The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-11-17
Gathering Sweet Brier After Five Years

6atner1ng sweet Br1er After Five Years.
All the air was fragrant with sweet brier,
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 listlessly plucking the starry blos-
SONS. was Amy Lud rick, q pretty young
lass. Her blushing brown eyes were now dim
with unshed tears, and Grant Burchard, at
distance. studied the rural picture and
smiled. It 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. It
was maalike to smile when he noted the
unwonted quiver Of laughing, ruby lips. and
the unusual dewyness Of sparkling, dancing
eyes, and was confident, as Of his existence,
that thoughts of him had robbed the lips
of their steadiness, and the eyes of their
flashing brilliaucy; and he was right. You
would have known it by the unspoken glad
ness that shown ont of the dark, saucy face,
as Grant B"rchard came in sight, softly
humming Home, Sweet Home"
Il don't believe a 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, playiully. Don't believe that
you are my prisoner, and that I may be \
cluel master, demanding penance for all
the sins you ever committed?"
II don't believe that song she answer
ed q little sadly. ''You sing Home. Sweet
Home and act al if YOU were delighted to
get out in the broad world.''
Amy" (and the manly tones spoke with
| a slight eproachfulness), ''you know I love
my home, and"
He paused and showered the white BIOS
sons over her head, looking into her shy,
saddened eyes.
Il may not say it," he added. your
father thinks he is wise man, and has
sealed my lips. Dear as is this simple
country place. know that life has better
work than Can be done here. My energies
are c'amped and my powers are sadly lin
tied. The opportunity offered me for trav-
el and improvement is a rare one. and
may not Cast it away. 1t is realization of
realize another, and confound your fathers
! fears!'
He held her pinioned with the eglantine
letters, but she tore them huErieoly away,
saving:
"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
as 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. "Yonder comes
your cousin Alice. I would say, plague
take her! only she looks wonderously like
you. Goodbye, Amy"
And the strong man kissed her trembling
lips and was gone.
Poor Amy! She was only sixteen, aud
not much of philosopher. So thought
her father, as he watched the sad face
opinion when she knelt on the stool at his
side and inquired:
PA. can I 90 away to SCHOOL,"
You 20 to SCHOOL," he exclaimed. Il
thought you hated school?'
No, she answered, gravely, II never
hated it. and my teacher said would make
good student if cared less for fun. I
am real ignoramus. pa"
did Grant tell you so, Amy?"
No, pa, !" answered the blushing girl.
He sometimes corrected my grammar but
he thinks know more than I 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
despise me when he returns. Ilove Grant,
and 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 ANY," said the old man, tearfuIly,
when You become lady perhaps you will
despise the awkward, old blundering farm
er. 1 have heard of such things"
oh, pa, Aunt Hastings is a true lady,
and she honors you as your daughter al
ways must, said Amy, winding her arms
around the neck of her doting father.
well. 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 a lady,
that you might win Grants love- even If it
lead You to despise me. Will Grant Bur-
chard ever love you better than that, think
your"
It was question that stirred the depths
OF Amy Ludwick's loving heart, and kept
her faithful to her ilial duty.
Five years later two gentlemen of polished
manners and easy address sat talking in a
New York hotel. Some controverted point
had held them in earnest debate for 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 true friend you can be. But, IN this
case, believe you are preparing for your
self a cruel disappointment"
Grant Burchard was only half listening.
After five years spent in foreign land, ke
was still dreaming of the young girl in the
eRlantine bower, and replied as before:
IT find Amy Ludwick as when 1 left
her, will make her my bride.
You can not find her as you left her"
said his friend, earnestly. "Here is Ralph
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
married, you will probably wish she had;
for, durlng these five years YOU have been
adding to your store of knowledge, and un-
consciously gaining a t,.ste for higher pur-
snits and companionship. II 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
joined to his idols; let him alone Seeing
IS believing, however. With such 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 whizzinR rapid
ly toward the country, when their attention
was arrested at q station by the entrance of
a lady. Grant Burchard started! Some
thing reminded him of Amy Ludwick?
There were brown eyes and glossy curls
worn in the old childish fashion, but now
they certainly were old maidish and unbe-
coming. Her face ~as pretty, still it lacked
something to make it interesting, and Grant
Rurchard could not tbutacknowledge to him
self she was overdressed and unrefined in ap-
pearance. He instinctively shank from &C.
knowledeing to bis friend that this woman
looked like the one he had loved. And
though his eyes caught the name Of "A.
Ludwick on her travelling bog, he shrank
from renewing the acquaintance, as he
might have done by word. He was con-
trasting this uninterestinR woman with the
simple girl in the sweet brier glen, whom an
old man entered and addressed her as
Miss Ludwlck."
R0lnh Emorv nov atar<ad o,,6 1nokoI +,