Marshall County Democrat., 1856-11-20
SHOT THROUGH THE HEART.
A GERMAN ROMANCE'

7 have tale to tell, with a true German
flavor. ola hintsman of the olden time,
and of the ringing of shot in the recess
es of forest. 1t is tale taken from the
lips of the people, and it may be true. l
have its kernel from German writer, Ed
mund Hoefer. .i ~
From village to town, and back from
town to village-no matter where--the mar
row footpath runs at one end through
smooth meadows. then descends into a
wide hollow, of which the whole sweep is
filled with glorious old wood; but at the
other end the path runs through the stand
ING corn. From village to town, or back
from town to village, men, women, and
children hurry through the wood. No
trodden grass betrays feet that have been
truant to the beaten path. Not far from
the bottom of the hollow there is an open
space in the dense forest, and the trees on
one eide stand apart, as if at the entrance
|
path now, if itever were one. 1t is choked
up with underwood, matted with brambles
and wild vines, and the narrow footway
strikes directly across the forest lava of
grass and flowers in the little open glade;
there is no sign of wavering in any way
farer-no turning aside to be detected
| There was assuredly another path here once,
for here there was set up guide-post, un-
less for such purpose now, and overgrown
with ivy. One of its three directing boards
being destroyed, or having rotted off, it
looks like rude cross set up in the forest;
and the peasants of the district-though
they are by this time all Protestants-look
up at it witha praycrful ejaculation as they
hurry by.
A party of English travellers dwelt for a
few days in the adjacent town, and soon
discovered that the grand old forest oaks
were good to dine under They knew
generally that the place was accursed and
was believed to harbor spectres, if not
worse things. Before this generation was
born, lord of the castle had gone sud
denly abroad, and his lady-mother who
remained at home, had cursed the forest,
and permitted no wood to be felled no la
Dor to be done in it. This curse the fami-
ly kept up, and except the use of the ne
cessary paths, the forest had been for al
most century untouched by man. 1t was
the more luxuriant for that; and the smooth
plot of grass in which the guide-post stood,
with broad boughs and blue sky above
were floor and ceiling as it seemed, to the
best of picnic dining rooms.
Only their servants went with the holi
day makers, who had dined well, and were
dancing merrily when the first shadows on
the tlrf began percePtibly to lcngthcn.-
The few rusics who came TO and fro upon
the path, had all day long looked more or
less aghast at their proceedings The last
who had passed by even presumed to stop
and urge that they would return home be-
fore twilight closed. The wood, he said,
is never safe for Christian men, and evil
things lie yonder. His hand waved hur-
riedly towards the ancient avenue. and he
stepped on apace, for he had been venture
some in making any halt at ALL
why, there is full moon tonight, said
Clara Hough, one of the party; the best of
the picnic is to come. If any fairies
should appear. we'll join our dance to
theirs, as for ghosts, should like to see
one! Is this one of their walking days?-
What says the calander?' 1t is the Feast
of St. Egidius,' said Eustace Wenn, who
hoped in due time to convert MISS Hough
into Mrs. Wenn. 'St Egidus' day is no.
thing in particular. Ofcourse we shall 90
home by moonlight, but vote for an ad-
venture. Lei US break open the path way
and find out the demon of the wood. Some
thing, of course, lies yonder. Who joins
the exploring party?' Women, and men
too, grow superstitious in the twilight, wise
as they may be. There were no volun-
teers. My dear fellow said the host.
Join our next dance. The path, you see,
is impervious.'
Mr.. Wenn, leapt among the trees, and
shouted back intelligence that it was easy
with one pair of hands to cut way there,
even for lady. Then, said Miss Hough
following his lead, by all means let us
CO. Let them alone said the host, they
are lovers, and they would not thank us
for our company The dance, therefore,
was formed. and the young people went
alone into the wood.
The green leaves, the CLEANS of sunset
coloring, the twittering of the birds above,
the moss and flowers under-foot, the pleas
ant exercise of fighting down such obsta-
cles as thorns and teadrils offered, the
younp gentleman smoothing The WOW for