The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-05-04

| uulnp luhJ BTeHJ DuDDleb bTObe among
the grasses, were the marks of thou
sands of goose-feet, 80 that the whole
resembled carpet adorned with facet
shaped figures.
This was the paradise of the flock
We halted here, and while the geese
made themselves comfortable in the
pools, we chased each other over the
heath, caught yellow butterflies and
picked blueberries.
Then we played husband and wife.
Elise, the tamest of the geese, was our
child. We had almost kissed and
thrashed the poor animal to death be-
fore 1t succeeded by unheard of exer-
tons in freeing itself from our hands.
After this / prepared dinner for my
husband. / took off my white apron,
laid it upon the grass for table cloth
and grouped the remainder of our food
upon it. He seated himself gravely
down before it and /, for my part, was
80 happy TO see with what dispatch he
consumed one thing after another, that
our little house was almost too small to
contain me.
The hours passed as in dream. The
sun mounted higher and higher, until
its glowing rays shone straight down
upon us. l began to feel tired and
stupid. was also hungry, but my
husband had eaten everything up. My
mouth was dry, my lips feverish. To
cool them l picked the damp grasses
and pressed them to my mouth.
Suddenly the sound of ringing bells
floated from afar across the wood. l
knew well what that implied. 1t was
the noon signal calling me to dinner.
And when l was missed-oh, what
would become of mel
l threw myself upon the grass and
began to sob bitterly, while my COM
panion tried to comfort me by stroking
my face and neck with his rough
hands.
l sprang up and ran as though pur-
sued by furies towards the wood. For
two hours / wandered crying in the
thicket. Then l heard voices calling
my name, and two minutes later lay
in my brothers. arms.
The next morning my poor,friend ap-
peared i'll the role of kidnapper and alb
ductor before the high court of inquisi-
ton. He seemed to regard it as a mat
ter of course that he should figure as
whipping-boy, made not the slightest
attempt to shift any of the blame from
his own shoulders, and took the chas-
tisement administered by my brother
with the utmost peace Of mind.
Pensively smiling, he rubbed his
smarting back on the posts of the We
randa and then hastily took his de-
parture, while / rolled on the ground
sobbing bitterly.
After that, loved him. 1 devised a
thousand expedients to meet him se-
cretly. l purloined like maybe, in
order that he might refresh himself up
on The fruits of my thefts. / almost
overwhelmed him with tenderness in
my effort to undo that dreadful whip
ping.
He allowed my love to pass quietly
over him, and repaid me with touching
attachment and healthy appetite.
Half year later fate sepa rated US.
My poor mamma, who had long been
ailing, was recommended by her physi-
clan to 60 south. She left our estate
entirely in my brothers. hands and
moved to the Riviera. accompanied
her.
Nine years passed away before saw
my home again. My return WAS sadder
than had ever anticipated. In Ber-
lin, where had lived since my moth
er's death, severe nervous fever at.
tackled me, which confined me for many
weeks to my bed. Medical skill had
indeed wrested me from death, but the
blooming young maiden had become
pale weak shadow. My doctor pre-
scribed as tonic country air and pine
needle baths, 30 was bundled on the
cars and transported to my brothers.
estate.
l must have presented q pitiful
enough aspect, for as was lifted from
the carriage upon my arrival, l saw the
bright tears stand in the eyes Of our
old retainers.
1t gives one peculiar feeling to be
at home again after long wandering,
particularly when one has passed
through 80 much sorrow. An unusu-
ally tender feeling takes possession OF
ones heart, and one seeks to blot out
forever the desires and SORROWS brought
from the strange world, to be child
again and summon long forgotten en-.
chantments from the grave.
AS lay in an easy chair and let my
tired glance roam over the fields of my
home, one shadow after another return
ed to lite, and the first in the motley
throng was my dear, flaxen-haired
gooseherd.
"What has become of him?" asked
my brother, and received the pleasant
information that he had grown into a
spruce, clever lad, and was already the
efficient assistant of his father, the
smith.
felt how my heart beat. l tried to
reason myself out of such foolishness,
but was only partially successful. The
dear old memories would not be driven
away. Finally l fought them no long
er, but painted the picture of our meet
ing with all the gorgeous coloring of
fairyland.
A few days after my arrival was
able to take my first drive, that is to
say, was lifted into the carriage and
driven to a peaceful little spot in the
4 Lit Al "a