Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-12-19

and be answered, many friends to be IN
/ quired for and discussed.
A merry and talkative group were
they, as they sat together that evening at
work, by the open window of the cot
tage kitchen. 1t seemed as though they
never could get to the end of their alb
sorbing topics births, marriages, deaths,
changes of one kind or another, rllmors
of what might be, or what have been,
fiirtations, feuds who does not know
the thousand and one elements of village
gossipS If the conversation tagged for
a moment, it was sure to break out again
directly with an "Ohl what do YOU
think ?" or Have yop healdie or edo
tell me-" And then on the tongues
would go again, as glibly as though not
a word had been spoken for hours.
"Oh !! these women, these women,"
grumbled old Grandfather Gruhner.
"Just listen to them click, clack, click,
clacking for all the world like flock of
geese. Set five women together, and
some mischief will be brewing, one may
be sure of that" And yet, in spite of
his protests, it did net seem that the old
man had really any very strong aversion
himself to little gossip, since be hover
ed about the group, pipe iG mouth, with
some tenacity, instead. of following his
son-in-law, Wilhelm, to the garden,
where he Vas busy digging potatoes
lie forthcoming festivities of the
) wooden wedding, and the presents which
were expected or promised for the occa-
sion, of course took up a considerable
share of the conversation, and filled up
the pauses of village scandal. The Gus
tom of giving presents Of a special kind
ON each fifth anniversary of a marriage
originated i'll America, but has been
largely adopted in Germany. On the
fifth anniversary of the wedding day all
the gifts must be of wood, on the tenth
of tin, on the fifteenth of china, and SO
on until the silver, the twenty fifth the
golden, the fiftieth ; and the diamond,
the seldom reached seventy-fifth year of
wedlock, is attained. There,was naturally
good deal of arrangement required, and
some anxiety manifested by the notable
young housewife, that the offerings
should be such as would give satisfaction
alike to the donor and the recipients,
that rarest of all cases in the giving and
receiving Of presents. Possibly Margot
had never heard of that unhappy bridal
pair whose thoughtful friends provided
them with ten toast racks as wedding
gifts. But experience or learning of
some kind had evidently made her wise,
and she was resolved that no mistake of
such a kind should occur in her case.
Though the gifts may be limited in kind,
as well as in cost, there was no reason
why they should not be of various de-
scription. At least SO it would seem
from the list which she counted on her
fingers, more than twice over, for her
cousins benefit, and which included
among other things an armed chair, a
tea caddy, a carved necklace, picture
frame, three spoons, brooch, potato
bowl, and washing tub.
"Ah, by-the-bye," she says, rather
suddenly, after one Of those dead pause s
which often occur even in the most ami
mated conversations, "by-the-bye, my
husband tells me that Hans Steiner will
come this evening to ask what his present
to me shall be. L must decide. What
C7ost think, grandmother, of a little
bracket for the wall that would just hold
tie best Dutch china teapot 2"
I think that would be capital" re-
spends the old lady.
Meanwhile look of intelligence passes
; between the other women. Louison
who is sitting close to Gretchen, works
away very steadily, and pretends not tt
see it,
81 doubt if Margot's present is the
, only reason for Hans coming up to
night" said widow Gruhner, smiling al
her niece.
"How should he know [ was here 2
asks poor Louison, betraying herself un
s consciously, and then blushing crimson
: to the very tips of her ears.
o There is general laugh. At the sam,
{ moment Louison drops the needle sh,
g is working with, and goes on her knee
s on the floor to find it. Suddenly hel
| heart beats unanimously. 1t seems tc
, have flown to her head and to be knock
= ing very tattoo on her brain; the
/ sound of footsteps, of q well-known voic,
o has reached her ears long before thu
1 others are conscious of it. 1t is not
!, very musical voice it does not belong
2 to very remarkable or especially charm
ing person. Hans is, after all, but
s commonplace, everyday sort of young
t man /; but yet to the little girl cropping
around in the twilight after the missing
v needle the voice has charm sweeter thai
r any other on earth, the round, common
D place face, under the round, shabby hat
; has radiance and beauty no other fac,
! will ever equal in her eyes. After all
s it is not an every day love which maker
Y every day happiness
/. "Canst thou not find that needle 2
g asks Gretchen and then looking sud
Q denly up.
"Why only think, Louison, here i
/, Hans !" AS if Louison had not know
@ that an age ago. Here he comes.
p thought so. Get up-or, no, no." in