Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1850-01-19
4 Select Tnle.
From Mrs. Ellis. Evenings at Woodlawn.h
THE RED CAP. d.

"Hans Christoph, the bailif' of small
town in Germany, was in possession (be-
sides the respect and consideration due him
in right Of office and personal character) Of
a young wife whose name was Eva. As
often as the worthy bailff called her by that
name, he grumbled that it should belong to
her, for 1t never failed to put him in mind Of
the nefarious doing ofmother Eve, when she
circumvented Adam in Paradise. "What
befel the first man." he would say to him
self, may fall to the lot of old Hans Chris
toph for if the Eve that took the apple
had one devil to help her, my Eva may
have ten thousand If she chooses. And
will she not choose! Oh, Hans Christoph,
it was a foolish thing to marry SO young a
wife" 'a1 ~ -A'0 "a''.
"By the ten thousand devils Hans
meant nothing more than the young men,
particularly those Of gentle blood, ten miles
round the neighborhood. For the fact
could not be denied, that they came from
far and near, on foot and on horseback, to
pay their respects to the lovely wife Of
the bailiff, or TO admire her as they rode or
walked past the house. Hans Chriaoph
was not long in finding this out; and the
discovery threw him into transport Of
rage and jealousy. He would no longer
permit Eva to go to the door, nor leave the
house on any pretext; and at last forbade
her even looking out Of the window.
"Eva was sweet, innocent, amiable
creature, and had always entertained pro-
found respect for her old husband. But
when he showed such unreasonable dis
trust, and treated her so harshly, her re-
spect, as matter of course, was reduced
to naught; while he continued day after
day, to torment her by his unfounded sus-
picions. The rebellious spirit in her hu-
man nature was reused, until she was at
last provoked into wishing for an opportu-
nifty to deceive him. srf ,ius- :
"What woman seeks to do, she is not
long In finding means 70 accomplish, in
spite Of al the Argus watching in the world.
For many days had the nephew Of their
landlord, Ia passing the house, thrown in
pitying glances, intended for the pretty
victim of tyranny, which looks, caught by
stealth were feadily understood. So, one
day, when the bailifr was gone TO the tavern
to examine thief who had let himself down
by the chimney to steal, Master Fritz avail.
ed himself Of the same means to enter the
kitchen Of Hans Christoph's house. There
Eva received him, and disburdened hersei
Of all her troubles. Whom else had she te
complain tot Fritz listened sympathi'
zingly; and said he thought he could heIT
her. He knew Of way to cure the ole
ballif Of his Jealousy. Eva shook her hesc
incredulously. That would be miracle
indeed! Bat Fritz hoped for the best, ans
presently unfoldsd hls scheme. Eva laugh
ed heartily Il II, and promised lief aid |,
the best Of her power.
"In the afternoon of the same day III,
bailiff was sitting in very sullen mood, oI
the stone bench before bis door, He wa
wondering how II happened that his youni
wife had not wept bitterly; . usual, at hi
reProaches; and trying 10 think Who ha'
been daring enough to offer hei cancellation
Alsllght noise INTERRUPTED bis reverie, ant
looking up, he saw ah old Polish Jew, Il
course travelling gear, with q knspsack oI
| be shoulders, |STANN % 9K19 M I
"Anything 70 buyl" asked the pedIai
| In broken German. Hans Chrisoph mad
. gesture Of repulsion. But the Jew stoo
Ibis ground.