Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-11-06
The White Lily.

y OA new 1Ork- IL was Qluerent place
then from what it is now. and people
walked in the Bowery for fresh air. and
thought Pearl street pretty far up town.
Our home was almost out Of town
nearly where Canal street is to-day. We
had garden about it. and our garden
touched that of neighbOr. who was
German by birth. and fond of his hoE-
ers rs German can be.
He had beds Of great gaudy tulips
and wonderful roses and enormous dou-
bic poppies, but l used to think the
sweet, white lilies the prettiest Of all,
and l always thought little Gretchen
just like one Of them.
She never had much color. but her
forehead was like snow, and her hair.
long and light, eurled down to her waist.
She used to come to her side Of the
fence and look over it. and talk about
such things as we were interested in.
Sometimes she came in to play with NE,
but NY mother would never allow NE to
90 into neighbour Werner's garden. for
fear that l should injure the flowers,
through which could never learn to
walk quietly and reysrentially. as Gretch-
en- did
Indeed, neighbor Werner was not fond
of children, and not one to tempt them
into his garden or his home, or anywhere
where they would be apt to meet him;
a gruf, Oldish man, who had lost his
wife years before, and had no one in his
house to care for his little girl. who was
quite left to herself. and had womanly
way with her at the ageof ten that some
have not at sixteen.
She knew even then how to make her
fathers soup and coffee, and how to put
the buttons on his shirts. Work which
was too much for her little hands. he
must have done himself; but the house
was very clean and bare and tidy. not
carpet on any floor, and not 4 blanket,
for-as my mother said. who had seen
they slept between feather beds. as
though they wanted to smother them
selves.
But such as the house was. little
Gretchen took more and more care Of it
as she grew older, and helped her father
with his flowers, and knew each indi7id-
ual blossom. 1t used to seem to me that
they knew her
While l was very young, mere child
in years. used to say that Gretchen
should be my little wife, my mother al
ways answering:
81 couldn't wish you better, If she
grows up what she is now
When 1 was older 1 stopped saying
this. cut Of shame, but thought so more
than ever. l knew before was old
enough to be called man that should
never love any one but Gretchen Wer-
ner. She never thought about it at all.
until put it into her head by making
love to her.
For while she was very shy, and
would not listen to ne; but at last she
told me that she liked me better than
any one else in the world, and let NE
, kiss her.
had not known her before since !
was ten years old Then was one-aud.
twenty. l have seen young men kiss the
girls they love in light, careless way.
l felt that night as though l we're touch
= ing something holy with ny lips
A few days after this | gave her q
,, plain gold ring with our names upon it,
and the date of the day on which she
had told me she liked ne, and 1t seemed
as though that bound her TO ne
was not as good as l might have
r been, and did not 90 to church always
: when my mother wanted NE to do 80
! but prayed that night as earnestly a
ever man prayed that might be worthy
Of Gretchen that | might always know
' what to do to make her happy. and al
t ways be able to keep her from any o
the troubles and trials Of poverty.
After this, in our American fashion
which seems 80 wrong to Englishmel
: and Europeans. asked her father if
= might have Gretchen
; s.She has told ne that she viii b
: happy with me-" said. and stood trem
bling before him, hat II hand, for | saV
d = cloud upon his forehead. and saw hin
take his pipe out Of his mouth in bur
4 ried way, which always showed that b
: was angry.
L -You speak to Gretchen tirE e b
o asked. in his strong. German accent
"You dare do that p
u I'VE always do It here, sir." l said
1--WE try to find out whether the yOun
! lady Is willing We should speak to be
parents, and then
! But neighbor Werner stamped hi
foot furiOuzly.
~Iau q German" be said M
(: daughter obeys me- She VIII not marr
a poor uan-"
q Il an poor yet" | said, ''but | vi
!, make ny fortune some day. viii. il
J. deed-I"-