The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1892-03-25
Alisce1Iallenms.
HAZEL NUTS.

A long green avenue, shaded by in
terlacing boughs, stretched far, far
away until it terminated in little
spot of light, through which you could
see the ripening fields, where the sun
was turning the wheat to shimmering
gold
A well-pruned hedge of elm trees
bordered this grassy avenue, fecked
by soft velvety shadows moving here
and there according to the fancy of
the light breeze that swayed the tree
tops with a sweet rustic of shivering
leaves.
Two people, with the slow, mincing
steps of old age, were walking down
this avenue; she using the handle of
her umbrella for cane, he still erect
and sprightly, walking with his hands
behind his back; she, her head COW
cred with lace scarf, beneath which
you could see her silvery curls shin
ing, he, under broad brimmed straw
hat, which made you think of pic
ture of the sugar planter overseeing
his fields of cane in the old editions of
paul and Virginia"
They were evidently pouting, for
they walked without speaking, with
out looking at each other, save now
and then furtive glance full of re-
proaches. However, after passing half
the length of the avenue, they uncon-
sciously found themselves closer to-
gether, and finally condescended to
speak.
"You have decided then" she said,
in a sweet voice, in which a little
anger still trembled, ito ruin the hap
piness of these children p
I
that our little granddaughter shall
unhappiness by my imprudence."
She shrugged her shoulders, but
very lightly, like the well-bred old
lady that she was, and said: Because
the poor boy, who loves her devoted
Iy, has less money than shea beauti-
full affair! They are always sure of
bread
Eyes, but no butter" observed
when they love each other, they
can eat their bread with Kisses" ans
wered grandma, with half smile.
As he made no reply, she walked on
a few steps, looking to the right and
to the left, then stopped before a ha-
eel bush, and said:
"Look, my dear, it seems to me
see some hazel nuts ~
With chivalrous politeness grandpa
drew near, placed his gold glasses to
his eyes, and regarding the bush, said !:
Eyes, really, there are some hazel
nuts
"Wil you gather me few, my
dearT'
Grandpa looked at grandma with
great surprise. 1t had been many
wears since either one of them had
been able to eat hazel nuts.
Nevertheless, he passed the hook OF
his cane through one ST the branches,
| and drew it down to grandma, who
delicately gathered branch of little
half-ripe nuts, and fastened it on her
corsage with a pain.
'Do you remember ?'' said she. Just
then ray of sunlight falling through
the leaves softly illumined the face OF
the old grandpa-or was it the tender
memory?
The gray eyes of grandma gazed
into his with alarming persistency.
He recalled it all very distinctly,
but what had hazel nuts to do with
| an affair so serious as the marriage of
their only granddaughter The good
grandpa pretended to be occupied
with the, branches of tree which
\ needed the pruner, but grandma took
him by his buttonhole and continued:
''This is the same bush-you see it
| is an old one-which was so full of ha-
eel nuts the year that
Eyes, yes, know" said the old
man, hoping to escape; but she held
him fast.
1T was here in this same place. Do
YOU remember it? l had stripped all
the lower branches when you came,
and it was you, my dear, who finished
gathering them, and as the nuts fell
| into my apron your eyes became more
and more eloquent the last bunch
do you remember ?-you pinned on
my bosom, in the same place where
have fastened this one"
"My dear wife p murmured the old
grandpa.
''And you said, Darling Madlinette
if your parents refuse to give you tC
me, will blow out my brains.'"
Eyes, but we were married. and we
have been very happy for forty years,
concluded the old man.
''And we were poor-do you remem
Der that but we became rich, anC
the children can do the same"
She said no more, but taking his
arm, they walked briskly side by side
/ until they reached the entrance o.
the avenue, where the white spot ha6
become great pointed arch of light
There they talked long time.
1--WE must restrict ourselves a lit
tle," said the good grandpa, 80 as tt
increase her dot"
''That we will do most willingly,
said the good grandma.
"And with that, the poor children
can have little butter on theil
bread"
Eyes; and while they are young,
concluded grandma, smilingly, 1.-The!
can eat hazel nuts. n-ROmGnce.