Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-08-07
Apple Blossoms And Love,
BY BRRTHA BERTON.

Dark, hazel eyes, fringed with long,
sweeping lashes, n fair face, with
faint tint of rose in the rounded cheeks,
vivid lips, archly curved, and wavy,
rich auburn hair
They belonged to Amy Lee, and she,
a girl Of seventeen, was sitting beneath
the broad-spreadipg appie-tree in her
uncIe's garden.
1t was an afternoon in the late
springtine, and the branches above her
were laden with great masses of fra
grant blossoms, some pink-peta.ed,
some white as snow, while the soft
south wind fitting through the verdure,
waited down like snowf1akes the per.
fumed petals upon the head and shout
ders Of the fair young girl, AMI upon
the page she was reading.
An unconscious picture was Amy
Lee, as she sat there reading, in fan
tastically twisted old rustic chair,
though quite unaware of her pictures
queness. for her interest was absorbed
In her book-so much absorbed that she
did rot hear the footsteps of a gentle
man, who, walking slowly down the
country road, had feasted his eyes upon
the rural picture, then had passed on,
still thinking OF the fair, thoughtful
face, which the broad .trimmei hat.
pushed cArelessiy back, nad reade red
mote arch in expression.
Amy Lee was AN orphan. She lived
with her uncle an kept his house, and
in various ways made herself COM
fort, almost necessity, 10 the old gen
tleman, who had 10 other kind al.
He was quite old. and like most aged
people, somewhat notional but Amy
usually suited him, although he did not
hesitate to scOld when in one Of his irri-
table moods.
But Amy loved her uncle, notwith.
standing his fretfulness, and she had
the sympathetic nature If a true wO-
man, that made allowance for the mfr
mites OF age.
She had no reason TO think that he
was rich, for he lived frugally but
when at her mothers death she wat
left alone, he had offered her a home.
She was but fourteen when she left
school, and since that time life had been
very prosy.
The rou,ln ne of housekeeping general
ly proves ~ 'notonous TO n young girl
and An r 'as quite apt TO indulge il
day ir~ani-.
Sha raj so much wanted to go t.
scno ~ fit herself for higher capa
bi.,'i-s than what she mentally de
noninnted household drudgery. Bu1
she never mentioned such aspira
tons.
Uncle John hat given her a home
when she had no shelter. She owed
him debt of gratitude to care for hi,
needs WAS the only way in which sh,
could repay him but her life was iso
lated, and the young girls thoughts
were ever going out toward the groa1
outside world.
But John Courtland never dreamed
that Amy was not completely happy
The life he led suited him the garden
ing, that Is in season, gave him suffioi
emit labor, and supplied his table will
fruits and vegetables; the care Of hi
horse, the feeding and petting o
some choice fowls; the reading Of hi
books and papsrs-these were quit,
enough for his sixty-ave years.
With seventeen it was different, ant
Amy Lee longed for more congenial so
ciety. So intently was she following thu
fortune of her heroine in the tacinating
story she was perusing, that she wa
Obvious of time or place.
Her beautiful surroundings of spic,
apple blossoms and delicate green leave
the hum of bees, sipping sweets from
the flowers, and OF birds trilling an,
ltwittering over their young, all failet
to bring her back to the actual realitie
of life; till sudden crash Of thunde
overhead, FLASHING rain-drop upol
her open page, made her spring to he
feet in bewildermeut, and she locke,
up to see an ominous c.ond, Jagged
edged and threatening, looming up fas
in the heavens. Then came a vivid
binding flash Of lightning, followe,
almost Instantly by a crashing peal O
thunder, and Amy ran to the house
Then she fitted from room to room
closing the opan windows and securing
the blinds; for the wind was rising
there might be tornado. She mad
Everything as secure as possible, bu
the storm was increasing every momen
in violence; n continuous roar 0
thunder, and the lightning flashed in
cessantly; 1t zig-zageed across tn
cloudy sky like thing of life, ant
when Amy had nothing more to do,
sense of fear came over her, and sh
wished she was not alone then, as
in answer to her wish. the bell rang
and glad of something to divert her al
tention, she ran to the door.
A gentleman craved shelter from
| the storm. He had been caught with
out an umbrella, and he should get
Thorough soaking II he attempted :
walk back to the village hotel.
The pleasant, manly face, the couI
teous manner were reassuring to tn
young girl, and she flung open tn
door.
Already the big drops were fallin
fast, and a moment or two afterward
the storm came down In all its fury.
/, Amy led the way to tho sitting-room
and the stranger seated himself by
window. He notad the apparent fea
in the young girls face, and with rar
tact, drew her into pleasant CONVEX
sation that dispelled the terror whic
the tempest had inspired.
He spoke If the place, of its surround
ings; he admired the simple countr
scenery, and finally led Amy on I
i speak of her own life, OF her pursuits
her ambitions, until, before she va
aware, she had told OF her great longin
to study. to know something, as sh
naively expressed the desire.
az think that, with your uncle's al
Iproval, we might arrange that" I'll
gentleman remarked. II dislike I'll
hustle and confusion Of hotel life.
want a quiet home for the summer, an
1 have leisure. ] could give you instru
ton in English, and also in higher bral
ohes !" and In the bright, young ia,
glowed an awakening interest.
A half hour had passed the storm hu
ceased, the sun shone through the clou
riffs, and made the pendent drops {