Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-11-17
Gathering Sweet Brier After Five Years.

| All the air was IraSTdut Will SWeot oTleT,
and the pale blossoms shone like stars
in the dark green bower made by the foli-
age. Standing in the bower, her dark curls
brushed by the trailing branches, and her
hands lstlessly plucking the starry bios
SONS. was Amy Lud wick, pretty young
lass. Her blushing brown eyes were now dim
with unshed tears, and Grant Burchard. at
distance. studied the rural picture and
smiled. 1t was manlike to smile, when he
knew from her liStless dreamy air she. was
thinking of the absent; and he could have
testified on oath that absent one was he. 1t
was ma. like to smile when he noted the
unwonted quiver of laughing, ruby lips, and
the unusual dewyness of sparkling, dancing
ewes, and was confident, as of his existence,
that thoughts of him had robbed the lips
IF their steadiness, and the eyes of their
flashing brilliancy; and he was right. You
would have known it by the uns spoken glad
ness that shown out of the dark, saucy face,
as Grant Burchard came in sight, softly
humming Home, Sweet Home"
Il don't believe word of it, she said,
saucily, as he entered the bower and tied
the sweet briar IN knots about her head and
shoulders.
Don't believe what, you little atheist?"
he as ed, playfully. Don't believe that
you are my prisoner, and that l may be
cluel master, demanding penance for all
the sins you ever committed?"
II don't believe that song she answer
ed, little sadly. "You sing Home. Sweet
Home and act as if you were delighted to
get out in the broad world"
Amy" (and the manly tones spoke with
a slight eproachfulness), you know love
my home, and
He paused and showered tie white bios
SONS over her head, looking into her shy,
saddened eyes.
Il may not say it," he added. Your
father thinks he is a wise man, and has
sealed my lips. Dear as is this simple
country place. 1 know that life has better
work than can be done here My energies
are cramped and my powers are sadly linn
tied. The opportunity offered me for trav-
ell and improvement is a rare one, and
may not cast it away. 1t is a realization of
golden dream, and when l return I will
realize another, and confound your fathers
fearsn'
He held her pinioned with the eglantine
fetters, but she tore them hurrieoly away,
saying:
"When you return you may despise
simple girl like me, and my father wishes
to spare me future pain in forbidding
further intimacy until we know ourselves
rs years of separation will prove us. That
separation he insists must be entire. We
can not even write, Grant"
But we can think, and love, and wait. "
was the hopeful answer. "Ionder comes
your cousin Alice. l would say, plague
take her! only she looks wonderously like
you. Good bye, Amy"
And the strong man kissed her trembling
lips and was gone.
Poor Amy! She was only sixteen, and
not much of a philosopher. So thought
her father as he watched the sad face
moving about uneasily. He changed his
opinion when she bnelt on the stool at his
side and inquired:
PA. can go away to SCHOOL,"
you go to school!' he exclaimed. Il
thought you hated schooi?'
NO. she answered. gravely, 81 never
hated it, and my teacher said would make
a good student if cared less for fun.
ON a real ignoramus, pa"
Did Grant tell YOU so, Amy?"
No, pa" answered the blushing girl.
He sometimes corrected my grammar, but
he thinks l know more than l do Even
now he talks of subjects I cannot under
stand. He is going out to learn and i'm
prove continually, and if I settle down to
my old fun and Incidence he will indeed
desplse me when he returns. Ilove Grant,
aud want to make myself worthy of him.
He will become accustomed to the society
of polished women, and will seem utterly
devoid of polish. You are wealthy, pa,
but would prefer education to money"
And Amy" said the old man, tearfuIly,
when you become lady perhaps you will
despise the awkward, old laundering farm
er. have heard of such things"
"Oh, pa, Aunt Hastings is true lady,
and she honors you as your daughter al
ways must, said Amy, winding her arms
around the neck of her doting father.
We'll. child write to your aunt to find
you good school in the city. She will
be good model for you. Amy child, if
it were necessary would make you lady,
that you m ight win Grants love even if it
lead you to despise me. Will Grant Bur-
chard ever love you better than that think
you?"
It was question that stirred the depths
of Amy Ludwicks loving heart, and kept
her faithful to her filial duty.
Five years later two gentlemen of polished
manners and easy address sat talking in
New York hotel. Some controverted point
had held them in earnest debate for a long
time, but at length the elder of the two
arose, saying:
Grant Burchard, like your devotion to
the memory of this country girl 1t shows
how tue friend you Can be. But, In this
case, believe you are preparing for your
self cruel disappointment"
Grant Burchard was only half listening.
After five years spent in foreign land, he
was still dreaming of the young girl in the
eglantine bower, and replied as before:
IF l find Amy Ludwick as when I left
her, will make her my bride.
You can not find her as you left her,"
cajH hic frion1 acf1r 1ob
Emery's watch against Grant Burchards hat
that she is already welded to some neigh
boring farmer, and that you will fail to
recognize your ideal Amy in the dumpy
: and illiterate housewife If she has not
married, you will probably wish she had;
for, during these five years YOU have been
adding to your store of knowledge, and un-
consciously gaining tstste for higher pur-
suits and companionship. If this girl has
not gained, you will find she has lost her
youth, her simplicity, and all that native
freshness you SO much admire. You shake
your head doubtingly, eh? 'Ephraim is
IS believing, however. With such q heart
as yours. pity you when your idol lies be-
fore you fallen and shattered.
And Ralph Emery looked with real con-
Germ into the thoughtful face of his friend.
An hour later, they were whizzing rapid
ly toward the country, when their attention
was arrested at station by the entrance of
lady. Grant Burchard started! Some
thing reminded him of Amy Ludwick?
There we're brown eyes and glossy curls,
, worn in the old childish fashion, but now
they certainly were old madish and unbe-
coming. Her face was pretty, still it lacked
something to make it interesting, and Grant
Burchard could not butacknowledget to him.
self she was overdressed and unrefned in ap-
pearance. He instinctively shank from ac-
: knowledging to his friend that this woman
looked like the one he had loved. And
though his eyes caught the name of "a.
. Lud~ick on her travelling bag, he shrank
from renewing the acquaintance, as he
might have done by word. He was con-
trasting this uninteresting woman with the
l simple girl in the sweet brier glen, when an
old man entered and addres ssed her as
Miss Ludwlck."
8 Ralph Emery now started and looked in
: to his friends face.