The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-09-12
LAURA'S DOCTOR.

world to be found, the heart that Is num-
bic might welcome 1t here"
| sang that snatch of the sweet old
fashioned ditty as Ipaused for moment
or two by the side Of copse, with my
tied-uD flyTod in my hand, acting as
my creel hanging from
my shoulder. and a book OF choice trout
flies in my pocket.
For was thoroughly enjoying myself
on one of natures best early summer
mornings; the trees were just in their
early green, the meadows were golden
with buttercups, The bitches hidden by
lhe lusn growth Of mOisture-loVing wild
flowers, among which showed the glIs-
lening green arrow-heads of the arum,
the delicate pink or the wild geranium,
and the pretty blue eyes of the speed
well. From every verdant tree rang out
natures sweet hymns OF joy, and l stood
drluHlng i'll the delicious sounds, thank
ing God Tor my very existence as L in.
huleu the bright pure air, and gaz ed and
Il stened. From one side came al inter-
vdls the 80 t. mellow cry of the cuckoo,
low down egg-luntlng in the dense green
hedges; from the other, the copse size,
thrilled the sweet melody OF that most
charming of our spring sOngsters, the
little biack-cap; from tue nettles i'll the
dllcn came tue jerky, hdgely song OF the
White-th throat, all fort and no music.
An old friend had told me of this place,
with its pretty village, its rustic rectory,
aud glorious trouL-sLream; telling me,
too, now The gentlemanly, kind old rec
tor would, il asked, give me leave to
make Gas, from his meadows across 10
The high bank under which the fat
specified trout lay waiting for the pretty
dancing May flies, which fitted up and
down IN wonurous fllght, sailing alott,
and fl ,aLing slowly GOWN to the gtisten-
ing water.
For, let me confess, l am an ardent
Gsuerman, though thai glorious morning
| felt keeuly the Frtnchman's sarcasm
uIrected against the English, as exclaim-
ing, "W hat II tue morning; let's go out
ana Kill soInethug!' Aud here i am
come down here luLo this rural Paradise,
70 begulle and sluy The Trout" l said to
myself. "Serye Them right, TOO; doRt
they goUble up Wholesale The beauteOus
ephemer8 LhaL, poor things, nave only a
lew nours TO live? Tue trout might leave
them in peace and devOur the Vicious
mats, The trout ale Lyrants, and II not
100 willy shall be slain-anu brolled, and
eaten. for, alter the lOrdly salmOu, Is
lhere a more delicious fish that sWlms
HolloW
mad been continuing along the foot
patu, as | said lnu Sc words, TO Wlefe
mad been told 1T turned into tue copse
on passing through winch L should nhu
myself oppuslte the recLofy garden
wnere | was going to ask .eaVe 10 hSh
Aud now l stopped short, win lhe eA'
amatlon had softly uttered, lor had
suddenly come in view OF SUE, W
wulcn stood sWeet-looklng EnSlisn
maiden. simply dressed III hollanu-col
ureQ grass cloth, with plain straw nal
covering The dark halr gathered IN
cluster behind. She was very pale, /
pa lur increased by the black velvet tlt
fastened beneath the little plain coilal
round her neck, and a. L nrst saw nef
she stood with the Ii igers OF her f1gh
hand lightly resting on the Altle stIle
While ner lett was held up as il 10 com
mand silence.
IL was evident that she had heard my
approaching footsteps, Tor suddenly her
lace became animated, she clasped nel
hands together, Joyous smile over
spread her face, and she bounded to-
ward me.
"At last, at lastw she cried, wildly
and then, when wltnin few yards, sh'
stopped short, the bright look OF ahlma
tiou faded away as if tue sunshine hat
I NSo
ling uer hands Wearily upon her breas
sue stood lor few moments gazing a
me as l involuntarlly raised my sol
| tweed hat.
| No, no, no." she said slowly, with 8
| sigh; and looking at me wistlully, sh,
turned away, crept through an OPENING
beside the stIle and was gone.
| Poor girl" L said; "Lhere's a sal
story attacued TO her lie, Pm sure"
! Iwalked on to The stile and sat upol
it, to listen once more to the gay carol o
| me birds ana watch the golden SUNSHINE
raining throu.h the leaves TO fall il
showers upon the fower-decked soil.
| UnmisLakable hunger was maxim!
itself known, and | TOLD myself that
cottage must be near where l could ge
myseIf some breakfast before VlsItin
Lne rector, and-Wel, how strange! b
all tuats wonderful, theras4 The wood
pecker tapping.
Not a sound could hear
But the WooupGoker tapping tk+ .LuoW peeC
| tree"
Sure enough, from the depths of th
wood came the short SHARP tapping q
the busy ord, hunting out insects frol
the bark OF AN ord tree, and sat ther
listening for a few minutes.
"Well, he's having his breakfast"
said at last, land l must have mine."
Coffee, ham and eggs, Lome-mad
read, country butter, and a snowy clot
ltloated before my ardent Imagination a
| leaped from the stile. crossed tn
wood, leaped another stile, and stood /
u pretty lane close TO II charmingly KEEP
garden, running down to the road frUl
q beautiful rustlc-IoOklug house; an
not many yards from me a gray -heade
o.d gentleman in black, with " yelye
CAP on his head, was busy, troWel i
uand, planting scarlet geraniumS
one of the beds that dotted the YelyC
lawn.
He looked up and started slightly O
he saw me, tnen boWlng, he came dow
10 the rough trells fence mat divided h
garden from the lane.
"a nice morning." he said pleasant!
as / raised my hat. "FishIng, l PR
sHme2"
"Yes," said, 81 was going to try"
"And you were going to ask my leave!
he said, smiling.
81 intended 10 call after 1 had bee
into The Village" said, somewhat take
abaCk.
Did you leave town this morning
SAID the old gentleman.
"Yes," replied, "by the first trail
and walked across from Hautley."
Then you must be quite ready fC
breakfast" be said, referring to b.
watch. cit will be ready now"
son, thank you, no." l stammered, Il
this offer of hospitality to a pertet
! waa NT am uoin