The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-05-16
THE FLOWER OF HOPE

The rain ceased at last but the
steady downpour seemed to have
washed the color out OF everything, and
: 1t was a drab landscape that looked
upon as | plodded through the mire by
the side OF the river The little waves
as usual. We're tumbling over one an
other in the swift-running water, but
the white tassels OF the bird cherries
that lined the banks now hung limp
and dsplashed Turning aside from
this depressing sight began to climb
the path through The pine wood, and
( leaving the beaten track came upon
beauty. Trailing in long festOons
down a steep bank were masses of the
lesser periwinkle. the flower of hope
Sheltered by the trees overhead. the
! pretty mauvc stars smiled serenely
| from their nest OF shining green leaves
| Clinging TO the branch OF q tree with
one hand, | was able 10 pick a bunch
of the flowers with the other. But a
man suddenly appearing from higher
up almost trod upon nay head. Star
tied, | let go the branch and slipped
ANONYMOUSLY down the bank The
man leapt down By my side. and began
10 pick up my scattered treasures say.
ing in German: Pardon, | did not see
you" At first | thought he had been
drinking; his eyes were bloodshot, and
he had wild, disordered air Then
recognized him as the bashful young
peasant who had stood in the back
ground while | talked some days ago
with Anton, the old working jeweler.
in his shop. | had taken brooch to
be mended, and Anton was turning or
polishing a gold ring on a wheel, but
had ceased working 10 attend to me.
Seeing the eyes of the peasant tiXe
on the ring. | had guessed that IL WAS
being done for him, and had said that
would wait, but the jeweler had in
sisted that there was no hurry for
what he was doing Afterwards | had
heard that the peasant Johann was
shortly to be married TO Liza. a girl
at one of the farms.
Now noticed that he held his hat in
his hand, and had filed it with peri
wrinkles 'YOu, too, have been flower
gathering" | said.
yes, have plucked them 10 make
wreath for Liza"
what a pretty idea; how pleased
she will be- ! said thinking that he
meant for her wedding.
Then, to my dismay, tears rolled
down the mans cheeks, and he began
to sob like child, and as | inwardly
called myself a fool, he explained:
"Ah, WHO but the good God can tell
what pleases Liza now: we were 10
have been married by the priest to-
morrow, and she will be buried instead, |
and here when maid dies we give
her a wreath of sinnGruen."
And I call it the flower of hope"
said. sadly.
Perhaps the man knew how sorry
telt for him, for he stammered out.
IF the gracious lady would be 50 good
as to make the wreath for Liza herself |
why, Liza would be proul and happy |
If she could know it."
Seeing Johann really wanted ii, |
helped him Irvine the wreath, choosing |
)nly the perfect, unfaded flowers
Later on | saw Liza; she looked very
peaceful clothed in white, with the
.Raplet of flowers on her hair, and
tall candles burning at her head and
'eet, It was difficult to realize that /
,nly a week ago she was trampine
through the fields with her hoe Later
n still | had talk with my friend
Anton about this sorrowful ending to
Johann and Liza's love tale.
"Ah, yes, indeed" said fhe jeweler,
IS he tNdrled q silver hatpin In the
lame of his spirit lamp, 1T is hard
uck on Johann, harder than Fraeulein
,nows"
How is that?" | asked.
"Why, for two years Johann could
lot make up his mind whether 10 we'd
liza at the farm or Marie ut the saw
Mills. He loved The one. but the other
lad the bigger dowry"
Gle chose lover / questioned.
"No. indeed: Marie and he loved
ach other, and that is where Johanns
ad luck comes in for he will not get
4lZa's dowry after all"
well, now he can marry Marie II
he will have him." / said. feeling con
ampt for Johann.
But Anton, being n man. was more /
itiful. "Ah. the poor fellow, that is
Ist his hard luck. When his wedding
ay was fixed Marie married the gar
ener up at the schloss. so that she
hould be a bride before Liza"
So | sfill call periwinkles howers oi
ope. for when | recall Liza's peaceful :
ace do not think she is to be pitied