The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-06-07

III do not steal it for myself!" said |.
"To whom will you give that little
rose?" she asked.
"To the prettiest girl in Cransac."
"Well, sir, that | will permit. But
do youknow the girls of Cransac already?
You have been here scarcely an hour"
81 only know the prettiest one"
"Nou make me very curious, sir; pray
let me go with you"
81 pray you now, stand still Just Il
moment!" | replied, and quick ly stuck
the rose in the riband which confined
her rich brown locks.
"Gou are mistaken youare mistaken! I!
My sister Fanchon is the prettieSt of
ALL"
GLOW can you contradict me, lovely
Annette? Are you to be the judge in
your own case? If insist that | hold
you to be the prettiest of the pretty in
Cransac, what have you to say to that p"
Nothing, but that you convince
me that the maiden who is nearest to
you is always the prettiest in your
eyes"
So we prattled on. She kept the rose.
She led me round among all her flower
treasures. We were soon very well ac-
quainted, and before the day was over,
was well established in the family
Frau Albrct, the mother of the six girls,
was an amiable woman, talkative, full
of spirits like the rest. Only the surly
Ormy kept to his humour amidst all our
jests and laughter.
My one day at Cransacgrew into eight
days. Every evening 1 packed up for
the following morning, and every morn
ing, | unpacked. Fanchon kept her
word honestly, and, and teased me even
more than the philosopher, whoremain-
ed insensible to all her tricks. Never
was | teased so sweetly, so painfully.
How could | look unmoved upon the
lovely tender, airy Sylphid playing her
antics around me? l felt how danger
Gus she was to my repose, but | armed
myself in vain. She herself, scarcely
entered into hersiXteenth year, dreamed
of no peril. She played with Loves
arrows, without dreaming ofthcir sharp
ness. TO all the magic of maiden love-
liness she added the simplicity of a
child. If one said any thing to her
particularly tender, she turned it instant
ly into Il jest.
! sometimes thought that some feel
ing for me was stirring in her heart,
when she sat silent, when her look
seemed to rest on me with pleasure, and
an indetinable, intelligent smile lighten-
ed her eyes and seemed to wish to say {:
understand me, Incredulous !" But
mo. 1t was only her good nature,
Il certain warm-heartedness which,
| through her ignorance of the
world, finely accorded with the
generosity of her mind. She remained
ever the same, and evidently felt for
me no more than she felt for all to
whom she wished well. Coquetish she
was not and had no need to be. For she
pleased and won all hearts, and knew
that she pleased. This did not make
her vain, but only inspired her with
that thankful friendliness towards all
the world, which children show, with
whom every one loves to play. And
the womanly tenderness, the maidenly
nobleness which is always found in
union with innocence, gave even to her
roguery dignity which permitted none
to forget that he could not infringe the
bounds of delicacy without for ever for
fciting her esteem.
1t sometimes seemed rs if the young
misanthrope, Ormy, had greater intlu-
ence over her than any other. 1t mus
be confessed he was man whose eXteri-
or was very pleasing. Even his moody
humour had something attractive in it..
While nothing went right with him, his
bearing towards all was strictly correct.
And although he was ascontinually grumb-
ling, he was thoroughly good-hearted.
Once | entered the parlour when Fam
chon, while he sat with folded arms, and
did not even look at her, was parting
the hair from his forehead and preten-
ding to smooth the wrinkles out of his
brow. Iconfess, the sight ofthis intimacy
awakened my jealousy. But she was sc
little serious that, although her parents
came in at the same moment with me
she did not alter her position in the
least, but went on with the jest, until
we all had tolaugh. When mention wa
made of his going, she gave him her adj
Il ~ nj NvitNr A.( IN " sDil
she, "with Mr.. Captain to Spain. There
is the true paradise of man-haters. They
kill one another there whenever the!
meet and there, Mr.. Won Ormy, yol
will be certain to get clear of folks il
one way or another"
Her sister Annette had the same i'm
perturbable joyousness, the same viva
city and grace, only she was more of
child. Consequently there was NOR
= earnestness in her than in FanchOn
There was a wOndrOus elevation in thi
: innocence. Her features We're more re
, gular. One might say that she was NOR
: beautiful than Fanchon; but it wa
| impossible to determine which was tn
mostlovely.
1t delighted me to observe the di
ferences and peculiarities in these tw
fair creatures. Annette took more
me. The surly mood of Herr Won Orm
| did not please her, at goes again
= me-" said she; 81 love the sky, bll
and clear" With childish confiden'
she communicated to me all her lit''
.......- ....LL -. nL,.ino In MhAteNl