The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-06-09
THE WATER LILY.


The little village of Chelston, in the
county of Hertford, might have been
termed with Goldsmith's "Sweet Au-
burn" the ''loveliest 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
brooklet mingled its music with the
caroling of birds.
Half-hidden amid a shady clump OF
trees young artist sat painting at
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 ab-
sorbed in his work, almost unconscious
of anything around him save the fair
sketch of landscape he was SO 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 Darrells 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-she had
been gathering water-ilies, and in her
hand she held basket containing q
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 it?" he asked, glanc-
ing at her basket.
eyes, such beauty, but so far out OF
my reach" she repeated, and then stood
eagerly watching Ernest, who stretching
himself full length upon the bank sue
ceeded with his long arm in graspine
the coveted flower.
The child's delight was unbounded,
the sight of which amply rewarded him
for his trouble; but the unusual beauty
of her face and the air of childlike grace
which accompanied her every movement
completely won Ernest's heart, and he
was determined not to let her run away
just yet. .. ... .,s
"You must give me kiss as payment
for it," he said, with a smile, lightly
passing his hand over her golden head
from which her hat had fallen. She
started back, with vivid blush.
"Oh, no. indeed; am great deal
tuo old to kiss you," she exclaimed
.fWhy, I am seven, and quite ayoune
lady" gl
'sAre you, really? Then I am sure
beg your pardon said Ernest, hardly
able to repress a laugh. "But at any
rate you will tell me your name?" hi
added.
"Oh, yes; my name is Lillian, but
am nearly always called Lily" replied
the little girl, with an air of consequence.
'Iilian-nothing else?" asked Ernest.
''No; only that" she answered.
Surnames are generally superfuous
with children. .....
"Then, 1 presume, the fact of you,
being lily yourself makes you fond o.
the flowers that bear your name," he
rejoined, smiling. .......
She laughed soft, silvery, happy
laugh, that fell like music upon the
young artists ear.
"Oh, don't know; think love al
flowers, but especially these" she said
glancing down at her basket. ''They ar,
SO large and pure and white, like th'
white-robed angels in the stained glas
, windows at church. Mamma loves then
too, because she says when I am not will
her they remind her of me-" E. 3D.
''You are mammals pet, then and pa
, pas, too, suspect, for the matter Q
that" replied Ernest, his interrupted
; occupation totally forgotten in the pey
pleasure he felt in conversing with tn
child - "a --.
II haven't papa" she said, droppipl
her voice; she died, oh, long before
can remember, but never ask abou
him, because it always makes mamm
cry. Would you tell me the time
please p ...1
Ernest glanced at his watch. "Nearl
l o'clock" he told her.
''Then must bid you goodbye" sh
said, ''or I shall be late home" An,
setting down her basket she bethough
herself of the hat, which she proceede
to adjust on the top of her golde
curls.
"Do you come here every day ?" sh
asked of Ernest. ..
. II shall be here every day for littl
while," he answered her.
"Then hope will see you again,
she said artlessly. "And thank you s
very much for getting me the waite
lily"
For moment her little eungloved han
rested on his own, her lips parted in M
other smile and then she was gone, ha,
tening away with allpossible speed acros
the sunny fields, bearing her sweet bu
: den of fowers-types Of her own pun
soul.
3 Ernest Darrell stood gazing after hel
Was it the touch of her light fingers thl