National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-04-25


1t was long, long ago-longer than
you or ! can remember Sweet spring.
with its bright sunshine, its young ten
der green, had come again. Little
Elsie had watched the transformation.
as 1t had crept gradually over the land,
from the window Of her turret chamber
III which she had been a prisoner nearly
all the winter. For poor little Elsie
was not strong, and her parents had to
be very careful of her. lest she should
be exposed to cold winds and draughts.
But to-day all was so bright and warm
that Elsie begged to be allowed to go
out INTO the mir.
Now her parents, the count and coun-
tess, lived in large old castle. The
grounds around were full of trees.
SHRUBS, and sweet-scented flowers. A
paved path led from the porch to the
whlte gate at the end, and here it ad-
joined wood, part of which belonged
to the count ; but, another and larger
part to the baron in the same country.
Elsie was sometimes allowed to 60 with
her nnrse into the beginning of the
wood, bat never farther; for it was very
dense beyond, and considered danger
GUS.
On this particular day Elsie's nurse
was busy IN the spinning-room. and
could not go out with her. SO the
child was told she might play about by
herself for little while, but she must
be careful and not get into mischief
nor must She 90 into the wood farther
than where she could always see the
white gate.
Elsie promised to comply, and set off
gleeiully. How gloriously the sun
shone How sweet and fragrant the
AR smellod How fresh everything
looked E,sie's heart bounded with
pleasure 1t seemed to her she had
never enjoyed the open air so much as
now after her long confinement. How
CT aged everything was, too, from the
time when she had first to keep her
room Then all looked dead or diving.
ana the leaves were dropping from the
trees. Now they were covered with
tender foliage. Purple violets peeped
from among their sheltering leaves,
lernS We're beginning to uncoil from ont
'helr shaggy brown scales, hyacinths
scented the air, and tulips raised their
snowy heads. The cherry plum, apple.
and pear trees were covered with snowy
"hlte blossoms, an earnest of the fruit
to come.
Ihe little girl skipped about, admir-
ing and enjoying all these beauties.
standing still a while to listen TO the
songs OF the birds. At last, when she
had surveyed all the newly awakened
Slorles OF the garden. she neared the
"hlIe gate and peepeu over If the
g"Ioeh looked beautiful in its spring
qresS, how much more so the wood
III seemed to be carpeted with flowers
That grew among the bright grasses /:
ana over the whole the sunlight glitter.
ed, dappling the ground with light
~, Oil, how beautiful ~ exclaimed
n'SIe' a. " 0l"st go in and pick some of
'nose pretty flowers for mamma"
NO sooner said than done, and Elsie
had passed the gate, and stood upon
the confines of the wood. White and |
purple violets, wild blue harebells,
snowy wood-anemones, pale golden
Pr'mroses, and modest daisies pied the |
ground. She walked on and on, think
yhg OF nothing but these sweet blossoms.
ma gathering them as she went, till
Iier little apron was full At one spot |
the violets peeped thickest in another
grew the finest clumps of primroses,
ana here, little further on, was mass
OF the elegant wood-sorrel, with its
pretty thin leaves and delicate white
=, Elsie plucked them eagerly, and still
the thought of returning never occurred
TO her. For the farther she went on.
,he more ! ,autiful the wood seemed to
,pecome, 4 all the trees, flowers, and
pirds appeared to lure her on, and to
say, Come, Elsie, come. You have
not seen half otfr loveliness yet"
And whenever Elsie felt little tired,
or the idea of turning back crossed her
lnlnd, she always saw some bright flower,
some pretty insect, in the distance to
attract her onward. Now she had pene-
trated unconsciously into the domain of
wicked fairy, who tried to attract chill
dfen INTO the wood that they might
serve her; for she liked to be waited
up9n by pretty little boys and girls,
ana mad long looked on Elsie with a
Jealous eye. But never till to-day had
; she seen any chance of Turing her hither,
Tor Elsie had never before been in the
wood alone. The child wandered on
and on, forgetting fatigue. duty, and |