Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1881-07-21
THE WATER LILY.

county of IIertford, might have been
termed with Goldsmith's "Sweet Au-
burn" the "lovclicst of the plain"
Where smiling spring its earliest visit
paid,
And parting summers lingering blooms
delayed
ITalf-hidden amid shady clump of
trees u young artist sat painting at a
small, light easel, and the faint outlines
of distant hills and scattered hamlets
were already standing out from the
canvass in front of him.
lie was apparently but little over
thirty years of age, and his face looked
grave and stern for one 50 young, and
bore unaccOuntable traces of some long
hidden sorrow.
He had for some time been sitting
absorbed in his work, almost uncOn-
scious of anything around him save the
fair sketch of landscape he was so
faithfully delineating.
The broOklet ran by him-not twen-
ty yards from where he was seated
and the dappled cows lay chewing their
cuds upon its banks, Orquenching their
thirst in its crystal waters, reminding
one of Sidney COOper's most perfect
pictures of cattle.
Ernest Darrell's attention was, how
ever, suddenly arrested by new object,
and one which to his gaze was fairer
than any he had seen that morning. A
little girl scarcely seven years of age,
was standing near the brook-sle had
been gathering water-hlies, and in her
hand she held u basket containing a
number of the pure white flowers. His
eyes fell upon her face, lifted wistfully
to his own, and then something like a
smile broke over the little ones mouth,
as she said, half shyly:
"Do come and reach me this beauty,
if you please.
Ernest Darrell was hardly sure at
first whether it was really himself she
was addressing; but no sooner was he
aware of the fact than he laid down
his palette and brushes and came for
ward to her assistance.
"a water-lily, is itp' he asked, glanc.
ing at her basket.
"Yes, such beauty, but so far out
of my reacb,' she repeated, and ther
stood eagarly watching Ernest, who
stretching himself full length upon The
bank, succeeded with his long arm il
grasping the coveted flower.
The child's delight was unbolmded
lao ;f,Itf Of 1xvI,i
for his trouble; but the unusual beauty
of her face, and the air of child-lik'
grace which accompanied her ever.
movement completely won Erncsti
heart, and he was determined not Il
let her run away just yet.
"You must give me kiss as pay
ment for it," he said with smile, light
ly passing his hand over her COLDER
head from which her hat had fallen
She started back with a vivid blush,
"0h, no, indeed; l am great dea
too old to kiss YOU" she exclaimed
"Why, am seven and quite a youni
lady,"
"Are you, really? Then am sure
beg your pardon" said Ernest, hardl
able to repress laugh. "But at an
rate you will tell me your name% h
added.
"Oh, yes; my name is Lillian, but
am nearly always called Lily" reptile
the little girl, with an air of cons'
quence.
Lilian-nothing elsep" asked El
nest.
mo; only that" she answered.
Surnames are generally superlluou
with children.
"Then, presume, the fact of you
being a lily yourself makes you fond {
the flowers that bear your name," /
rejoined smiling.
She laughed-a soft, silvery, hapr
laugh, that fell like music upon u
young artists ear.
"0h, don't know; l think love a
flowers, but especially these" she sal
glancing down at her basket. "Tht
are so large and pure and white, iii
the white-robed angels in the staine
glass windows at church. Mama low
them, too, because she says when a
not with her they remind her of me
"You are mamas pet, then, and p