San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-04-06
"Oh, Rosy, [ do wonder what they


are doing there to-day" said choking
ly.
"Goodness knows" answered Rosy,
briskly, "let us turn our minds rather
to the thought of what they will do
when they receive my letter, ANNOUNCE
ing our staying here. All the village
will know it as one person. The wise
ones will also exclaim as one person:
There now, that comes of setting a
man up as sole guardian of two orphan
girls; : and Others will say: what q
pity those two girls have no mother
and Oh, Minna, do look; did you ever
see any thing so lovely?"
caught the direction OF her eye, and
followed it. Near us stood young
German. He had evidently been in
the mountains, and he carried small
sprig of those purolish.crimson Alpine
flowers which blush beneath the stars.
He heard my sisters words. lie came
toward us, and, holding out the pretty
blossom from the regions of eternal ice
so full of fire, he said:
evil you accept themP You will give
me pleasure, for in my hand they will
wither. l am no hower-keeper. 1t
grew nigh among the mountains next to
the Skies" he added in an after-tone.
Rosy took tie flower, simply smiling
her sweet, proud smile. SHOW lovely
it isl she said to me.
"I wonder whence it got this bright
color up there in the snow. May be
one night star kissed it, sorry for its
loneliness-and it blushed."
eyes! Psyche and STAR" said the
young, bold German, quietly; and then
my sister blushed-only, happily for her,
the crimson tint was not permanent. 1t
faded out in moment, leaving her pure
white again.
"You never have been among our
Alps" was the young strangers next
advance in speech, while he drew just
one step nearer us. His manner was
full of that blithe, courteous breeziness
which melts the ice of conventional stiff
ness till it runs in little trickling rills of
talk.
emo" Rosy continued, "not yet.
But am going; my sister and mean
to 90 some day-some time this sum-
mer."
He slipped portfolio from under his
arm, and in another moment all his
specimens and papers were displayed to
our admiring sight. eff you will look, "
he pleaded. "See what l have gather
e. ed in weeks ramble. Look at these
flowers so rare. Look at these poor
; sketches, which, however, try to give
some idea faithfully of what my eyes
saw. Is it not wonderful what God has
created-and keepsp Even the little
nower-a pretty blush on the white
snow. He keeps it,
Ipulled Rosy's sleeve. "Oh, Rosy,
we must 90. Do come away. We must
not stay here. What would Emma say
if she were to see us?'
This was the beginning of our German
summer. So sweet, so fresh, so quiet,
so restful, so full of tender peace. We
grew used in little time to the place.
Grew used to the coming and going
from the warm baths, to the water every
where. Water trickled through the
green, soft moss like silver flashing.
There was sweet, piney smell to the
air without. Within, shutting footsteps
tramped heavily along the long wooden
galleries, opening unexpected doors and
shutting them again. Our innkeeper
dozed and smoked, and drank his beer
outside the door, sitting on rough
bench. The poplar trees quivered and
whispered down in the garden. All!
that garden!
"Come!" the tremulous green leaves
were eternally whispering as they
shook. "Come! we hold n secret pris-
oned in our depths. 1t can not escape.
1t can not escape. Come hide your Sc
cret here, tool"
They always whispered like this at
night when the shadows lay deepest and
darkest on the ground. BY daylight,
while the yellow sunshine kissed the
edges of the leaves, there was silence
mostly. Only now and then the
branches stirred; the boughs parted and
deep within voice gurgled ironically,
as if waiting for the light to come to leap
out.