The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-09-04

so earnestly with the young man over
premiums and discounts that the latter
had no eyes for the little Barbara Yes,
yes, IL is so years ago. But the old grand
mother remembers well how impatient lit
lite Barbara grew Mt that and was not TO
be propitiated by her good father. The
clock struck 10, and now she had TO say
good night When she came to your grand
father, he asked her, Shall we swing again
tomorrow and Barbara was quito happy
once more. He makes fool of himself
over children, said. your great at-grandfather,
but in reality he was himself unreasonably
fond of his little girl
1.-THE next day toward evening the young
man went away.
"Then eight years passed. In the win
ter time little Barbara would often stand
by the glass door and breathe on the FROST
ed panes. Then she would look out through
the peephole down into the snowy garden
and think of the beautiful summer time,
of the dancing leaves and warm sunshine,
and the thrush which always made it's nest
In the trellis, ard how once the ripe april
cots were shaken down uponsthe ground,
and then of one particular summer day of
which she always thought when she
thought of summer at all So the years
went by. Little Barbara was now twice
as old--in fact, she was no longer little
Barbara--but that one summer day was
always bright spot In her memory. Then
at last he came again"
"Who9" asked her grandson, smiling.
"The summer day?'
YES" said the grandmother. "He was
O veritable summer day."
"And them"
"Then there was a betrothal, and little
Barabra became your grandmother who
now sits among you telling old tales. But
10 had not yet gone quite so far as that.
First there was n wedding, and then your
great grandfather had this hall built With
the garden and the flowers all was now in
deed over But he had no longer need of
them. He soon had living flowers to en-
liyen his noon hours. When the hall was
finished, the wedding came off there 1t
was n merry wedding, and the guests
talked about it long afterward. You who
sit here, you were not present then, it is true,
but your fathers and grandfathers, your
mothers and grandmothers, were, many
of them, and they were people who could
put in their wo-d. Those were quiet,
modest days. We did not seek TO know
more than the kings and their ministers,
and he who thrust his nose into politics
was called by us state tinker, and II he
were fhoemaker we gave his neighbor
our boots to mend. The servant maids
were all named Trine and Stine and
every one wore dress which suited his
position. Now you even wear mustaches,
like young squires or cavaliers. What
would you have, pray? Do you all want to
rule too?"
'Yes, grandmother, said the host
"And the nobility and the high gentry
who arc born for that, what is to become
of them?''
"oh, nobility" said the young mother,
looking up into her husbands face with
proud, loving eyes
He smiled aud said: abolished, grand
mother, or we shall all be barons, all Ger
many, man and mouse see no other al
ternative."
Tho grandmother made no response to
this. She only snid; "At my wedding
there was no talk about state history. The
conversation went on it's even gait, and
we were just as happy MS you In your now
tangled companies. At table amusing rid
dies were propounded and doggerels COM
posed At dessert we sang, Your health, |
my good neighbor, till empty the glass;
and all the other pretty songs that are now |
voice was always to be distinguished. |
People were more polite to each other In |
those times. Disputing and clamor were |
regarded as very unseemly In fine COM |
pany. Now everything has come to be diff |
ferent, hut your grandfather was n gentle,
peaceable man. It is long since he left this |
world. He went on before me. it is time
that 1 followed him."
The grandmother was silent moment
No one spoke--only sho felt her hands |
ssized. Every ono wanted to hold them.
A peaceful smile fitted over the dear old |
face. Then she looked UP to her grandson
and said: Here In his hall stood also his
coffin. You wero at that time only years
old and stood by thc coffin weeping. Your
father was IN auStcre, undemQpstratiye
man. 'Don's cry, little onop he said. and
lifted you upon his arm. See, this Is the
way an honest man looks when he is dead
and then he secretly brushed away the
tears from his own face. He had always
great veneration for your grandfathcr.
Now they are all passed over, and today
have now stood as godmother 20 my great
grandchild, and you have given her tho
name of your old grandmother. May the
good God suffer her to arrive as happily
and peacefully at my agep'
The young mother fell upon her knees
before the grandmother and kissed her
soft hands
The grandson said: "Grandmother, we
will tear down the old hall entirely and
lay out flower garden again Little Bar
bara Is here, too, once more. The ladies
say she is your exact image. She shall sit |
again in the swing, and the sun shall shine
upon the golden, childish curls. Perhaps, |
then, some summer afternoon the grand
father, too, will come again down the little
Chinese stair. Perhaps
The grandmother smiled "You are |
dreamer" said she "Your grandfather
was one too Prom the German For |
Short Stories