The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1881-07-08
TIE WATER LILY.

The little village of Chelston, in the
county Of Hertford, might have been
termed with Goldsmiths "Sweet Au-
burn" the 'lovGiest Of the plain
Where smiling spring it's earliest visit paid,
And parting summers lingering blooms Delayed
And on this bright summers morning
on which our story opens it appeared
more lovely than ever, with the rich
foliage swaying beneath the clear blue
sky, the broad green meadows, and the
grazing cattle, while the gurgle Of
brool,let mingled its music with the
caroling Of birds.
Half-hidden amid shady clump Of
trees 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 can
vas in front Of him.
He was apparently but little over
| thirty years Of age, and his face looked
grave and stern for one SO young, and
bore unaccountable traces Of some long
hidden sorrow
He had for some time been sitting alb
| sorbed in his work, almost unconscious
Of anything around him save the fair
sketch Of landscape he was 50 faithfully
delineating.
The brooklet ran by him--not twenty
| yards from where he was seated and
the dappled cows lay chewing their
cuds upon its banks, or quenching 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 a new object,
and ono 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 size had
been gathering water-iilies, and in her
hand she held 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 forward to her
assistance. =
"a water-lily, is it2" he asked, glanc.
) ing at her basket.
Eyes. such beauty, but SO far out o.
my reach, she repeated, and then stood
eagerly watching Ernest, who stretching
himself full length upon the bank sue
eeeded with his long arm in graspine
Z the coveted flower.
The childs delight was unbounded
the sight of which amply rewarded hin
for his trouble; but the unusual heaut.
9 of her face and the air of childlike grac
i, which accompanied her every movemen
4 completely won Ernest's heart, and h
was determined not to let her run ava.
just yet.
o for it, he said, with smile, Gghtl
L passing his hand over her golden hea'
! from which her hat had fallen. Sh
;, started back, with vivid blush.
ooh, no. indeed; | am a great dei
r to old to kiss you," she exclaimed
sWhy, l am seven, and quite youn
2 lady
! beg your pardon, said Ernest, hardl
able to Fepfeea "a laugh Dut hu an
st rate you win tell me your nameg
,p added.
is "Oh. yes: my name is Lillian, but
lv am, nearly always called Lily, repllt
4, helittie girl, with an air Of consequence
= sIlilian-z-nothing else?" asked Ernes
IN ''No: only that, " she answered
Il. Surnames are generally supertluo'
i. | with children.
e. IT, seThen, 1 presume, the fact Of y6o'
ist being lily yourself makes you fond
te. the flowers that bear your name,
a., reioined, smiling.
!. She laughed soft, sivery, hapl
- Z, laugh. that fell like music upon d
ch Young artists ear.
ny "Oh, [ don't know; think love
Inc flowers, but especially these, she.sa
,ob glancing down at her basket. "Ihey
50 large and pure and white, IKE
iey white-robed angels in the stained gu
ms. windows at church. Mamma loves tn
as too, because she sayswhen | am not W
ne. her they remind her Of me.
.sYou are mammals pet, then and
7ir'' pas, too, suspect, for the matter
1w- that, replied Ernest, his interrup
occupation totally forgotten in the