Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-11-27

[ or another, rllmOfS OF Wildt UiSilt Ut. VI
might have been. flirtatons, feuds; who
loes not know the tho .lsand and one ele-
mpnts of village gossip? If the CONVEX
s,tion tagged for a moment, it was sure to
break out again with an "Oh! what do
YOU think p or ''Have you heard ?" or
.sDo tell metz And then OH the tongues
woui go again as glbly as though not a
word ha, been spoken for hours.
"Oh. these women, these women. grum-
/ blel Old Grandfather Gruhner. 'Just lis
ten to them click clack. click clacking, for
all the world like flock of geese. Set five
women together. and some mischief will
be brewing besure of that" And yet, in
spite of his pro ests, it did moi seem that
re oil man hal really any very strong
aversion him self to little gossip since he
lowered around the group, pipe in mouth,
vii some ten,city, Instead of following
| his spn.in-lay " iiliasaS to the garden
where he was busy di ggihs p 'tatoes.
The Forthcoming festivities of the wood
FIJI wed ling. and the presents which were
expected or promised for the occasion, of
course took up considerable share of the
conversation, and filled up the pauses of
| village scandal. The custom of giving
presents Of a special kind Oh each fifth an
i,iversary If a marriage orr mated in Anne
liea, but has been largely adopted in Ger
MANY. On the fifth anniversary of the
wedding day all the gifts must be OF wood,
l nf fhG. flfflntfh nj
china, and so on until the silver, the twen-
| ty-fifth; the golden the iftieth; and the
diamond, seldom reached, seventy-fft..
wear of wedlock, is attained. There was
naturally good deal Of arrangement re-
qnired, and some anxiety manf sted 10y the
| notable young housewife that the offering
should be such as would give satisfaction
alike to the donor and the recipients, that
rarest of all eases of giving and receiving
of presents. Possibly M,rgot had never
heard of that I'm ,appy bridal lair whose
thoughtful friends provided them with ten
toast racks as wedding gifts. But expe-
rience or learning of some kind had evl
| IDENTIFY made her wise, and shr was resolved
| that no mistaken of such kind should &c
cur in her case. Though the gifts might
Belimited in kind, as well as in cost, there
| was 10 reason why they should not be OF
various descriptions. at least SO it would
seem from the list she counted Oh her fiji
gers, more than twice over, for her cousin s
| benefit, and which includ d among Other
| things an armchair, a tea caddy, a rived
necklace, q picture frame, three spoons
I, brooch, potato bowl, and washing
| tub.
Sab, by the bye" she says, rather sud
denly, after one of those dead pauses which
occur even il the most animated CONVEX
sation, : by the bye, my husband tells me
that Hans Steiner will come this evening
| to ask what his present to ME shall be. |
! @4gz s;Je What dost think, grand
mether. OLA little willow bracket fon tln
wall that would just hold the best Dutch
china teal ot."
II think that would be capital, respond
I'd the old lady.
Meanwhile a look of intelligence passes
| between the other women. Louison VIII"
is sitting close by Gretchen, works away
very steadily, and pretends not to see it.
Il doubt if Margot's present is the Only
reason for Hans coming up here tonight ,
says Widow Grnhner, smiling at her ntice.
''How should he know was here p asks
| poor Lnuison, bttraying herself uncon-
sciously, aud then blusling crimson to the
| wary inc IF bpr
| There is general laugh. AT the same
moment Louison drops the needle she is
working with, and g res on her knees to the
| floor to fl d it. Suddenly her heart beats
! tumultuously. 1t seems t. have flown to
her head, and to be knocking very tatto
on her brain; the sound of Il foUtstep, of a
well-known voice, has reached her listen
! ing ears long before the Others are con-
scious of it. 1t is not IA very musical voice !;
| it does not belong to a very remarkable or
charming person. Hans is, after all, but
| Il commonplace, everyday sort of ::lan :;
but to the little girl CROPPING about in tine
twilight after the missing needle, the voice
has Il charm sweeter than any other on
earth. the round commonplace face, under
the round shabby Hat, his radiance all
beauty no other face will ever equal i'll her
eyes. After all, is it not every day love
which makes every day happiness
Canst thou not fad that nee lle?' Il SKIS
Gretchen; and then, looking suddenly up.
''Why. only think, LOnison, here is Hans''
| AS ii Louison had not known that all age
ag! Here he comes; thought SO. Get
tllp-nr, 10, no" in Il whisper, stay there,
and we will pretend thou hast not come,
| and we will hear what he says
"Well, Hans, thou art a good example of
! the Old pruverb, for we We're but Just speak,
tiag of thee" says Grandfather Gruhher,
3. as the young man approaches and leans
against the open window, pipe in mouth.
Gretchen holds her work spread out SO
as to hide kneeling Louison. Hans bids
them all good evening, but gazes round
F, tile small room somewhat discohsolately
; seeking for that which he finds not On,
for q glimpse Of small plump figure in Il
dark serge dress, a pair of right dark eyes,
and coral lips that part to show Il row OF
peally teeth! signs the young man-sig,ls,
and bliudly curses fate, because, like many
another foolish mortal, he cannot see a
yard before his face.
''Ah, Hans, is it thou?'' says laughing,
lmischieyous Gretchen. ''Ponr Hans! [ am
sorry for thee if ii is to pay thy respects to
our fair cousin thou ART Gomez
ssWhat folly of Gretchen, to be sure!''
grumbled Margot under her breath. ''she
willput him presently quite ont of his stupid
, head, and we all know that is what he has
really come about" She mov,s quickly
| from her seal and whispers to her IN tler.