Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-09-01
A WAYSIDE FLOWER.

LII Ii l. M - - l. 3S w AILVs
They were walking down "Lovc Lane"
in gay, chattering procession girls
with laurcl-wrcathcd hats, young men
bearing haws and baskets, matron or
two; last Of all Stephen Fulton, child
on either side of h m, and in his arms
little Nanny Forsythc half aslc p.
WHcrcvcr Stephen went children fol-
lowed, led by attraction irresistible MS
that which draws iron filings to the mag
net. Grown people could not understand
this attraction, but the little ones never
mistook about it, Sleepy as she was,
Nanny's small hanl kept pating lis
shoulder as they went along, and her
voice coocl words Of d,owsy cndcarmcnt
which made Stephen smile, gloomy as he
felt that day. Each cheerful reply to
the chilCren's questions cost al effort ;
but he spoke chccrily all the same, and
tried to keep his eyes from wandering
forward to where Captain lIalctt walked
ly the side Of Mil'y Graves, with his
handsome head very near hers, and his
vo,cc murmurny low 5 ntcnccs inaudib,e
10 the rest Of the party, Many glnnccs
were sent back at this couple from those
in advance, for Neal IIaIlctt was the
novelty Of the nom Mt, Il hero and a
stranger; and the girls, who were only
too weI-disposcd to pull caps for him,
thought it "qut3 too bad' Of MiIly to
absorb his attentions as she had done all
day.
But, after all, what could MilIy, what
could any girl, do, when an all-conqucr-
ing captain takes up his position at her
side in early morning and never leaves it
until late afternoon? 1t is not IN grl ma
turc to resist such tribute, and Stcphanic
DE- Witt, in front, was partly justified in
calling it "a desperate flirtation," al
though l fear the pout with which she
spoke was due rather to amour 1rOpro
than outraged morals. But on Mily's
side it was not all flration. For all her
merry, saucy ways, she was a sensitive,
ere etnlous creature, Just the woman to
give "gold for dust" and stake her all
in that unequal barter so common in this
world of misunderstood values.
Her fair checks were flushed and her
blue eyes full of shy excitement as they
walked along, talking about-dear me,
whom do people talk about when they
are young and of diff rent scxes2 Cap
tain HtIett's fine eyes said more than his
tongue; his mart al muStache seemed to
give point and value to mere nothingS.
II carrie a 1.-the little cane with which
h! cmpha iz2l his sentences; now cut
ting the air, n,w bchcalng mu lcin, in
way which NJ .jy thought fa, cinatIng.
And then L We Lane was such u pretty
spot, tn yc.y place to be eloquent in.
Its winding turns were hclg.d with
fragrant growlhs- woodbnc, bricr, sweet
fern and bay. Overhead the trees met
and claSpcd N shady arches. Here and
there a pink honcysuckIc glntel in the
network Of green, Or train Of simmer
ing ciemats. The pure primrose Ii ,ht
ola cloulicss sunset 81 ted down throu III
the canopy OF bou hs; a light breeze
stirred, full Of delicious smells. 1t was
like an evening in fairy land.
Suddenly turning brought them to a
fcrr-clad bank, aga nst which, set in a
frame work of trcmulous vcIdurc stood
one rose of perfect wild wood pink,
poised at tip of a custer Of vivid leaves.
1t was like an enchanted queen, Mlly
thought.
GLOW lcautiful :" she cried; but even
os the words left her lips the restless cane
flew through the air, fl ckcd the rose
from it stem, and sent it into the dusty
road, little whirlwind OF broken leaves
accompanying its fall,
"What pity1' she said, involuntarily.
OTIS only avid rose, you know" sur
prised.
"But don't you like wild rosesl"
ooh, yes; but there are so many of
them that it is hardly worth while to
waste sentiment on n single one" and
the captain showed his fnc teeth in a
smile that was the least bit cruel.
Milly sighed and cast regrctlul loo'i
behind. Her gentle nature telt for the
fair dcspoicd thing. But, after all,
there were plenty of wild roses, as Cap
tain IIa.lctt said, and presently she for
got her sympathy and its cause. Another
turning in the lane brought item to the
village outskirts, and to Squire Aliens
gate, where the rest of the party were
waiting. There were good-bycs to say,
divisions to make. Mrs. Allen was in
tent on securing to each person his or
her own basket, Kitty FELTON, was count
ing teaspoons, StcphNnc hunting for n
missing plate. Ii the midst of these re-
searches Stephen came up with the
children. He looked weary, ard III.
Nanny into her mothers arms with an
air of relief, disrcgarlng the drowsy
protest which she uttered.
"What a lovely rose, Stcphcnr said
some Of the G rls. "Wh,rc did you find
it2"
'In the road" replied Stephen.
Somebody had switched it off its
stem and left it to die, so we picked 1t
up"