The north Iowa times. [volume] (M'Gregor [i.e. McGregor], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1856-10-24

mans shoulder.
AT last in my arms again, my fores
flower %
Lord Count, Lord Count = said Ger.
trude, let hope be at an end between us.
But am still your Leonard, and you
are to be my little wife
my father frightens me your mother
will oppose YOU
MY mother yes. To avoid her anger
we must wait But your father p
Lying on his shoulder, she began to tell
him all her fears, which he endeavored to
allay with knees. A flash and loud re-
port. Glass breaks, and the young no.
bleman is sprinkled with the blood OF
Gertrude. She can utter but a single cry
before she lies upon the sofa, dead.
A few minutes afterwards, the old
huntsman entered slowly to the door.
Quicker Ducker = the count shouted
in agony, here is murder done Your
beautiful Gertrude shot!'
'Ay, to be sure she will not stir again
said Ducker. 1t was shot we'll aimed
through the centre of the heart
The count was bewildered at his cold
ness.
This is your Gertrude, father--my
Gertrude y
Your highness's Gertrude !! thought
she was only mine!
He is madH the count cried. Ger
trude ! Beloved Gertrede! from whatever
quarter the shot came, my vengeance on
the assassin !!
Whence the shot came said Ducker,
will show YOU And he led him to
the window. 1t came from beside yon-
der pine-tr tree. A man sat there who sus-
pected mischief s--aa.
Wretch Madman Take your hand
from me You have murdered your own
daughter!' ~r .'
Take your hand also from me = said
Ducker. L have powder and shot for
your highness, if need be, in the other bar
rel. Wait-wth your hand off-while l
tell you an old story:
"There was a forester who loved a
countess. That he did secretly, and with
out speaking, for he thought much of the
difficulties in his way. However, he was
prudent, and all ended well, and no man
was the wiser. But there was a count
who loved the wife of forester land that
ended not well. For when the forester
discovered it, he took that which belonged
to him, And the count had a son, and
the forester daughter The old man
preached her many lesson about rank,
and frivolity, and betrayers but she loved
that son, and he pretended equal love for
her. So, thus-l took that which belong
! ed to me.''
"Miserable assassin - cried the count.
''She was mine, mine, mine You tell
me of sin and passion, but our hearts were
before God, and our love was unspotted.
We were betrothcd. would have marri-
ed her."
The old man pointed to the body, and
laughed aloud. ....
Her? You should have said that to
her lady mother at the castle yonder."
''To my mother ?--the countess -
| The young count, with ashen face, re-
coiled, and hurrying out, called to his ser
wants, and spurred his horse home to the
castle. His mother, the countess, heard
all from him. When she knew what the
fierce huntsman had said, how dark story
he had told, and what had been the end of
it, her limbs became stiff as with death !;
she spoke, only to pronounce her curse
upon whatever foot stepped in that hunts
mans den of crime-upon whatever man
| entered that wood to touch a stone of it
And then she died.
Hans Ducker carried his daughter
down, and buried her among the flowers
of his garden. The shouldering his gun,
he went out Of his house and, except
when he spoke word to Peter beyond
| the mountains, never was seen more
The howlings of dog were heard for a
few days in the wood they became weak
er and weaker, until all was still And
from that hour the stiffness was unbro-
ken.