The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-11-20
FREMONT SANDUSKY COUNTY OHIO; FRIDAY NOVEMBER 90 1874

together up the steep cliff path that
= led to the cottage. "Only think how
delightful! And before the end oi
that time Hans Steiner will have
asked thee to marry him and live in
the pretty new cottage by the mill,
Iand we shall never part with thee
again"
"Come, come" retorted Louison,
show dost thou know that by the
time Hans Steiner please to say
Wilt thouP 1 shall please to say
nay?"
But as she spoke a smile curled
the corners of her pretty mouth, and
her eyes sparkled, all hidden though
they were by their long lashes.
"Well, well, We shall see," re-
turned Gretchen, wisely resolving
mot to press the matter, at least for
the present.
| And there were naturally many
other subjects of conversation inter
esting to the family party; or at
least to the woman portion of it;
Imany questions to ask and be an
lswered, many friends to be inquired
for and discussed.
A merry and talkatiVe group were
they, as they sat together that even
ling at work, by the open window of
the cottage kitchen. 1t seemed as
Though they never could get to the
end Of their absorbing topics
births, marriages and deaths,
changes of one kind or another, ru-
mors of what might be, or might
have been, flirtations, feuds; who
does not know the thousand and one
elements of village gossip? If the
conversation tagged for a moment,
it was sure to break out again di-
rectly with an "Oh! what do you
think?" or "HaYe you heardP or
''Do tell me-" And then on the
tongues would go again, as glibly as
though not 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
a flock of geese. Set five women to-
gether, and some mischief will be
brewing, one may be sure of that"
And yet, in spite of all protests, it
did not seem that the old man had
really any very strong aversion him
self to little gossip, since he'hov-
cred about the group, pipe in
mouth, with some tenacity, instead
of following his son-in-law, Will
helm, to the garden, were he was
busy digging potatoes.
The forthcoming festivities of the
wooden wedding, and the presents
which were expected or promised for
the occasion, of course took up a
considerable share of the converse
tion, and filed up the pauses of vii
lage scandal. The custom of giving
presents of a special kind on each
fifth anniversary of a marriage orig.
inated in America, but has been
largely adopted in Germany. On
the fifth anniversary of the wedding
lday 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-ffth; the golden the fif-
ltieth; and the diamond, the seldom
Ireached seVenty-fifth year of we'd
lock, is attained. There was natur-
lally a good deal of arrangement re-
. quired, 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 receiv-
ling 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 evil
: IDENTIFY made her wise, and she was
r resolved that no mistake of such a
kind should occur in her case.
Though the gifts might be limited
in kind, as well as in cost, there was
J no reason why they SHOULD not be of
various descriptions. At least so it
3 would seem from the list she count
ed on her fingers, more than twice
{ over, for her cousins benefit, and
f which included among other things
an arm chair, tea caddy, a carved
necklace, a picture frame, three
e spoons, brooch, potato bowl, and
i a washing tub.
r "Ah, by the bye" she says, rather
!, suddenly, after one of those dead
o lpauses which occur even in the mos
!, animated conversation, "by the bye
b my husband tells me that Hans
n Steiner will come this evening tC
: ask what his present to me shall be
e I must decide. What dost thoU
J. think, grandmother, of little brack
e ct for the wall that would just hol(
d the best Dutch china teapot"
,e 81 think that would be capital,
responds the old lady.
IS Meanwhile q look of intelligenc
E. passes between the other women
Louison, who is sitting close b
d Gretchen, works away very steadily
% and pretends not to see it.
4 81 doubt if Margot's present is tn
d only reason for Hans coming up tc
le night" says Widow Gruhner, smil
,e ing at her niece.
"HoW should he know l wa
O here~ asks poor Louison, betrayin
a. herself unconsciously, and the
t. blushing crimson to the very tips {
a iher ears.
" There is a general laugh. At tn
i. same moment Louison drops tn
ye needle she is working with, and goe
it on her knees to the floor to find i
Suddenly her heart beats tumultu
ID ously. 1t seems to have flown
her head, and to be knocking a yer
of tatto on her brain; the sound Of
of footstep, of a well-known voice, ha
of reached her listening ears long bC
er fore the others are conscious Of i
IN 1t is not very musical voice;
Mt does not belong to a very remakabl
w or charming person. Hans is, ate
u all, but a commonplace, every da
IL sort of young man; but yet to th
lie little girl cropping about in the twt
od light after the missing needle, til
le, voice has a charm sweeter than an