
and crisp and Drowned without, was
all arranged while stray beam of the
newly risen sun streamed in at one of
the leafy curtained windows, glinting
back from the tiny mirror, sparkling
and glistening on the dewy leaves, the
little room looked quite too pure and
Eden-like for its hard featured occu-
pants.
Just then the out door opened and
vision Of beauty entered. It was
Laurette. Never before had she look
ed so lovely to Rovinean, as then,
when all unconscious of his presence,
she came singing through the
low doorway, Hardly sixteen, and
quite below the medium height, scarce
ly conld fay or fairy boast q lighter
step, more graceful figure, or more
bewitching smile than little Laurette.
Her glossy black hair, wound in one
heavy braid about the upper part of
her head, and crowned with a CO.
quettish bunch of crimson berries, all
glistening with dew, just as the child
had found them as she came singing
through the woods, left quite exposed
the cunning white ear, the pure broad
brow and the arching neck and the
rounded shoulder The close fitting
ba que of green, with the full short
skirt of the same color, showing be-
meath it the tiny foot and ankle, be-
came to perfection the dainty little
figure, posing itself on one foot at the
threshold, mnte with surprise and
pleasure. One hand swung carelesslY'
a basket of plums, gathered from
Greenleaf IS garden, but dropping it
the girl sprang forward, leaving old
Bess to gather the scattered fruit as
best she might, and throwing her arms
around the mans neck, gave utterance
to thousand expressions Of joy.
"Oh I am so glad you have come.
I have needed you so much, dear faith
er Mark. Old Bess has had one of
her queer spells, and | have been al
most afraid to stay with her, some
times, +" she said, stopping at last from.
very want of breath. a9A
"But what takes my little girl out
SO early this morning you hav'nt told
me that yet, LETTER. 1a <
at went down to the farm last
night, and it was so dark they would
not let me come home" ~ +
Did Greenleaf say anything about
expecting me ?" asked Rovineau. Y
I" Greenleaf was away all yesterday
and till late last night, and did not
wait to see any of them this morning,
but his wife asked me if she should
not let little Bell come over here to
stay with.me for company while you
are gone, sol think they are not look
ing for you.n
{" Good |" said the man, eagerly,
II shall have to-day for myself and
you, little birdie. Tomorrow will be
time enough to inform him of my re-
turn" . a4g
"But see, breakfast is ready,p said
Laurette, pointing to the steaming
table. "Come then,n said the man,
putting her off his knee, where he had
been fondling her as if she were still
child, instead of the budding young
beauty we have described. h" And
while do justice to Bessie's corn-cake
you shall tell me how you have spent
the time dnring my ABSENCE
Thus the man who only q few
hours before had talked of plots and
eounterplots; of destiny and deeds of
evil, With all the reckless abandon of
a desperate villain, now enquiries with
interest concerning the pursuits of a
little maiden ofsixteen, examined her
progress in the studies he had marked
QUITO her, and evinced an interest in
her pleasures or perplexities quite I'M
| looked for. ALL Mark Royineau,
wise as you think yourself, cunning
as you seem, and as you are, had any
one asserted in your hearing a dozen
years ago, that the infant of your
deadliest enemy, stolen from the
wealthy home where she might hay e
shined bright star in the galaxy OF
beauty, nurtured by you instead, in
the dark shadow of vast forest, far