The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-11-10

Then he turned his back upon me, and
walked away among his tulips, leaving me
angry and defiant.
l never thought of giving Gretchen up
however, and when for days the old man
kept her from me, and do what 1 might
could catch no glimpse Of her, vowed to
punish him for his cruelty by running
away with her and marrying her against
his will.
If she loved me she would not be will
ling to be separated from me, thought
and fancied her locked up in her own room,
kept from meeting me by force. l wan
dered about the house Of old neighbor
Werner like o ghost, and almost deter
mined to force an entrance; but at last she
came to me one sunny afternoon and look
ed over the fence, with her arms folded
upon it, as she used to when she was a
child.
Gretchen" cried, and ran to her and
put my arms about her. Gretchen, my
darling, you have come to me at last"
She gave little sigh, and drew herself
away from my embrace.
" 1t is for the last time, Ezra" she said,
I" father told me might bid you good
bye"
Good byel" faltered.
EYES," she said, ~ must never talk to
you again."
"You have promised to be my wife,"
/ said. you have said you loved me.
What do you mean He has frightened
you by locking you up. You think his
power is absolute"
"No one locked me up" she said quiet
ly. 81 have been told to stay within the
doors, out of your sight, and l obeyed.
1t was wrong of me to prommise anything
without fathers leave. thought it was
different in such case, and liked you so,
but know now how unmaidenly it was.
Father has told me-"
you stayed from me of your own free
WILL" said. "You were not restrained.
| o, Gretchen !"
Father gave me his orders. One must
obey ones parents. 1t is Gods law" she
said.
EASY to obey when you are willing" l
said bitterly" parents could not keep
me from you if you wanted me, Gretchen"
The tears were were falling fast over her
cheeks. She sobbed heavily.
30, Ezra, if you only knew" she said.
II must obey
The she drew the ring had given her
from her finger.
Father says l must return this" she
said, and it seemed as though she could
not speak for weeping.
But l was cruel to her.
"Of your own free will, because you do
not care for me ?" asked.
~ cannot change my feelings" she said.
Perhaps they are wrong, but l must al
ways like you better than any one else.
But father says | must not marry you, and
that l must give back the ring.
| felt it drop into my palm. | clutched
it tiercely. There was flat stone close by
the fence, and l dropped the ring on that
and ground it to atoms beneath my heel.
She only sobbed the more.
Don't be angry with me, Ezra" she
said. 1T is not my fault"
But would not listen to her. turned
from her and walked away. Judging by
myself, she could not care for me, if any
thought of obedience could stand between
| us.
That night l packed my portmanteau
and lett home. could not stay there so
near and yet have nothing more to do with
her.
never forgot her for moment, but l
could not talk of the past to any one.
had an uncle in Detroit, and went to
him. He was a farrier, and taught me his
business, and soon l was able to make
money at it. But money was nothing to
me now, except so far as it was needed
to enable me to live from day to-day. |
sent it to my parents, and they, needing,
nothing, put it away in the bank with the
little store they were saving for my good.
"But we are glad to have such an in
dustrious son. said my mother; land
when YOU bring home some pretty Cana
dian GIRL. Won will be glad to have n little
nest eoo to start with"
had no thought of any girl, however
pretty. for a wife: but mother could not
euess how deeply I had been wounded.
Day and hight 1 kept thinking of Gret-
chen and always I kent on NV bedroom
window sill. in n china pot one of those
nure white lilies. which ALWAYS reminded
mo IF her But never asked n question
about her, and five long wears passed by-
five anniversaries of our 6etrothul dav. and
I did not know whether she had married
or was vet Gretchen Werner.
II was the sixth anniversary of that day
whan I want home to NV Little room ear.
liar tbop nsuaI had heen strangely ner.
vons nil dav starting at apv sound. and
faeI;no os thonoh every time the door
onena3 that some one lind come to bring
me- evil news. And had thought of Gret.
chen n Great deal and II seemed to me
that writing a lone letter home to nv
mother would comf5rt me.
sat down to INV desk near the window,
rho shadow of the lilv 7 always mentally
oallad Gratcben falling over The noners
when the evening wind swaved it. The
ann was Going down and nil was very
oai,, and noacefnI kind of Sabbath
I'''ai, sao,,ad ~ have f,l,an on EVERYTHING