Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-06-06

could have inspired me with thoughts o
decking all the room with true love blooms
Come, see J" and | whisked the dear oil
lady off upstairs and into my fragrant bower
How pleased she was All around tn
room she went, and fairly put her finely
chiseled nose into each individual bunc
and group of posies. | half believe sh
kissed them as she smeed.
"'Tis pretty conceit of yours, Gerty;
very pretty conceit. And you didn't know
it was grandma's opal day"
Wasn't that a delicious turn of speech 70
an old wife
Grandma was in one of her best moods
and at once began the true story of Appl
Blossoms.
"You know, Gerty, DEAR that grandp
and have not always lived at Woodwil,
Hall. My father, your great-grandpa Wood
settled tins property upon my sister Murie
years before ] was born. When came, tn
child of his old age, Muriel, was alread
married and living here. She died a litt
more than thirty years ago, childles
widow, and Woodwild Hall reverted to me
as her sole heir, dear mother having lonI
been dead.
al had received almost nothing of dea
fathers estate, because of the failure of I
which happened but a short time previous
TO his sudden death. Mothers iointure wa,
sufficient for her wants and nv education
and Muriel was rich so we did not take ou,
loss of fortune very much to heart Mother
lived to see me married and settled in m,
own home, and died, leaving her small for
tune to your grandpa and me. A year after
our marriage your grandpa lost every cent OF
MS own fortune and mine in an unfortunate
Investment, and then began the battle OF
lie. For twenty years, Gerty, we had
nothing but poverty and embarrassment and
misfortune. Grandpa succeeded at last II
all came out right, Gerty-all at once, lust
when the Lord meant it should, no doubt
from the very beginning. And Just whel
we were rich enough without it Woodwild
Hall was added to our portion. | was glad
to come to it, for it was here, Gerty, that
first met your grandpa. 1t was here Will,
this was Muriel's home, that spent most OF
my gala days.
1t seems no longer ago than yesterda,
when | came up to the Hall for a week on,
May-let me see-fifty-two years ago. Yol
thrifty thirty-years old orchard was not
planted till grandpa and came here to live (:
but there was an orchard that father hac
planted, and it was in bloom when cam,
up for my week"
Here grandma stopped, and seemed to fal
| into a reverie.
By-and-by she took up the raveed thread
Muriel had fancy for odd people,
think. Among her house-servants was al.
ways one or more character Two of thes-
| shall always remember. They were sit
ting on the long piazza at the rear of til,
main house when | ran down the back stair
way, soon after my arrival, intent on m,
customary exploration of premises. They
were neither young nor handsome; but the,
we're fascinating. One of them, Merope
'ieyer was shelling early peas for dinner.
She had forlorn, wilted, forsaken look all
over, from the crown ofh her head to the sole OF
her foot, still not repulsive, and by no mean.
,oarse. There was some sort of grace ol
fashion about her, withal."
:" Poor Merope whose daughter was she?"
[ inquired.
81 know nothing of whose daughter she
was. The other woman, Gretchen Huesen.
kampf-"
You must excuse my Interruptions.
grandie; but great-aunt Muriels help had
such remarkable Names"
They were remarkable themselves" said
grandma, as if that justified. Gretchen
Huesenkampf was noble woman, and be.
came the mother of thirteen children.
Goodness" | calculated, in whisper,
which was meant to, but did not escape
grandma's sharp ears.
Gertrude Rudolf, in those davs. in mn
Young days 1t was not considered an out
rage upon the proprieties and the conve-
llences Tor married people TO have children.
The sixth commandment was better OBJ
served then than now. The seventh also.
Babies were not then deemed nuisances. an
noylng encumbrances, or occasional luxuries
They were welcomed as a heritage and a
gift from the Lord The women Of nv dav.
who married the men of my day, expected
% become and were glad and thankful to
become the mothers of their children. They
we're good, pure, sweet women, and their
husbands honored and cherished them.
FIFTY years ago, Gerty, divorces were rare.
Women were healthier happier, and fairer
10 look upon"
Grandma was getting excited. reminded
her, in notifying way, that those of her
granddaughters who had married had proved
themselves women and wives of the good
Did type. "They are ALL said l. like
the old woman who lived in shoe. They
have so many children don't know what
to do"
:" You may yet owe your support to some
Of those children, said grandma, severely,
md | sat rebuked.
After moment ventured meeky: The
other woman Gretchen Huesenkampf ?"
"Was round and rosy, and bue-eyed and
liaxen-haired, and looked for all the world
ike the cheerful, hopeful, stout-hearted
friend she had proved herself to be. Gerty.
,he had trailed round the world from pillar
10 post, year after year, with that fororn,
wilted last rose of summer, Merope Geyer.
Tor seven years bearing her burden and
comforting, and fairly keeping life and heart
in the poor, love-cracked creature, for moth.
ing on earth but just from sympathy and
generous human kindness. When, shortly
after first saw her, Gretchen married, she
took Merope to her home, aud kept her with
her. II they are living-and for aught
know they are-l suppose poor old Merope
(she was much the elder of the two) must
he nigh upon eighty years old now, and on
ine May days is still watching and waiting
with apple blossoms stuck in white hair"
"Ob, you hare come to the apple bios
SONS. Had she them then in her hair,
,helling peas on the piazza Z"
"Ies, and Gretchie was hulling straw
berries for dessert. went up to them in
my blunt, schoolgirl fashion, and began
some sort of conversational forget now
what-nonsense, no doubt, for was but
siddy, foolish child. Presently noticed two
great teardrops roll from Merope's eyeashes
Land O. love and sunny skiesl" | cried
out, "pray what are you crying about 2"
And then began to sing,
ooh, dear, what can the matter be2"
The poor forlorn woman took up her peas
and basket and, without word, walked
away toward the kitchen. Theie was re-
proachful look in the blue eyes of the round
little Dutch woman, as turned TO her, and.
taking the seat Merope had left, began TO
hull and throw Strawberries into the glass
bowl. Then she told me how, away out in
Ohio, Merope Geyer, bright young girl of
eighteen, keeping house for her brothers,
orphans like herself, ON the farm where
Gretchen was herself hired as help was
courted by good-looking young man from
New England, who was teaching school in
the nearest village. The wedding day was
fixed in May The feast was prepared, the
| guests We're assembled, and the bride-elect,
in her wedding gown, sat expectant at her
chamber window, watching for her tardy
lover. But the schoolmaster did not come
then or ever. The poor girl was dis
tracted with grief She fell into low fever,
and for long time her life was despaired
of. When at length she recovered her bodily
health, her mind, as the Scotch would say,
! WAS no a. there Nothinp could nrevent