The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-06-30
BLOOMSBURY, SATURDAY, JUNE 80 1866

"Prettier in Summer," / said, "and
prettiest of. all in Autumn, when the
leaves are burned gold and scarlet"
al like Spring best, i" she said; "every-
thing is new and fresh, and just begun.
In Autumn everything is nearly over
and that is sad"
81 don't mind it," said !" haven't
a gay disposition, | suppose" ] said.
But look here-if you like fresh young
things III show you something's" and l
took her to where, behind u fallen log,
the first Spring violets always grew.
There were dozen there now, and she
went down on her knees to smell them.
She would only pick one, though; it
seemed wrong, she said.
That one, after we had walked for an
hour or so, somehow dropped out of her
hair. She did not know it, but / did /;
and when she had gone home | went
back and found it lying on the path and
put it in my bosom. 1t was so sweet
and fresh and beautiful that / could but
think it was like her. liked to think
so. Oh, what Il day that was for me-!
What night when dreamed it over !!
Next day was the Sabbath, and l did
what I'd never done before. After
was dressed, and angry with myself for
not looking handSOmcr all the while
stood before the glass, / went over to
Mrs. MunsOn's and asked for Miss May.
She came down in muslin dress and
a pretty bonnet with pale blue ribbons !;
and | remember stammcring out some
thing about thinking she might like to
go to church and would like to know
the way. That was all nonsense, of
course, for there was the stccplc in full
sight, but it gave me what / wanted,
leave to be with her again.
Pm afraid | couldn't have remember
ed the text to save my life, and that the
sermon was thrown away on me. But
| was very happy-happicr than | had
ever been before; for this sweet young
thing seemed to like me, was frank and
pleasant with me, and found, was so
: glad to think, Il sort Of protection that
she liked in my great arm where her
hand rested, going home over the fields,
like falling snowflake. 1t almost
seemed to me that | must be crazy tC
. believe that she had taken notion tC
: lourof those Sabbaths had passed made
? her walk with me again in BaldWin's
Woods, and sat down beside her on the
hollow log, behind which a great patel
!, of ViOlct5 We're in bloom by that time
and told her how | loved her, and asked
! her to be my wife.
} Only IL month since she came there
} only one month since / drove her ovcl
in the little wagon; but If the answer
had been anything else than what ii was
, | should have prayed to die. 1t may
not be such II mighty matter to Other
: men to have one wOman'S love, but
had no ono else on earth to care for. So
when she said, " Yes" and let me kis.
her, it was only shame that kept m'
from crying outright for joy.
She was mine now, and how proud
} was of her! How glad to know tina
she was so near mcWhcn ! was at work
How happy to sec her 80 trim and nca
: among the other girls, who were mos
of them slOVcnly when they were no
| fine! and how full Of dreams of the fl
= turc.
t She had promised to marry me in th,
Autumn, and after that she should Worl
no more in the factory. | was savin!
to buy little thrcC-rOOmed cottage il
| the village, and to furnish it-humbly
t of course, but so that it should he
t homo for her; and when she was its mis-
+ trcs5 | should not envy any king hi
G palace. Meanwhile we saw as much OF
| each other as we could, both working 5,
: induStriOusly.
+ One week we had boon moro than
t usually busy, for it was near the end oi
June, and we were making tircWork
| for the Fourth of July, and the first
t had seen Of Annie that day l saw in tn
Y great salcsroom where we always gath
X cred to receive our wages. The mon OF
1 one side, the girls on the other, step
1 ping up to the great desk one by one II
= old Griffin, the clerk, called our names
Il | looked across the line Of girl's faces
and saw her smiling at me, but l coul,
/ not get near her. Besides, at the mo
c mpnt, nay name was called --" Hath
g ron"-and | stepped up to the desk
|, Then, for the first time, ! noticed tina
r old Griffin was not there. \ nCphcN
= of Mr. Williams, whose name | lncN
! to be Richard James, was paying tn
hands instead. He was Il handsom
It young fellow, and very gcntlcmanly-
e one of the fair kind. remember think
:, ing as he laid my wages before me tina
t his hair was Just the color of Annic's.
| lie had sort of amateur way witt
z him very different from the business
t. like manner of old Griffin, and when
Is came to the girls he had something
II pleasant to say to each one, instead o
Is the old mans anapping-" SiXpence dc
, Quoted from yours, Jane !" or, "No
d were late three days last week, MAJ
II tina !" What he said to Annie ! don
II know, but she blushCd like Il wild ros
u from brow to chin.
It Walking home together, she uskc
~ me who hc was.
RI "AIr. James," | answered ; "did go
- never see him bcforc?'
lc "No," said Annie. "liow very hano
Il some he is s!-don't you think so?"
It | gavcn grudging " Yes" Icouldn'