The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-06-17
AN EDELwEISs OF THE sIERRAs

AN EDELWEISS OF THE SIERRAS
/. ...
Lucy Boynton lived solitary life in gra
old minister town in England. She was al
orphan, in charge OF a venerable maiden aunt
who, like the celebrated Mrs. F." of Hood
ballad, was uffH ,h.s. $40 .
,,.-i D.. $50 very deaf l ...f
She might have worn a percussion cap,
And be hit on the head without hearing
snap" . ..s : .
From spring to autumn, from autumn h
spring, Lucy sat and sewed, busted the tea
cups on the mantel-shelf, read few dull books
and accompanied her aunt to service, whence
the morning and evening chants noated in a
the window OF their sitting-room close to tn,
cathedral walls. Not so much as the Vicar o
Waketield's excitement "to migrate from the
blue bed to the brown was allotted her; for
ever since she could remember, Lucy had occu
pied the same s i'll viii e-curtained nest, open
ing from Miss B ynton's bedroom, where al
night she could peep out to supervise the re
moval OF certain glossy, ink-black fronts
piece OF hair, and the assumption OF frille(
Golf, converting the old lady's strong aquilint
profile into grim silhouette of some warrior
of ancient Greece or Rome.
Into this colorless existence when Lucy wa.
about eighteen, there came an influence potent
and mysterious, as il watt of jasmine seem
were blown across some meadow nook where
homely buttercu S are springing In the grass
Miss Boynton's nephew, Tom Bo nton, OF
whom his few scattered kinspeoplc had heard
nothing for several years, arrived from the
other side OF the Atlantic to look up those OF
his blood remaining to him in England He
was handsome active young fellow, with q
launty grace OF carriage, and 6nl6re in his
hearty voice, irresistibly compelling a return
OF cor diality be the recipient ever so guarded
in his dignity.
L Ne -
10 the standard of dignity at st. Margaret's in
general fell in love with him frankly at the
outset, while Tom, who began by finding no
end OF pleasure in telling his travellers tales TO
this dear Ii tie wide-eyed creature, going white
and red alternately with his perils and escapes,
ended by picking her up in his arms one day,
Fowlng ne must have her for his wife-her or
no woman, present or to come That rough
wooings speed cheeriy sometimes wi mes
King Harry the Fifth or tho of '-oiiosr
ferce VickiDgs out of the dark Northeast, +"
Hereward the Wake.
The dewy atmosphere of st. Margaret's not
having proved favorable to the growth of small
feminine coquetries, Lucy, trembling little
and blushing grea deal, but strong in trust,
plighted him her troth. asu1l.. .-'
Unlike the members of his adopted brother
hood in the New World, Tom Boynton neye
~calcuiated." He was quite unprepared for
the effect of this news upon poor old Miss
BoYntOn, who received his triumphant an
nouncement with a sort of fearless grief pecu-
liar to age, and most appealing to the alwart
mountaineer. He realized that to take Lucy
away from her would be like tearing the ivy
from lettering wall. To remain in England,
as his aunt pleadingly suggested, partly de-
pendent upon her slender means, until an
opening in business could be found for him,
was thought impossible to en- ertain. TOMS
heart Went out with mighty yearning toward
the wonderful hill country left behind, and
the prospect of speedy wealth it held out to a
strong, capable fellow like himself.
For time he was in pitiful state of ir-
resolution. One day in spring, when golden
laburnums and sweet lillies-of- the-valley were
coming out in the sunshine of the prim little
garden behind the house, Tom strobe I'D and
down the walk consumed with restlessness.
Catching sight Of Lucy's brown head at the
window OF the parior, where she sat sewing in
frame of ivy leaves, he asked her to put
down her seam and come for walk with him.
They reached point beyond the town,
where Lucy seated herself upon a bank of rich
grass with daisies pied, " such as only En-
gland can produce. Looking down the vista OF a
oowery lane, they saw the minister tower rise
1vy-wreathed against tranquil sky, gray
chimneys and moss grown roofs clustering
ABOUT it, half hidden from sight by venerable
trees. shining river ran through meadows
of greenest turf. EVERYWHERE the eye plunged
into a mass of unequaled verdure. All was
calm, hushed, locked in a deep repose. Here
was Old England garneriug in her centu-
rles Of well earned peace Here, nearer still,
was Lucy, her candid eyes fixed trustfully on
his. Ed. = -''~'1lT = "a
just then the sun at setting painted tho
heavens with glory unspeakable. 1t was as
II his own Golden Gate had opened suddenly
before him, and Tom sprang to his feet, the
IRE OF Westward Hot" thrilling in his veins.
Lucy" he cried, crushing her hands in his
vigorous grasp-"dear, darling Lucy, i is an
awful thing, but must go. It is only for a
while, never fear; for while grass grows and
water runs l'il be true to YOU my ass. am
going to work for fortune now as | never did
before. God bless your dear little SOUL If
there's gold to be had, I'll have it. viii YOU
wait for me, Lucys'' ~
''l'll wait, Tom,n she answered, simply.
There is one thing you have never looked
at, my dear" Tom said, after long talk over
their plans. :" 1t is just possible that you NAV
be left alone in the world at time when can't
get away to come for you / am haun ed by
the lear. II drives me to proposing what i
might nat have dared to ask for otherwise Az
my sweetheart, Lucy, you could not sail around
the globe TO come to me; but IL you love me
wei enough to marry me now, before | go,
ana let me leave you the protection of nv
name, you can take ship at, any time for New
YORK, and rom there take another to an
Francisco, where / will meet my wife, and
carry her of to my den in the mountains, like
great ogre as | am. Think twice, Lucy, be-
fore you say yes. 1t will be long VOYAGE for
you, poor little waif aud Wild life after YOU
get there; only-God forget me, Lucy, il ]
ever cease TO love and cherish you as the apple
of my eyel" -t..,.I -
49," will do what YOU say, Ton," Lucy said,
like the creature of dream. flH ii@
Two years passed, aud all that Lucy had to
remind her OF the strange vows she had taken
were The little gold wedding ring he had
squeezed upon her finger in the shadow Of tile
oid Minister altar, another cirelet hammered
out OF virgin California gold, and imprs ming
great sparkling DIAMOND, sent after Toms
arrival in san Francisco, and the letters glow
ing with love and pride that came TO her b
every mail Tom was now engineer in charge
OF famous new mine up under the snow