Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-07-23

tage was 'Fate's no farther.
Accordingly, l told mine hostess that
was a poor story-writer (you will ad-
NIT that that was no lie, for all the edi,
tors to whom have submitted my man.
uscripts have said the same thing), with |
a book to finish, and that of all places in
the world to finish it, her beautiful quiet |
home seemed the best, and i begged her
to let me stay few weeks, promising to |
make her as little trouble as possible. |
"Well, l don't see nothin' agin it, if
father and daughter don't, said she, and
away she went again, and from the MUIR
muir of voices in the hall, knew the
matter was being discussed by the fam
lily. And in few moments a shrewd-
looking old man appeared, looked at
me sharply, and asked sbrI... uely, Kin
you ford to pay four dollars a weekP
l told him l thought l could, and he
seized my valise and carried it into the
cottage, following. Ned, old chap, it
,1Gs a lovely spot, and no mistake.
Every morning the birds awakened me
with their songs, and they were so fear
less, never having learned how cruel
men can be, that they flew in at my win
dow and perched upon the frame of the
old looking -glass-such rum old glass
CROOKED my nose and crossed my eyes)
and watched me dress; and fragrance
enough from the rose vines foated into
that attic room in one day to have per-
fumed Eudora's handkerchiefs for a
whole year.
Gas for Alice-the sweet wild rose
no poet ever dreamed of maid more beau
tiful. Large innocent dark blue eyes,
with lashes so long that they cast faint
shadow on her rounded cheeks; mouth,
nose, chin, ears, hands, feet, simply per-
fection; and a voice. not as musical as
Eudora's, it is true, but with a childish
ring and sweetness; and when she spoke,
which was seldom, it was with pretty
modest hesitancy that made you long to
catch her in your arms and kiss the
words from her full red lips. | had only
seen her three times, when | was madly
in love with her, and thought the plain,
calico gowns she wore the prettiest
gowns in the world. Her father and
mother watched us closely, but that
blessed Gas l thought then) drouth had
set in a week or so before my arrival,
and in two or three weeks more our
rain-water cask-we hadn't attained to
the dignity of a cistern-was empty, and
our well ran low, and much water had
to be brought from the brook, and of
course l helped the sweet wild rose to
carry the pals, and (again, as l thought
them the brook was a blessed quarter
of mile from the house; and one day,
after traversing this quarter of mile
with the pals and bonnie Alice, | wrote
you very long letter. in which among
many other things, reviewed my Eudo-
IA experience, and told you of the treas
ure | had found in the cottage by the
wood. And few days after posting this
letter, / asked the sweet wild rose to be
my wife. She raised those glorious, in
nocent blue eyes to my face tor an in
stant, and then hid them upon my breast
while she whispered-the shy darling
"'Don't ask father and mother just
yet, until l get used to the thought my
self. 1t seems so very strange
"'And are you sure you love me!
And will you be willing to wear calico
, gowns, and live in little cottage al
, your life p said l.
"'Try me- she replied, with glowing
cheeks and an arch smile.
"'Now am l really loved said l tC
: the birds, next morning not having
: you, Ned, | made confidants of them
= and, like you, they never betrayed me
1T is Hal Eimendorf wins the heart o
Alice, not his fortune-no signing fol
gems and gold, no longing for silks anC
? velvets and satins, knows this simpl
< country maid. She is even unaware o
} her own marvellous grace and beauty
and she is also unaware, it can not b
denied, of many of the rules Of gram
mar and pronunciation. But these cal
t soon teach her, Heaven bless her!' An,
< then l thought what delight it would b
e to see those gui eless blue eyes opel
e wide in pleasure and astonishment when
t after gaining her parents consent to ou
y marriage, l placed diamond ring upo
/ the little hand. And | made up M
J. mind to start for the nearest city imme
}. diately and obtain the ring.
t $50, pleading urgent business to m
n darling, as soon as breakfast was ovel
If I bade her good-by for day or two.
) "Oh! if you should never come back
a she sobbed, clinging around my neck.
= "'But / will, dearest, l said, unloos
'e ing her lovely arms, and kissing the teal
If from her eyes. 4 shall be back agai
5, before you have time to miss me- An
l. I waS; for had only gone mile or tw
y when | discovered l had left my pocke
Is book behind, and full of anger again
If myself for my carelessness, l hastenC
D. back. AS l neared the cottage heai
le loud notes.-the voices of Mrs. Burdoc
my prospective mother-in-law, and
a could it beP Yes, it was my sweet wi
r., rose.
ly "Well, it's a regular mess. and I dor
II. know what to say to Bill Tryon when
k comes back from sea- the elder lady W
#, saying He'll raise the ruff off t
to house'