Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-02-01


/ "Do you care for row on the river
this evening"" be asked, as they drew
near the door.
oh, very much," and she glanced
up into his face, as she passed in be-
fore him.
1t was just dark as they went down
the bank together-he, with the long,
slender oars resting over his shoulder
and she, with a light chip hat perched
coquettishly upon her dark hair. Just
dusk, and the firef1ies were at play in
the shadows as John Metler pushed the
boat from the shore, and with few
swift, sturdy strokes brought it into
the center of the stream.
Leslie leaned back in the stern,
grasping the tiller rope, and watched
her companion as with quick, strong
strokes he urged the boat onward. He
had thrown aside his hat, and the soft
summer air had flung back the closely
curling hair from the broad forehead.
How far do we go up stream ?"
she asked.
"Onlyto the bridge about mile. 1
saw some violets by that great root this
morning." and suddenly releasing his
grasp upon one oar he reached out and
plucked them. "The flower of mod
esty,' he said, iinging his treasures
into her lap. "May they never
whitherw
And my choice among all flowers"
she answered him. .sI must have
some every day, if they be plenty
hereabout."
"You shall never want" he re-
piled, earnestly, and she grew strangely
silent as he bent over the oars.
They turned about. under the deep,
black shadow of the bridge. and then
slowly drifted down the starlit stream,
with the long limbs waving and reach
ing out as if to stop the passage of the
boat on either side.
How very quiet everything is to-
night 1" she murmured, dreamily, as
she rested back in the bow, looking up
through the arched leaves, almost
meeting overhead.
Yes, it is almost dream-like the
boat song of Tennyson," he replied
then asked suddenly, "Do you sing,
Miss Gordon?"
No" she answered, holding vio-
let over in the water; "not at all, but
I think you do. Won't you sing the
song you mentioned just now?'
And he did sing it superbly, in
rich tenor voice, and the words echoed
back from either bank and stole along
the still water. in the silent night
perfect burst of melody. When he
ended they were at home again.
The first thing to attract Leslie'sno-
tice the next morning was a great vase
of violets, standing upon her center
table, freshly picked, and still heavy
with their weight of dew.
He does love me some," she muir
INJURED. "Oh, why is it so? why must
he be such gentleman, and yet only
a mountain farmer, after alp" and her
cheeks grew flushed and hot. as she en-
tered the little breakfast room, and in
spite of herself her heart beat the
faster for his kindling eye.
So the long, pleasant days of the
happy summer drifted swiftly away
with the mornings quiet about the
farm and the pleasant, cool evenings
upon the river. With the girls heart
growing gradually warmer and warmer
toward her farmer lover, yet never
once acknowledging it, for moment,
even to herself. Her pride yet held in
restraint the better impulses of her
nature.
One early morning toward the end,
feeling more rebellious than usual, she
wandered out alone along the sunny
lane, toward the river, seeking flowers
with which todecorate her room.
Wandering slowly along in the
shadow, swinging her light chip hat
carelessly in one hand, she passed the
field where the men were busy, and
then suddenly noticed some extremely
brilliant wild flowers blooming upon
the high bank near her.
"How beautiful she said, her eyes
kindling. al must have them; but
how?" Then she saw large log pro-
jecting out into the water. A moment
of doubt, and gathering her skirts
closer she went down the steep bank.
Don't venture upon that log, Miss
Gordon r said voice, imperiously, she
thought.
"What business has he to order me
about?" she spoke to herself, indig-
nantly, and went straight forward.
at is not safe-let me-
"It's safe enough" she called back,
without looking up. " | am going to
have those flowers
As she spoke she placed one little
foot upon the apparently solid wood,
tried its stability an instant, and then
stepped quickly out, balancing herself
by catching dropping branch Of tree
above. Drawing close to the flowers
she leaned forward to grasp her prize,
CLEAN Of victory in her flushed face,