Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-11-21
BetrOthed in the Cellar.

By making gigantic effort had at
last succeeded in pushing up the heavy
sash of the old. d.fashioned guillotine win
dow. and now, sitting in the broad
window-seat. I was enjoying the scent of
the great syringa bush. which grew so
close to the house that it pushed its
branches inside whenever it had the
opportunity, 80 that sitting in the win
dow was almost like being in an arbor.
I was in Germany, of course, for guillo-
tine windows. as we call them, are still
In fashion in England. hear.
Yes. l was in Germany. and it was the
day before Whit Sunday. "a lovely May
day. and I was just l6.
am good deal more than l6 now,
bat still, often when the syringa is in
blossom, and the delicious fragance
comes floating round me, the whole
scene rises again before my eyes, and
-see the old.fashioned garden, with its
.qsaintly-cut yew and box.hedges, and
the apple trees loaded with blossoms.
the wainscotted room, with the faded
red car pet and antiquated furniture and
ernA ments; and. looking through the
foldin g-doors into the dining-room be.
-yond, see the long table deeked for
some festal occasion, two chairs wreathed
with flowers, and before them the bou-
.quets composed of sprays of myrtle.
see, too. sitting opposite me in a
capacious armchair, my grandmother, .
little old lady in 9 white lace cap, with
q prayerbook on her knees, which she
was reading here at home because she
could not get - far as the chapel be-
yond the town gate.
had been there myself that morning,
all in hurry. Just to see how it looked
before brought Granny to the house,
and had seen that it was beautifully
decked with flowers, and that there
were wax tapers enough to dazzle one.
After that / had come back to the
wedding house" and watched, for
could not leave Granny quite alone; and
while / waited puzzled myself to make
out why Uncle Dsrnau, as we all called
him, and his wife should have chost to
celebrate their golden wedding in the
little country chapel instead Of in the
large town church, which seemed so
much more appropriate.
Then, too, wondered what could be
the meaning Of sundry mysterious allu.
.sions which had heard made in the
course of the evening before. They had
seemed to amuse the rest very much,
but could make nothing of them.
Uncle Dernau's little wife was favor
ite little woman, with bright eyes, brown
hair without touch of gray in it, and
bad very small hands and feet. How
We all admired her the night before,
when, for ''the very last time" as she
said, she had danced the charming min
net, which had been arranged in her
honor. can see her now in her old.
fashioned, marvelously short.waisted
dress of silk, with three -cornered
sfichu crossed over her chest, little shoes
without heels, wide ribbon sandals and
embroidered stockings. Uncle Dernau
himself was her partner, and at the close
Of the dance he made her low bow,
'saying. with 9 gleam of fun and mischief
tin his eyes:
NAoA9ulC1 yOu Q3uC0 uko u EItuCu-
woman, and believe / made mistake
dr carrying you of from the French
monsieur"
Every one laughed at this, and Aunt
Dernau blushed like young girl. What
did it all mean? Could / ask Granny!
1 wondered. She had told me once that
Aunt Dernau was her oldest and dearest
friend. and that some day she would tell
me her history. Could remind her Of
her promise
As looked at her she took of her
.spectacles and closed her prayer-book,
and clipping down from my throne in
tho window, ! seated myself on stool
-at her feet.
Granny" said I, coaxingly "could'n nj
you tell me your friends story now
You know you promised, and it is Just
the right day for it. They won't be
back for couple of hours yet, what with
the service first and then the wedding,
and long sermon and all the conkratu.
latiens. so We have plenty of time"
just then we caught the sounds oil
distant church bells, by which we knew
that the bridal procession must be get.
ting near the chapel.
ssAh, child" said my grandmother,
cit was beautiful time when we two
wore young. Lorohen and I; you never
saw such little wild thing as she was
They called her the bird because she
va so quick and graceful and had such
bright eyes in her pretty little head
There was not prettier girl far or near,
and the was something about her 80 diff
'ferent from other girls that one could
hardly take ones eye off her, she was 80
dainfy and % distingue.
ssAnd Lorohcn herself was so we'll
aware Of the fact that she was perfect
little despot. All the men, old and
young. did hsr homage, and many one
did his bsst 10 oatch and keep the little
bird. But this Wa not 20 easy, for Lor-
ohen va obstinate, and her greatest de-
light VA 70 tsase and torment her 3D.
mirers whenever she had the opportunl.
-. I oftsn used 70 seold hsr foe u, ior,