Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-03-25
BETR0THED In a CELLAR.

From Household Words.
BY making gigantic effort had at
last succeeded in pushing up the
heavy sash of the oId-fashionedg uillo-
tine window, and now, sitting in the
broad window-seat, | was enjoying the
scent of the great syringa bush, which
grew so close to the house that it
pushed its branches inside whenever
t had the opportunity, so that sit
ting in the window was almost like be-
ing in an arbor. Twas in Germany, oil
course, for guillotine windows, as we
call them, are still the fashion in Eng.
land, / kear.
Yes; was in Germany, and it was
the day before Whit Sunday--a lovely
May day--and was Just 10.
am good deal more than 16 now
but 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 its
quaintly-eut yews and box hedges. and
the apple trees loaded with blossom;
the wainseotted room, with the faded
red carpet, and antiquated furniture
and ornaments; and, looking through
the folding-doors into the dining
room beyond, ! see the long table
decked for some festal occasion, two
chairs wreathed with flowers. and be-
lore them, on the table, two bouquets
composed of sprays ofmyrtle.
i see, too, sitting opposite me in a
capaeious armchair, my grandmother,
little old ladyin q white lace cap,
with prayer-book on her knees,
which she was reading here at home
because she could not get as far as the
chapel beyond the town gate.
had been there myself that morn
ing, all in a hurry, just TO see how it
looked before brought Granny to the
house. and hadseen thatit was beau
tifully deeked with flowers, and that
there were wax tapers enough to daz-
zle one.
After that / had come back to the
wedding house" and waited, for |
could nol leave granny quite alone;
and willie Iwaited | 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 lErge town church,
! which seemed so much more appropri-
ale.
Then. too. | wondered what could
be the meaning OF sundry mysterious
illusions which L had heard made in
the course ofthe evening before. They
had seemed to nmuse the rest very
much, but could make nothing OF
them.
Uncle Dernau's little wife was favor
tie little woman, with bright eyes,
brown hair without & touch of grey in
it, 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
4 ranged in her honor. l can see her
now in her old-tashioned, marvelously
short WASTED dress of silk, with a
Il three cornered fichu crossed over her
chest, little shoes without heels, wide
ribbon sandals, and embroidered
stockings. Uncle Deraau himself was
her partner, and at the close of the
dance he made her a low bow, saying
with a gleam of fun and mischief in
his e,ses:
MADAME. you dance like a French
woman, and / believe L made mis-
take after all'in carrying you oil from
the French monsieur"
i Everyone laughed at this, and Aunt
Dernau bltshed like young girl.
What did it all mean2 Could J ask
Granny? wondered She had told
me once that Aunt Dernau was her
oldest and her dearest friend, and that
some day she would tell me her his
tory. Could | remind her of her
promise now?
As looked at her she took off her
spectaeles and closed her prayer-book,
aud slipping down from my throne in
the window, sat myself on stool
at her feet.
"Granny," said coaxingly, could
not you tell me your friends story
how? You know you promised, and
II is just the right day for it, They
won't be back for a couple oil hours
vet, what with the service first, and
hen-the wedding, aud long sermon,
nnd all the congratulations so We
nave 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.
.'Ah, child" said my grandmother,
1t was a beautiful time when we two
kTere young, Lorchen and j; you never
PAW s,ieh a little wild thing as she was.
They called her the bird. because she
Fas so quick and graceful, and had
ouch bright eyes in her pretty little
bead There was not prettier girl
ar or near, and there was something
hbout her so d;ifeEe:f6 from othergirls,
hat one could hardly take ones eyes
bh her; she was so dainty and so dis
ingue
And Lorchen herself was so well
waie OF the fact, that she was q per-
q ect little despot. All the men old
Ind young. did her homage, and many
one did his best to catch AID keep
he little bird. But this was not so
asy, Tor Lorchen was obstinate, and
per greatest delight was to tease and
orment her admirers whenever she
BAD the opportunity. ! often used
% scold her for II; for, being her most
nt.maie irIehd, acted as eonfessor,
md she always honestly told me her
nisdeeds. Sometimes, we got really
Rng'y with one another aftera pail or
Pcnie, when her list ofcopfassions was
unusually long But where was the
Ese? She knew that could not help
orgiving her. as she said, directly she
lsked me. little fondling puss that she
as; and she knew, too, that all young
pen she had fooled and tormented
'ouid be ut her feet again directly
GU know that song:
II know q maiden fair TO see.
Take carel
She can both false and friendly be,
sand it goes on:
She has two eyes 50 soft and brown.
Take care,
Shesiyes a glance and looks down.
Take carel
Trust her not she's fooling thee.
well. child, that was Lore all over;
lst as il it had been written for her.
ut you mustn't think badly OF her,
y all that. She was dear, sweet
title thing; and in spite OF all her fol-
p, she had a good. honest heart. As