Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-04-27
CHAPTER Nv.


Bcbec ran home as fast as her foot would
tako her.
The children were all gathered about bor
gate In tho dusky, dewy evening, they met
her with shouts OF welcome and rcproach In
tcrningled, they had been watching for her
since first tho sun had grown low and rcd,
and now tho moon was risen.
But they forgavo her when they saw the
splcndor Of her p-s--asas, and she sbowered
out among them Peru Melchior's horn Of
comiits
They dashed Into tho hut, they dragged
tho one little table out among tho flowers;
the cherries and cake wcro spread on u, and
the millor's wife had given a big Jug Of milk,
and Father Francis himself had sent some
honeycomb
Tho early roses were full Of scent In the
dew; tho great gillyflowcrs breathed out
fragrance In tho dusk; tho goat came and
nibbled tho swectbricr unrcbuked; tho chill
dren repeated the Flemish bread grace, with
claSpsd hands and rcverent eyes: "Oh, dear
little Jesus, come and sup with US, and bring
your beautiful Mother too; we will not for.
get you arc God" Then, that said, they ate,
and drank, and laughed, and picked cherries
from each others mouths like little black
birds, tho big white dog gnnwed crust al
their feet, old Krebs, who had a eddie, and
could play II, came out and trilled them rude
and ready Flemish tunes, such as Tcniers or
Mieris might have jumped to before an ale
house at the Kermcsse; Bcbee and tho chill
dren joined hands, and danced round to-
gcther In the broad white moonlight, on the
grass and by tho water sido; the oilers came
and sat about, tho women netting or spin
ming, and the men smoking pipe before bed
time; the rough, hearty Flemish bubbled like q
brook In gossip, or ruDg iikef horn over JEST
Bebeo and the children, tired Of their play,
grew quiet, and chantcd together tho "Ave
Maria Stella Virginis;" nightingale among
tho willows sang 10 tho sleeping swans.
All was happy, quiet homely; lovely alsc
in It's simple way.
They went early to their beds, as people
must do who riso at dawn.
tebco leaned out moment from her own
little easement ere she too went to rest
Through an open lattice there sounded the
murmur Of somo little child's prayer; the
wind sighed among tho willows; the night
ingales sang on IN the dark-aBwas still
Hard work awaited her on tho morrow, and
on all the other days Of the year.
She wns only a littio leasant-she must
sweep, and spin. and dig, and delve, to get
daily her bit Of black brcal--but that night
hho "hS rs hhppy as httio irilcess III a iau y
tale, happy In her playmates, In her flowers,
in her sixteen years, In her red shoes, In her
silver buckles, because she was half woman
happy In the dewy leaves, in the singing
birds, In the hush OF the night, In the sense OF
rest, In tho fragrance Of flowers, in the drift
ing changes of moon and clouds, happy be
cause she was half woman, because she was
half poet, because she was wholly poet
"Oh, dear swans how good IL is TO he 10.
how good IL Is TO live at aill-do you not
tell the willows soT said Bebee to the gleam
Of silver under the dark leaves by the waters
side which showed her where her friends
were sleeping with their snowy wings CLOSED
over their stately heads. and the veiled golc
and ruby Of their eyes
1he swans did not awake to answer
Only the nightingale answered from thu
willows, with Desdemona's song.
But Bebee had never heard OF Desdemona
and the willows had no sigh for her.
GOOD night" she said, softly, to all thu
green dewy sleeping world, and then she hay
down and slept herznlTs The nightingale
sang on, and the willows tremblcd
Asls CoHtneod nea Sitarddy.