Year: 1875

|


One morning l took o book, and 60
ing through the orchard, followed the
stream to a favorite nook, lay down,
and laughed the pretty, musical laugh
that was at once pleasure and bane.
I laughed to think Of myself in this
rig in an opera.box and, looking at the
water, I said, "Why not be real
"Lorlei for q while?" No sooner
thought than done. OF came the
clumsy shoes and knitted stockings,
aud holding my dress up l went splash.
ing in the shallow waters. / stepped
on big stone it rolled with me, and
| sat down costly in the middle of the
brook, wet to my waist, and my dismay
finished by the heartiest laugh you can
imagine. Looking at part of the
bank that 1 had not before noticed, |
saw a gentleman, in sporting dress,
holding n fishing.rod in one hand and
waving the other at me in the most
genial and pleasant manner. 1t might
have been that my eyes did not match
my hair; at any rate, / fancied that he
stopped laughing rather suddenly, and
coming close down to the water stood
eyeinr me inquiring'y. l had been
angry at first but my usual sense Of
humor came to my aid, and sitting
there, With the tapping water full about
mo, held my sides, and laughed with
him until was tired, and my checks
| glowed like two roses.


"Well," he finally said, stopping to
laugh at every word or two, "you have
succeeded in your loudly expressed wish,
and made veritable 'Lorlei of your.
self"


"Did you hear me-? l asked, feeling
for the first time little shy, and rising
slowly to my feet. He saw that l could
not come out of the water in my bare
feet, and laughing still, he answered.


eyes. But I fear you will continue
water.nymph until | am gone, so
goodbye And as suddenly as he had
come, he disappeared.


put on my shoes, and made the best
of my way back to the house. Aunt
Hetty laughed at me when told her OF
my adventure, but stared when / de-.
scribed the man.


"Bless me, child" she said, " it is
Walter Gray, who lives on the next
farm, or rather owns it, and lives in
New York. / did not know he was at
home"


The days flew by on golden wings:
every one seemed more happy tha., the
last. l took an apronfnl of peaches
and book, and lay down in the ham,
mock under the elm for lazy time one
morning. l was scarcely settled when
/ heard auntie calling me, and then
steps coming near to me. / raised my
self, and WHO should be with her but
that Walter Gray He laughed heartily
on recognizing in my aunt's niece the
"water. nymph," but soon made me feel
at ease by his courteous and merry
manner. He had come over to see if
he could buy n COW OF uncle, aud over
the merits OF butter and milk we grew
quite friendly. Auntie would have him
stay to lunch, and | tried to enact the
country girl, and be as awkward as pos
sible. Two or three times almost be.
trayed myself by some unguarded re-
mark; but by dropping my fork, up
setting my milk. and knocking my
chair over when / rose, L managed to
seem i'll bred enough to suit my coarse
fyock, absent collar, and tumbled hair.


To my utter establishment, Mr.. Gray
asked me to go to picnic at the school
house the next day. While / was star
ing, first at MIN, and then at myself in
the glass, Aunt Hetty quietly said,
"She will 20 with pleasure" was
ready to beat her, bnt beyond q few
muttered words, said nothing until he
was gone. Then made few remarks
| to her which made her look so sorry,
that ! kissed her and promised to go
peaceobly.


made myself look as countritied as
possible, next morning, ana my looking
glass told ma that was no longer even
passabIe. Mr.. Gray made no remark
about my appearance, except to ask II
the glasses were absolutely necessary,
and on my gravely assuring him that
they were, he helped me into the car
riage, and awav we went. How l en-.
joyed the glances the girls gave me,
and their evident contempt for my dress
and manner! I found myself alone
with Mr.. Gray, toward the end of the
afternoon, and we sat down on the moss
at the foot Of tree for what l called q
good talk. His manner had been per-
fectly kind and courteous, and he had
done everything in his power to make
me forget the difference between myself
and the pretty country girls had met.
After little forgot my part, and let
ting the glasses fall unheeded in my
lap, | pulled off the yellow cotton gloves
! had worn all day, and lying backward,
clasped my hands above my head, con-
tentedly. After minute he said


"Maggie Thorne is entirely thrown
away on that old man. What life for
a bright, fair woman to live, shut away
in that quiet house."


Following his glance toward the house
on the other side OF the road, l lazily
answered


"Imperial Cnsar, dead and turned to clay,


Might stop hole to keep the wind away


The look OF utter amazement on his
face was too funny as he gasped out:


"Miss Lorlei, what are you? Hideous
and lovely at the same time, an unedu.
Gated country girl firing Shakespeare at
me in that style. You wear these green
glasses all the time, and yet have
noticed you can zee much farthsr and
better without them. You have the
most exquisite hand 1 have ever seen,
and your feet are large enough for 9
man. You bow like an empress, and
tumble over your dress the next minute.
can't understand you"


kept my face through all his speech
and then gave him answer, pulling OF
my gloves:
"I don't know what you mean b,
Shakespeare, and you need not insul
my feet can't help their size. VIVA
made you bring me, if only to tease !?
, And without further ceremony l lef
him moro mystified than ever.
/ saw him very often in the next tw'