The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1856-12-13
From the German OF Ferdinand Stole
Courtsh'p Under Difficulties.
A HUMOROUS HISTORY.

When | lett the university of Jena,
went to live with an unele-who, since tn
death of my parents, had supplied the
place to meat a pleasant eountIy stIos.s
within an easy distance of his mandatory
. Uncle Reinhoid was much attached to mt
a and although he had not objected to m
r,rooncing my university life rather beyOn
tho usual age, when finally quilted Jen
he strongly urged me TO turn my attentio
to industrial pursuits, holding out to me tn
prospect Of becoming his partner, and ut!
matclv sole proprietor Of his profitable b'
sincsS Accordingly, for upwards of yea
applied myself to master the mysteries 0
the looms and shuttlcs, correspondence am
accounts. although these were much less t.
my taste than the tranquil life had led
Jena. studying the law, but diving deep IN
10 orr noble German classics, and storing
nav mind from the works OF the best prose
writer. and poets Before the year was hal
out fa.l deeply in love, bat this | dare
not tel NY uncle. Minnie was the swcetes
fairy that ever tripped over lawn without
doubling daisy; her hair was OF the rich
est auburn, her eyes were ol the utepes'
i blue, her mouth was rosebud, and with
nv hands could span her waist, tut-alas.
hat terrible 6ut-shc lacked one thing
which my uncle set above all the graces ever
! combined IN a goddess. Her mother, the
, widow Of poor clergyman, HVed upon
-cantv pension. and Minnie was dowerless.
+ So we kept our loves profound secret, and
/ trusted t. him and the chapter of incidents.
Both Young. we could afford to wait, and,
contiiea,,y.each others affection, the posi-
h.,i'v oC another union never entered the
head Of either OF us.
Nv ,,urls F-raI.u'iI ss5xs to me or mat
rimouy He advocated my carly marriage
perhap. 4 little from selfish motives, for he
often iovously anticr ated the charm young
and graceful woman wouli bring into his
dwelling, and the delight he should have in
iaui..ng a grand nephew on his knee
Waru-heartcd and generous, he yet in eve
rvthinc was completely the man OF bust
ness, and lie looked upon it as settled
matter, that, although had very little for
tune Of nv own, my expectations from hirn
should insure uc a rich wife. This idea
seemed so rooted in his mind, that it some
times occssioncd me uneasiness. foresaw
soma anger and much opposition when the
day Shnnll come and come it must that
should confess to him my love Tor sweet
peaa;l-ss Minnie.
one morning. in the usual bundle OF let
ters came one which seemed to give my un-
Gle unusual satisfaction. | supposed It to
contain large and profitable order, for
those were the letters over which he gene
r.Ily rubbed his hands, twink!cd his eyes,
and gave other unmstahable marks of con
tentment. To my surprise, instead OF toss.
ing il over TO me, with an exulting, There,
nv bow" he car, fully folded it up, and put
/ in the breast coat pocket All that day
he was in a state OF particular exhileration-
~ dinner he said little, but something
agreeable evidently occupied his mind. AT
last. when, AZ evening, he had established
himself in his easy chair at the open win
dow. his ncerschaum in his mouth. flask
of golden Rheuish at his elbow, lovely
Landscape and gorgeous sunset before him,
the mystery was revealed. The letter was
from h : old friend, Counsellor Frager, who
lived on his pleasant domain of NIesenthai,
about dav and a hs'f's drive from US
The counsellor. whom had twice seen at
INV urcle's since my return from college,
was wealthy widuwe-. with three marriag-
able dau, hters- whom had net seen. Ny
uncle, it appeared. had lately been ip cor
reSpondence with him respecting the propri-
cty OF bringing about a union between inc
aud ono Of the young ladies, who were re-
puted handsome; and that mornings letter
contained the counsclors full acquieScence
Of the scheme, and an invitation for me TO
pass few days at Wiesenthal. In vain did
| raise obstacles and declare my conviction
that none OF the Misses Frager's would suit
me. Uncle Reinhold had the ready reply
that could not tell that until | had seen
them. After making all possible objections,
fslI that to persist longer might excite sus-
pcono of 4 prior attachment. And, aiter
all, it was but a weeks absence, and no un-
pleasant escape from the mcnotony OF :he
counting house. All that | was required TO
do was to 20 and see ths darnsels, who as
suredIy would not carry ine Nv force. But
when tcid Minnie Of my approaching de
partuTe, | thought she would have broken
her heart Her confidence in me vas great,
but the circumstances were certainly trying.
She could not endure my being thus driven
into temptation She had heard of the
counsellor 5 daughters as very handsome and
very rich. She doubted not the truth but
she had forcbodings of evil, and implored
me not to leave her. l had promised my
uncle to go, however, and l could not re-
tract my word. 1t took great many VOWS,
and not a few kisses, to console the little,
,niil, loving girl, and even then she was
but half consoled.
Before my departure had another grave
interview with my uncle. You will not Ie-
grct your journey, Frank" he said. "The
girls are pretty, witty, and well read. Not
geese, such as one finds in our kirchburg
and other country villages. You must rub
up your learning. And the chief thing Is,
that each of them will have her thirty thou
sand dollars. Bring me home such golden
niece as that, and take you into partner
Ship A few years more, ard retire alto.
gether, and you area made man. My old
friend the counsellor warmly desires the al
lance. Not all wooers find their path so
smooth. ran myself nearly off my legs
after my dear departed wife. The old peo-
pie were against it, and would not listen to
me- Luck lies before you, my boy seize
it with both hands,"
"All very WELL" thought ], as / got into
the gig and drove off; 'but my hands are
bound. and my heart, too. What is the
money, compared to Minnie? One lock OF
her lovely hair would make all the Old coun-
sellor's money-bass kick the beam! And
even if she were not in the way, hate these
mercenary unions, got up by third parties,
where everything is for the purse, and no.
thing for the heart. To please my uncle,
however, can very we'll manage to go
through few days at Wicsenthal and see
the counsellor's graces on tlieir best behav,
ior owe much moro than that to my kind
kinsman and second father. will look at
the ladies', but there is no fear of my mar
rying one Of them Poor, dear Minnie y
But If the Frager girls are such beauties,