Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-09-24
Love and Providence.

Love and Providence.
It was about 10 O'Clock in the evening
when drinkers left the Swan" Theo.
dore followed with the rest. aud went down
the silent village. All the little windows
were being closed, and the good housewives
might be heard crying in the darkness as
they closed their shutters Good night,
Orehol good night, Grodel, good nightW
Then all became silent, aud Theodore
was left alone in the dark street gazing.
listening dreaming, whilst the countless
stars twiukled overhead aud the trees rust
led along the roadsidos
How many things does night reveal that
escape the eye and the car by day Ilark
to that distant murmuring look at that cat,
half.seen, darting along there through the
deep shadows. Listen to that bird cbirp-
ing so softly that tho marten on the watch
for it can scarcely hear il.
Theodore loved the night; he went few
PAGES, paused. turned around, and listened
attontiyely. He recollectcd the words Of
the weaver as he eazed up at the sky !:
/" Keep thine heart with all diligence"
But when he had looked once more at
the earth, when he inhaled the sweet odors
Of auiumn--the new.mown hay, the brown
leaves Of the trees-then he thought Of
Gretchen, pretty Gretchen, so blooming and
fair, with her large eyes of liquid blue,
ever lighted with the sweetness Of smiles,
her bright and merry laugh How beau
tiiul she then rose to his thoughts, and how
fast bis heart would beat He could see
her tripping from table to table, her arm
white as ivory, slightly raised, as she
poured the foaming liquor into the large
shining mugs-her dnely-shaped figure, her
two plaits of fair hair hanging down to
the edge Of her short scarlet petticoat, her
teeth shining like white enamel
Gretchen had smiles for every one ex-
cept NJ Theodore; as soon as he entered
she became serious but at the same time
such a tender expression stole over her
large blue eyes that the poor lads heart
overnowed with love- His emotion mas.
tered him, and he murmured uninteligible
words.
Theodore went on dreaming. He could
see also old Reebstock, Gretchen's father,
in his large grey periwig, with his open,
good-natured countenance; then the smoky
tavern, with its low rafters; the clock,
with its porcelain face the lamp hung
from the ceiling, lighting up all the brown
faces Of the drinkers and the vine dressers,
half hidden by their sloucbed hats, and
glittoripg too, on the little pewter mugs in
their huge rough hands
"There is life upon earth" he said to
himself-" life bright and full Of love,
JOY and comfort. Wine, delicious fruits,
sweet odors, and Gretchen-that is what
my life consists Of that is the sum of
earthly bliss to me-"
He trembled with emotion as he thought
Of the girl; he saw her so clearly in his
minds eye that he might have marked
every thread in her dress every bead in her
necklace, every change Of expression in her
rosy, dimped smile
Gretchen was in every object he saw, in
every sound be heard he looked at the
stars, and Gretchen was there; he listened
to the wind, and there he heard the voice
Of Gretchen; he thought Of the peopled
world, and there was Gretchen too. Ever
there-listening to his thoughts and an.
swering them o, Love! Love What
art thou Whence comost thou2
Thus Theodore went on in the starlight,
by the back of the village, skirting the
coppice.wood, following the little paths
edged with palings, aud came out at last On
the new y-mown meadow Here he noticed
the queer, irregularly-buli cottages, with
their outside staircases and worm-eaton ban.
Disters, their poultry-yards, aud their wide
and far-projecting roofs. Dark, mysterious
shadows brooled over all.
After making a long round, he found
himself once more before Rcebstock's 5 house.
He stopped behind the shed under Gretch-
ems window, and said to himself, looking at
the little round aperture at the top of the
shutter
"She is there"
There he stood, the moon throwing her
pale light on his forehead defining with a
clear outline the hollow of his eyes, silver
ing his fair beard, and ripping over his
negligent yet graceful and picturesque ar.
lists dress. In his left hand he held his
az wv na', I "'su as 'ogH .,, iea'ners
s"o1P,us .nv ;oIuu' auu Si'n hlS ris"'
n ns'' ~ TL sen' % n'a ueai' - ulo,oueu u ~ "
A'ss' insu, ui.e' i''na'u'us snus ~ sl'en'
uoni.n ..aI ,a'.vh i;i 'oi uir'e' " sn "our! ne
au.9 aau,'eI ''su''y o,'s 'ao ioW gA'uen ra'''ng,
shs',eu .h @ s"o yalu' @ a"u 'ap'"E on 'ue rign'
s Snv 'sP'roO'n I . uIol oPeui 'ne oa'Ivl WIN ,'s
,u' u. ~ t aD0pI 'oO"S L =" wy 'a,AHuss' w,
III, ~" D'"Dh' ] suo "~a.I' al ~ '.H ~ vu' .eu %
"auu0' s''ams WI u.u'su .'sp.' ."o
,ano' @ '@O p'"u;ao s"s 'TvPv, %s 'Jy;s' p; 'no
so'em VI @ 'no "r"1ip''ss, W. ~" '.s"'eu o9nque'y
" 1"o ;i iay1 " .'' noJ", uo u'sa"oeu .t'
e'o"'y' '""a''ns sa' sou'''" S'''0'' u '"'
'''Wea''us Mo. noP ' anu s'IPo' -, e. Il,
,;'.a IoI sIuuu % was $500 " w "'a.u run s 'ns
shy's"' aDoNo s.lo"n'u ou'"' suouusu
'su', iie sas M uo@u ol = osrre'' s,, anu sa'u
r. np, noS p'oasau' !, Is ners:
llt louhtu hA tht AItlli1 W Wnltu tue Ivy