The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-06-12
WITH GOLDEN HAIR.
Oh, aunty, tell us story
OF days when knights were bold
And fought and bled for glory,
~. ,,,,l, NTH h,fr. IF gold

looking into MS TACO lovingly HlIeu NlVL
admiration of him. smiled on them and
wondered If tho ago of knight errantry ever
produced knight" moro "bold" than
my Reginald would be, or q maid with
hair of brighter gold than my weo Geral-
dimes. told my thoughts to tho children,
and tho young knights arm went about
his lady's waist as he made answer:
True enough, aunty;
Wen be bonny pair,
And will fight for my ladylove
With the sweet eyes and golden hair.
Tho little girls eyes wero full of love as
they looked into his, and when his loud
laugh rang out, half In pride of himself
and her attachment to him, half in boyish
ridicule of sontimont, she blushed shyly u
second, and the next caught his mood, and
tho rippling music of her laughter min
sled with his strong, clear tones. He
bounded away in pursuit of sudden fan
ey-expecting her to follow, think-but
sho flew to my arms and nestled her gold
en- head on my breast in tho desire to DO
carcssed, saying, II love you, aunty, oh,
so dearly, so very dearly!
/ folded my arms about the tender, SEN
sitive little being, wondering how often
in tho future her loving heart might be
wounded and suddenly found my thoughts
so fraught with strange forebodings OF
sorrow for her that 1 had to struggle
nightly against the tears that fought to
escape from my eyes and tho terrible
weight that seemed to prevent my breath
ing. started abruptly, determined to
drive away such foolish fears, and carried
her into tho house, where the current of
my thoughts did change abruptly, for
found q messenger to tell me that must
return to my own homo on the morrow
my mother was dying.
All this seems so long ago-it really is
long ago-yet SO distinct now as l muse
hero in the moonlight alone Nature Is
splendidly serene tonight, beautiful and
sympathetic and tho moons rays so soft,
yet SO bright and penetrating. One of tho
sirens of memory is telling me story OF
tho past with stereopticon illustrations.
Tho pictures arc SO lifelike and tho story
SO inthralling that l am powerlcss to
move.
There Is q change of scene-n ballroom
Tho little boy and girl arc grown up now,
but their faces betray tho same character
istics l discovered In their childhood.
From tho noble brow and the flashing eyes
of my dark haired youth speak haughti-
ness, pride to excess, determination of
purpose. Dovelike gentleness, trustful af-
lection, unselfish devotion look out from
the starliko eyes of my golden haired
maid. Sho Is tho crown beauty of the sea-
son, tho adored ono of many hearts, the
ideal loneliness of tho artists soul, the en-
shrined saint of the devotee.
am not surprised at tho number of her
conquests, all unsought as they are. Did
every ono not love her should BIO amazed
There is one among her lovers moro hope
full thnn tho rest She wears his flowers
tonight, and his face beams with delight
Geraldine has worn tho flowers because no
asked her to as token of friendship
nothing more-and on that ground she
consented. She is no coquette. She threw
her arms about me, rs was her childish
habit, when she camo to mo before this
ball and said: II think may wear the
lilies, dear aunt but l do not love him.
love you best of all"
Now, Reginald has returned from
abroad, and as Geraldine with the radiant
sutton disappears in the conservatory my
proud nephew draws my arm through his
and takes mo out on the lawn near the
great marble fountain and laves his brow
with the cool water.
Aunt" he begins, 81 think you are q
poet, though you don't writo verses. Your
heart is whole world of sympathy and
understanding, and l can freely tell you
things that 1 would not dare to think in
hands and speaking with fevcrish impa-
thence, he says "Oh, tell mel am sure
you know, Geraldine-does sho caro- for
that man with whom she has just danced?"
"Sho does not lovo him, " 1 answer. II
am suro of it-sho told me So and-both
my children lay bare their hearts to me-"
He smiles. "That is why asked you.
You would know. 1 am glad she does not.
1t is better for her and for me. During her
first ball-you remember it wildly, of
cOurse-how lovely she was stood here
awhile alone at this fountain, and vowed
that would win her from 1000 suitors
If need be-
Seeing my look Of dismay, he smiles de-
family and continues: Yes, stood here,
where as boy I've often stood and watch
cd these nymphs and oupids disporting,
and gazed upon that strong, godlike fell
low up there at the top, with his arm
about that slender goddess. 1t has been
fancy of mine since childhood to call that
couple Geraldine and myself. She shall DO
my wife, aunt. l only wanted to learn
from you how many 1 should have to sub
due before l could carry off the lady in
triumph-liko n knight Of old. Ha, ha,
ha! Don't look SO serious, you dear old
sibyl. Haven't you often called US the
knight SO bold and tho maid with golden
hair"
l cannot help smiling at him. Hois like
an enthusiastic boy now.
81 am serious, too" no goes on. "At
hor first ball began to tell you, as stood
here vowing that she should be mine, 1
lnado up my mind that 1 would go away
for n time and lot tho other adorors have
chance 1t seemed only fair. Besides
wanted her to have plenty to choose from"
TO choose from!" l exclaim. "You
had already decided that she should have
no choice-thaG you would choose her"
"Oh, no. She will choose me freely"
You arc her first cousin. 1t is not
right for you to marry her."
Proudly throwing hack his head, he
says: at must DO right. l love her. We
love each other"
1t is useless to argue with him. 1t Is
customary TO ST. omit to him. He leads me
back to tho ballroom, and claims Geral- |
dino for waltz.
Tho SIRENS spell is broken now. There |
are no moro stereopticon views, although |
tho moons rays are as soft and bright as |
before. l can move and breathe, but my |
heart is heavy, and 1 should like to weep, |
but cannot. l can think l feel as though |
! have awakened from dream, and think |
ing of tho dream, connect it with later
6vents. Yes, remember that ball very |
well ! remember that Reginald and Ger
aldino waltZed together, and that after |
ward, rs l stood upon the balcony alone, |
saw them standing by the fountain In the
moonlight. How tall and proud he looked |
had no doubt that she loved him, but /
feared marriage between them, yot knew
that she could not resist his pleading
This belief received fullest confirmation
as her fair head dropped against his breast,
his arm encircled her, and their lips met
graceful picture in the moonlight. saw
Reginald point up to the marble group at
the head of the fountain. Then, with his |
arm still about her. they walked back to |
tho ballroom entrance.
That night she came to mo as usual "to |
tell me all that happened" and with rap
ture beaming eyes said that she had prom
ised to be Reginald's BRIDE / did not like
to wound her in any way, but could not
help telling her that first cousins should
not marry. She was not even alarmed
Her eyes, So full of love, smiled into NINE
as she replied
"God has always taught me what to do
aunty, dear. I've always felt when things
were wrong. 1 have no such conscious
ness now. I am SO full of happiness, SO
free from fear Of anything-oh, dearest
cannot explain. l feel that everything
Reginald docs is right have no will but
his l have lost myself completely. If you
are right in saying that l should not mar
ry Reginald laughed softly and joy
ously-"of course, though, you are mis-
takeD-snmethiDo Tnuat hapnen tn pravant |