The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-11-08
THE MEADOW SPRING.

There was a despairing emphasis in
Mrs. MarshalPs voice. She had let fall
the towel with which she was wiping the
teacups, and stood the picture OF con-
sternation and despair.
"Only down to the spring, mother"
"But look at that bran new lawn
dress, torn half off you"
"The brler bushes did it,"
The girl did look rather Wofully at the
pretty dress half destroyed, but had
flashing, mischievous, sweet little face
that could not stay long in shadow.
"NeYer mind, Ret; come here and tell
me what year l bought the white heiter
lin" said Mr.. Marshall, who stood at u
desk in the corner making out his quar-
ter's accounts.
Mrs. Marshall picked up her towel,
murmuring despairingly as the girl
turned toward her father.
"rwo years last May, father. 1t was
the year l was fourteen" said Ret,
hand on her shoulder.
He turned his head and kissed her.
"Nice child" he said, approYingly.
"Nice childW exclaimed Mrs. Mar
shall, eXasperated. "As ii her remem-
bering about the cattle was OF half as
much consequence as her tearing her
dI ess all to pIeces-the dress l sat up
till II O'Clock last night to finish. And
here she is sixteen years oldl Thomas
Marshall, what do you suppose will ever
become OF that girl OF yuursW
Mrs. Marshall always shifted the re-
sponsibIhty OF the children upon her
husband when they showed any signs of
moral depravity. So Thomas Marshall
looked up at that girl OF his. She was a
pretty signt, with her hat tipped side
ways on her curry head, her halI-pouj-
ing, halI-smiling, rosy little mouth, and
her soft, sloe-biack eyes turned appeal
ingly upon her iather's face. He smiled
upon his girl. He couldn't help it.
"What were you doing down at the
spring, RetW he said, gently.
"HaLh. was telling me the legend-the
legend of the spring, you know, father"
"Where is Rllhburn, and VIII at is the
: legend Of the spring, dauguterw
why, he said that ever SO many
years ago a girl came down the path
| through the woods, with pitcher on her
-, head W get some water az The spring.
When she dipped the pitcher in the
spring she saw her face III the water,
,, and she said to herself:
"'Whoever my true love is TO be,
Let hlm look into this spring with me:
And when she was dong that there was
young lord from England riding by
on horseback. He saw The girl louking
in the water, aud was curious to know
what she was looking at. SO he got of
his horse and came softly and looked III
the spring beside her. There he saw
only her face, but it was 50 pretty that
: he fell in love with her, and alterward
1 married her. And RtLh. says that ever
} since, il two young people look in that
spring together, they Will surely marry
each Olher."
"Stuf and nonsensew exclaimed
: MIS-. Marshall 81 should like to Know +,
Ret il hearing such silly stories as that
Is worth tearing your dress for?'
But Thomas Marshall laughed.
"Pll risk the girl, Saran," he said,
while Ret went out at the door. cpd
risk her while sue'll tell her father the
love stories that she hears. Sne'd bet
} ter tear her dress than break our hearts
you KNOW
The mother bent her head in silence,
, and said no more.
5 Ret stood in the porch watching her
brother Rathbarn come down the hill
Y There was some one with him, and while
sne was trying hard to make out who il
was, ''some oneo was as earnestly OBJ.
serving her. He saw in the pOrcu OF all
, old brown, vlne-shaded house on a
= hill, little figure in pink lawn dress
very badly torn, sand with straw hal
shading lace tnat was evidently fair
e wh.le mass OF fine curls, swept to one
a side, fell over a bare, white shoulder.
e "WAat little fairy is that, Rath?" he
. said.
= "My sister," said Rathburn Marshall
proudly. You shall have her, Max"
s ne added, contdentialEy.
n They mad been collegians together
Rath Harshall and Max Kingsley. Max
Z was just from Europe. The friends ha,
u met lOr the first time for four years.
els that the little Rel you used to tel
about ?" asked Max, for they had been
! great conhdants in old times.
/. Yes; she was twelve then, she is six
y teen now. She's a daring, MaxV
: Il thiuk IT Likely. And l may have
herW
''Yes, il you can get her,"
"rnank you, OLD boy"
= The next moment they passed in a
y The door from which Ret had disap
, peared, and to his parents RaLh an
- uounced:
"My Old college friend, Max Kingsley
II come TO rustlcate among US for eei
= Or LWo."
r IL was frank, good face which the
u old people looked aL-a face they Wert
J. came uoWn from her room IN more ure
5eutable dress. and Was intro duced
:, That evening r III repeated again, fo
i MaX's amusement, The legend OF The
J. meadow spring.
I The next morning June sunrise
/: flushed the sky at 4 clock. Max Kings
v ley awoke, and, aroused by tue novelt,
OF arising AT tDaI Time in the morning
i 20, up, dressed, and went out.oi-aoors
h EarIy as it was, boy was driving 4
= drove Of cattle 70 market down the lOna
brown road, While the birds were
n ohorusing i'll The woods, and the flowers
of the telbs were all wide awake. Ill
1 crossed the road and went slowly oyel
the meadows.
"The grass was drenched in dew.
The fragrant air blew through
The honeysuCkle branches
That waved ABOUT the perch"
HaIi-knee high in the wet clover he
looked back at the house half hid il
honey suckles and mOrning-gloriea, u
see if there were any signs Of Rath OF
Bet. Was RaLh's pretty S ster an early
RISER? He wished shs was, and would
share his walk win him.
lie came to brook slipping softly
I. through the meadows, and, turning,
commenced following 1t to its source