Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-07-01

" N. W q.
That is he will come again to ask YOU for me,
and if YOU dash his offer aside, we shall be
ruined, for he will let the foods swamp all the
LANDS; new he's got those big drains full, you
know, he could soon let it overflow all our Carr
land: that is the China tea-set falling down. So
mother, if he should come-though that's quite
impossible, since you've refused to let him come
near us-but If by any strange chance he should
come, you VIII not say nay again, would you,
mOther?''
The good dame was puzzled Lucy was a yerv
Daniel in her Interpretation, and twist her dream
in which way she would she could not read it any
better than Lucy had done, and she was not one
to regard dream lightly, Her only consolation
was that Wilhelm would not know of it and
come. She would keep the doors well fastened
and take care to send every one home By eleven
on Lucy's birthday, so that they might all be in
Dutchman could not fulfill his dream. To fv in
the face of 1t never occurred to the simple
woman: but there, of course, he would not
come; how was il likely?
Lucy said no more; she sang as light
heartedly as ever over her work. The day before
her birthday was market-day, Lucy coaxed
her mother to let her 60 this one 70 buy some
ribbons for her adornment to- morrow, and to
meet some distant neighbors whom she could
not ask otherwise TO the frolic. Lucy had been
10 good that her mother consented on solemn
if she saw him. She promised readily and they
set off.
For several hours Lucy stood by her mother, or
chattedwith her friends apparently gaily enough.
handsome bronZed face, and her heart ached
with fear lest she should not see il.
At last, in the afternoon, just before the mar
k6t people we're beginning to pack up, Wilhelm
Van der ROost strUlled through the place, his
head down, his eyes fixed on the ground; he did
not look about him 50 much now, you see. Lucy
stamped with impatience; if he did not look up
1t was all over with their hopes. She coughed
loudly; he started; their eyes met. A deep flush
stole over his face, and he stood transfixed.
Lucy cautiously glanced towards her mother;
wit a
Lucy gave Wilhelm meaning glance, took aim
and threw an egg at him. The aim was good;
aghast. Could the simple, loving Lucy who had
clung 20 him bathed in tears when last he saw
her, be turning against him now, and making
him openly ridiculous? He stroked his nose; It
was none the worse, no daub OF yellow yolk was
On it. He looked again at Lucy; her fearful,
imploring look, and a finger pointing to the Of
Tending missile gradually revealed TO him the
Communication. He picked 1t up Just after the
heavy heel OF a farmer had trodden it fiat.
There was small piece of paper inside, and
once, twice; and then, after carefully WATCHING
Lucy, that he might catch her eve unseen, he
gave three soief.:iin, quiet mods. Lucy gave a
10y one in return, and smiled happily. They
were only just in time, a second later, and the
good old women's gossip ended.
Wilhelm went home with the precious little
scrap of paper that had cost Lucy some time
Of careful thought and laboriOus writing-for
writer's our farmhouse lasses are now, and
this note had to be both short and clear. 1t ran
thus
eff you love me, come tomorrow night to
our big Darn door at half-past eleven OF the
clock; wait till i come, and mind and bring
your very biggest pipe with you. Do this you
love me; it is our last chance. Nod three times
if you understand this Alright"
The ruse hal succeeded; the three mods were
as good as an oath to Lucy that her lover would
not fail. 1t was such weight of her mind that
all had gone well.
The birthday evening came, and Lucy was in
a fever of expectation and delight, though her
pleasure in her smart clothes, and in the various
viands she had prepared with her own hands,
was rather dashed by the thought that Wilhelm
would not be by TO praise and admire. The tea
was great success; il was a north-country tea
such as we southerners never see- There were
pies by the score, pork, pigeon and beef; there
were fat geese and fowls, both hot and cold;
there were whole loads of buns, cakes and plum
loaves.
When all this food was gradually consumed,
the games and dancing began in the big farm
kitchen. Lucy's eye often wandered to the
clock, and 80 did her mothers. The good lady
had not forgotten her dream, and was firmly re-
solved that by eleven O'Clock the guests must CO.
Lucy be up in her little white bed, far out Of
reach of that dreadful Dutchman, and the China
set securely locked up to prevent its Gathering
down.
"Lhomme propose, Dieu propose" In the
course of the evening rumOr arose that poor
crazy lad was locked up in the church There
had been q funeral that afternoon, and one Billy
Watkins, ga softee, }" was seen gaping and gazing
about the church, and had not turned up since;
as they were passing, some one had been terri,
fed by a sound Of crying coming from the empty
building. Since then Billy had been missed, so
this .'some Dune" put two and two together, and
said he must be in the church.
Now Reuben the sexton was likewise Reuben
the fiddler, and when the young people came to
the old man, and begged him to proceed at once
to the church to let ont the boy, he did not feel
at all inclined to 90. He was 50 costly ensconced
in Farmer Metcalfs chimneycorner and 50 happy
fddling and tipping warm ale, that he readily
Five or six big lads volunteered "for the fun Of
the thing" Lucy let them out under the pre-
tenee Of seeing what sort Of night it was. 1t
was bitterly cold night, and dense raw fog
%hata bad nigh ride, /" thought
Lucy; however, it's good road here from the
mar stte en ana b ne no ISL W. well hsr as half
Mind yourselves, lads, she cried aloud, as
the six youths, noisy with beer and dancing, set
"Never fear, Lucy" answered one of them,
''we II have such a lark! Wen ring the bells in
your honor so
No, no, don't"
"Indeed we will; Just you listen"
Lucy was in hopes it was only joke; it would
be 50 stupid II they did IL, and every one would
wonder what IL meant. The bells never rang
except on Sundays or for some great event, and
the sound might puzzle Wilhelm. But true
enough, some moments later, first chime, then
second fell on the air. and presently 9 noisy
the party In the kitchen. -Four of the lads were
bell-ringers, 30 they knew what they were doing,
and soon a regular swell Of sweet church bells
reused the quiet village and electrified the guests
at Farmer Metcalfe's. Lucy repeated what the
boys had said. People cried-"Ah, boys, will be
boys" and went on with their fun.
The bells chimed away; eleven o'clock struck;
Mrs. Metcalfe fdgeted. Unfortunately, one OF
the lads was her own Jack, 30 that at the first
hint Of breakup every one vociferously put her
down.
"Those lads viii want first good hiding, then
good roasting and toasting after their cold
freak, wife" said the hospitable farmer.
The clocks hands stole along; Lucy slipped
out unperceiyed to the barn-door. 1t was cold
| and dark outside, and Lucy had flung a warm
| shawl over her. The half hour struck. snow
Wilhelm will be here" she thought. But no
sound or sight Of him came. Five minutes more
passed: she grew fdgety; ten, and she grew inn
| patient; fifteen, she grew cold and miserable;
| twenty she burst into tears.
Oh! had he fOrsaken her! Was this sign he
| 10 longer loved her? Why did he not come?
"Oh, Wilhelm, Wilhelm, where are you?'
cried poor Lucy, laying her curly head against
| the barn door, and sobbing aloud.
A quarter TO twelve struck; il would soon be
too late.
And where was Wilhelm all this time? He
had dressed himself with particular care that day
| and had set out early TO the Cars. There he
| found that something had gone wrong with q
drain; 50, instead OF returning as usual at four
O'Clock to the town, he made up his mind to