The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1868-12-25
tsOsU-DrOps.

SnOsU, DrOps.
The winter in Prussia had been unusually
long and severe, and when March came,
the ground was still covered by shroud
of snow and ice. 1t was only about the
middle of the month that the warm sum
beams softened the surface of the ground
The lark sang the sweetest songs she knew,
the children began to tumble their hoops,
and here and there you could see the sprouts
of the hardest plants.
The beams of the warm spring sun en-
tered also the open window Of splendid
room in the castle of count, which was
built high up on q rock, at whose feet lay
a fruitful valley and gardens. A servant
who had lived in the castle number OF
years, was cleaning out the parlor, and was
just busting off the two marble statues
standing near the fire place, when the door
opened little wider than it already was,
and there appeared girl scarcely fourteen
years of age, who was dressed in neat but
plain clothing.
"Good morningw said she, very much
abashed by the splendor Of the apartment,
for she had never seen any thing so grand
before. The woman was disposed to be
naughty and impatient towards one whom
she regarded as an intruder, and she re-
piled, .r0s .-s
"Who gave you permission to come here2"
''No one came to the front door," modest
ly answered the girl "and as it stood slight
ly open, took the liberty to come in, es-
pecially as heard some one say: walk in
walk in =" aYou foolish thing! N said the
woman, "that was only the parrot. Not q
! single person in the house tpla You to come
in" The girl was very much astonished at
this, for though she had seen large bird
with green feathers she had not the slight
her. ~ ~ -
"What Is your business here any how ~
asked the woman. "The servants room is
below; you had better go and see the house
keeper, if you have any request to make"
The girl looked quite surprised at this
harsh treatment, and said, "Iwould like to
see the countess, if she would be so kind
as to let me see her"
"You foolish thing! Don't you know
she don't get ZIP SO soon in the morning.
Besides, she don't care any thing about see
ing you"
Just then, lady entered the room and
said:
"The countess is up"
Behold, it was the countess herself who
gave her servant soma plain words ofreproo1
for her impudence to the modest country
girl. The countess was very kind to the
child, who soon made known her request
She had brought from the country lit
tie basket of beautiful snow-drops, the very
first of the season. She asked the countess
if she would have the kindness to see that
the King of Prussia should receive that lit
tie basket.
The kind lady was very much pleased
to see the plain peasant girl have SO much
respect and love for the ruler OF her country,
and promised her that the flowers should
be placed at once in the hands of the King
himself, for her own brother was his cham
berlain.
"But where did you get these snow-dropt
so soon ~
The girl replied, "There sonly one place
in the whole forest where they grow so soon
and cannot tell why it is they bloom two
weeks sooner in that particular place thar
elswhere. But such is the fact, for have
gathered them fortnight EARLIER there thar
anywhere else for three springs in sue
cession. Strange to say, nobody appear
to know it, for am always the first to gath
or them"
"But why do you send them to the King2'
II send them because know he like
them better than any other flower tina
grows. My brother is student in tn
University of Berlin, and he is acquainte.
with the SON of the Kings gardener, and
have often heard him say that there is n,
flower which the King of Prussia loves O.
,.an 90 thio ~
"Yes, you afe perfectly right" replict
the countess. have seen the King wear
beautiful snow drop in the button -hol
OF his coat, and have heard him say tina
he regards it as the loveliest flower OF
earth. Your request, know, win pleas
him, and it shall be fulfilled But VIII,
shall say sent the flowers 2"
"a subject who prays for her ruler twic
day-Gertrude Alling."
Gertrude then thanked the countess yer,
cordially for promising to see that the bas
ket of snow-drops should be placed in tn
King's hands, and babe her good morning
But the countess would not allow her :,
leave without putting large piece of gols
in her hand, which the peasant girl at frs
declined to accept.
Three months after the beautiful sprin.
morning when this scene occurred, a grea
express wagon stopped before the doc
where the wood-chopper Alling lived
I Gertrude's mother had not the slightest ide
that the great box which the expressmal
was taking out of the wagon was for he
or her husband. But in this she was yer
much mistaken, for not only did the bnsbe
long to her, butalso another larpeollc tina
was still in the wagon. One COX containe,
several pieces oflinen,s 4 number of dresses
two pieces of woofen cloth, and many othe
articles ussfsfi to family. The other DO,
had IN It handsome sewing machine, us
- special present to Gertrude's mother. Tn
lgreat question now was who could hav