Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-22

Copyright, 1894. by Mary E. wilkinsJ
Everybody in the village wondered about
My Lady Primrose. She lived with an old
woman who had green eyes like a cat and
was reported to be a witch, in a little
peaked roof cottage. on the edge of the
willow woods. a brook ran in front of
the cottage; indeed, the brook was really
the front yard. and there was a little
bridge across 1t to the front door.
My Lady Primrose with her old nurse
had lived in the village about three years.
and no one knew whence she had come
nor anything about her past life. All any
body knew was that one morning in De-
cember, about Christmas time, smoke had
been seen curling out of the cottage Chin
ney, little later a girls beautiful fair
head had appeared at a window, and then
the old woman had crossed the bridge with
basket on her arm. and gone to the viii
lage store for milk, and eggs, and butter
and honey. People questioned her, but she
only said i'm reply: 1T is fair day." and
that was all she would ever say. People
suspected that that was all the English
she knew. Whether that was or not,
she never made them any wiser and the
mystery thickened.
The beautiful girl was never seen abroad
except occasionally on a cloudy day. never
name even, but people called her MY Lady
Primrose" They fancied an odor of prim-
roses came from her garments when she
passed by; then. too. she wore silk gowns Of
primrose yellow and pink, and white ruff
fled soft around her feet, and a scalloped
green hood that looked just like prim-
rose leaf.
She never walked, but rode a beautiful
little white donkey with silver bells on ] is
bride and green ribbons for reins, and she
carried a green whip that looked hike
spear of tall marsh grass. 1t was said in
the village that My Lady Primrose never
could set the ground her delicate feet,
which had been seen to be clad in a little
green pointed shoe when she mounted her
donkey on the bridge, unless some awfO
fate would befall her.
Nobody in the village had ever heard Ny
Lady Primrose speak at all. II any one
accosted her when she was abroad she
smiled gently and rode past on her white
donkey with tinkle of silver bells; and
IL ladies went to her house to call, in their
best bonnets, with their parasols and card
cases. the nurse opened the front door
crack said with bow, 1T is a fair day."
then shut 1t again, and shot the bolt, and
the callers went away in pet.
However. although the village people did
not know il, the old nurse did sometimes
speak a little, even at length to a caller.
Now and then a traveller would pass along
the brookside and catch a glimpse of My
Lady's sweet face at the window, and all
his heart would go out in love toward her.
Then he would diSmount and cross the
bridge and knock at the door and the
nurse would open the door. But in addi-
ton to ut is a fair day." she would FAY:
DO primroses grow in your country?
And when he replied. Yes" as they all
had for three years. she would sigh, and
shake her head. and shut the door, and
the lover would ride away with sore
heart.
However. one spring. in the third year,
q handsome young man was riding by very
fast on a great black horse, when he saw
My Lady Primrose at the window and
stopped short. 'She is as beautiful as my
mother" said he, "and If / cannot have
her for my wife | will never we'd"
So he dismounted and crossed the bridge
ard knocked and My Lady Primrose ran
away from the window.
When the old nurse opened the door
she bowed and said. 1T is fair day. Do
primroses grow in your country"
The young man looked at her with sur
prise. NO" said he, they never grow
in my country; the gardeners cannot raise
them there.
Come in. then" said the nurse, and
she led the young man into the parlor
where My Lady Primrose sat. She wore
ruffied yellow silk gown, and her little