New Ulm weekly review., 1886-03-24
BETROTHED IN A CELLAR.

BETR0THED IN A CELLAR.
From Household Words
By making gigantic effort I had at
last succeeded in pushing up the
saeavy sash Of the old fashioned guillo-
eane window, and now, sitting in the
.broad windowseat, was enjoying the
scent OF fthe great syringa bush, which
grew SO close to the house that it
pushed it's branches inside whenever
sSE had the opportunity, SO that sit
Ging in the window was almost like be
Sng i'll an arbor. Twas in Germany, Of
course, for guillotine windows: as we
call them, are still the fashion in Eng
land, hear.
Yes; was in Germany, and it was
s'he day before Whit Sunday lovely
May day-and was just l6.
I ana good deal more than l6now,
%sout still, often, when the syringa is in
blossom, and the delicious fragrance
comes floating round me, the whole
scene rises again before my eyes, and
see the old-fashioned garden, with it's
guaintly-cut yews and box-hedges. and
che apple trees loaded with blossom;
the wainscotted room, with the faded
.xed carpet, and antiquated furniture
.and ornaments; and, looking through
She folding-doors into the dining
srooin beyond, [ see the long table
eieckeel for some festal occasion, two
chairs wreathed with flowers, and be-
e. 10
composed OF sprays ofmyrtle.
see, too, sitting opposite me in q
capaclous armchair, my grandmother,
q little old lady in a white lace cap,
with u prayer-book on her knees,
which she was reading here st home
Because she could not get as far as the
chapel beyond the town gate.
I had been there myself that morn
ing, all in hurry, just to see how it
looked before brought Granny to the
house, and had seen that it was beau
sGifully decked with flowers, and that
Ghere were wax tapers enough to daz-
,gIe one.
After that 1 had come back to the
wedding house" and waited, for l
could spot leave granny quite alone;
aud while waited puzzled myself to
make out why Uncle Dernau, as we all
called him, and his wife should have
chosen to celebrate their golden we'd
ding in the little country chapel in
stead Of in the large town church,
which seemed so much more appropri-
ste
Then, too, I wondered what could
be the meaning of sundry mysterious
sallusions which I had heard made in
sehe course OF theevening before. They
Mad seemed to amuse the rest very
zr,uch, but l could make nothing OF
them.
Uncle Dernau's little wife was a favor
ate little woman, with bright eyes,
brown hair without a touch OF grey in
st, and had very small hands and feet.
How we had all admired her the night
before, when, for "the very last time"
as she said, she had danced the
charming minuet, which had been ar
Fsanged in aser honor. [ can see her
NOW in ler old-tashioned, marvelously
short waisted dress of silk, with a
stbree- -cornered fchu crossed over her
ssnest, little shoes without heels, wide
Ribbon sandals, and embroidered
stockings. Uncle Dernau himself was
a,er partner, and at the close OF the
dance he made her a low bow, saying
with q gleam Of fun and mischief in
EaTs eyes:
1fMadame. you dance like French
woman, and 1 believe made a mis-
take after all in carrying you off from
she French monsieur"
Everyone laughed at this, and Aunt
Dernau blushed like young girl
What did it all mean? Could [ ask
Granny? | wondered. She had told
>Ene once that Aunt Dernau was her
~1sdest and her dearestf friend, and that
ssosne day she would tell me her his
sGorY- Could [ remind her of her
fpsOaalise now?
AS looked at her she took off her
spectacles and closed her prayer-book.
and Slipping down from my throne in
che window, sat myself on stool
:a6 her feet.
Granny = I said coaxingly 'tcould
mot you tell me your friends story
nov? You know you promised, and
it is just the right day for it. They
won't be back for a couple OF hours
yet, what with the service first, and
ehen the wedding, and a long sermon,
and all the congratulations so we
have plenty OF time"
just then we caught the sound of
distant church bells, by which we
knew that the bridal procession must
be getting near the chapel.
t3Ah, child, said my grandmother,
4t1t was beautiful time when we two
we're young, Lorchen and I; you never