The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1857-08-20

ceptible, could not bear his fits Of pas
sion. Far from soothing her husband.
she had irritated him by resistance, re-
proaches and discomfort; the alienation
daily increased, until coldness took the
place Of affection Then each Of them
kept silence, pressing back their suffer
ings into their own hearts. At last,
the excess Of grief brought on q vio-
lent rupture Charlotte went TO Egra,
where her parents lived, and Loffen
came to dwell in HoF with his daugh-
ter.
But the separation did not seem to
soften his irritation Either the re-
membrance of Charlotte recalled the
wrongs for which he blushed, or he pre-
served his resentment against her, and
he Stunned everything which could re-
call the remembrance of Dorothea's
mother. Her portrait had been cover
ed with a cloth, and banished to a dark
closet her piano, carefully closed, was
half concealed in a corner of an unin-
habited room; he had even required
that Dorothea should study the harp.
as if he feared a reminiscence of the
past. All his daughters attempts to
overcome this aversion had been hith-
erto useless; but hers was one of those
hearts to which love gives courage, and
which is never weary in trying to do
good.
The day fixed upon for the marriage
at last arrived. The nuptial benediction
was to take place at midnight in the
Protestant chapel; but the friends and
nelghbors Of the Major had been invited
to assemble sooner for the wedding-sup-
per. When they were all assembled.
LoHen wished to leave them to make
sure that all orders had been given. Do
rothea opposed it,
"a thousand pardons, my father,
she said, embracing him; "but I forbid
you to leave us"
"Why?' asked the Major, smiling.
"Becauso you have not any right to
command herel'
"How?"
81 am alone mistressl'
"Sho is right exclaimed Councillor
Hoffman, smiling.
"But do not understand"
"lt is St. Sylvesters Day"
"By Heavenl had forgotten it," OK
claimed LofFen.
1T is St. Sylvester's Day repeated
all the voices; "yOu are not master here,
Major"
st. Sylvester's Day, which is,through-
out all Bavaria, a period of rejoicing,
is, in truth, celebrated at HOff i'm a par
ticular manner. BY an ancient custom,
the order established in families is re-
versed, and the authority exercised byI
parents passes entirely into the hands
Of the children. 1t is a sort of Chris
tian transformation of those saturnalias
of Rome, in which the slaves recovered
their liberties for few hours, and we're
served in turn by their masters.
The Major, who had always scrupu-
lously cOnformed to the old custom, re-
piled, smilingIy, to his daughter, Chat
he left to her and William the direction
of everything"
"Then, said Dorothea, cit is under
stood that you submit yourself to the
laws of st. Sylvester?'
"Undoubtedly, replied Loffen.
"And you promise on your honor to
accept during the whole dayyou child
rem as mastcrs?"
81 promise on my honor; but we
will see how you will use the power
"Our friends shall be judges" said
DOrothea, turning towards the guests
''I shall have, at least, counsellor"
"Who, then2'
"a lady whose acquaintance I made
on my last voyage at the house of the
President"
"YOu have not spoken to me of her "
'NO; but she arrived this morning atI
Hof. 1 met her by chance as I was re-
turning from the temple, and 1 invited
her"
"Without informing me-" said the
Major, astonished.
at is St. Sylvester, my father OBJ
iected Dorothea.
Loffen could not restrain a gesture of
dissatisfaction.
"And shall I know the name of this
unknown person?' he said.
"Here she is, interrupted William.
Dorothea and he went out hastily to|
meet her. The Major, who was
seated near a window, rose quietly
leaned over the balcony-and reeogniz-
ed Charlottel
1t would be difficult to express what
passed in the mind of Loffen at this
sight. Tt was at first a mixture of sur
prise, of trouble, and of anger but this
last feeling gained the mastery. 1t was
evident that everything had been ar
ranged between Dorothea and her moth
er, They undoubtedly wished a recon,
ciliation; and, to impose it upon him,
they had calculated upon his astonish-
ment, his embarrassment, perhaps his
weakness. This last idea reyolted him.
Age had not so calmed his soul that
vexation might not be easily turned in
to indignation. His first impulse was
to repulse the mother and daughter,
and shut himself up in his apartment;
but the presence Of the guests restrain
ed him.
He was standing in the samo place,
considering what he would do, when
Charlotte appeared, led by William and
Dorothea Her gaze met that Of the
Major, on entering, and she retreated
Concluded meet i0eeb)
-aob-
A disastrous gale visited the coast Of
I