Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-08-03
Mureester 9aiIp Spy.
From the Home Journal.
THE EAGLE BRIDE.
BY GENOA GREY.

brows of hundred cliffs.
In the little valley of the Linth, three thou
sand feet above the level oil the sea, lived the
peasant Gutknecht hunter of chamois, with
Ulrlch his son, and his young daughter, Ka.
therli.
Over the deep rayine, or chasm, as it may
be more properly termed dwelt Max Burkli,
with his son Hans, who was Il lad of mighty
stature but whose foot was as sure as that of
the mountain bird. AS boy, Hans Burkli
had laughed at the avalanches, and caught
young eagles for playthings.
Wilhelmine, the lark of the home of the
Burkli's, had lain under the Alpine SHOWS and
the Alpine roses for two long, shadowy sum-
mers. She was bethrotled of Ulrich. One
day she climbed the glowing snow hills in
search of the timid gentian that swings itself
on rugged cliffs higher than the feet OF Will
helmine ought ever to have ventured. That
was dangerous day-a day in which the mild
air of spring was softening the SHOWS, and
loosening the foundations of the little cliffs
also, that was dangerous day. How could
the love that was ever SO yigilant have been so
reckless then?
Onward and upward climbed the lovers.
The soul of the maiden went up nearer
Heaven with every football. In one hand held
bunch OF wild flowers and wild Alpine ger
aniums, and one little, pale gentian-one
only.
"Come, dearest, let us return said Ulrich.
"You are weary ; the roses are fading on your
pretty cheeks, my bird"
"See there, Ulrich," said the maiden"
"There is bright blue gentan on the rock
above us-il is as blue as the skies beyond,
and the little Katherli must have it for her
flower book. Come, let us get it Ulrich, then
we will go home"
The eagle looked down from his eyrie, and
shadow passed over the sun in the heavens.
The lark of the house OF Burkli would sing
no more beside the blOssoming of earthly
roses. She held the heaven blue gentian in
zee hand the other was clasped in that of
her lover. And the eagle luUked Down from
his eyrie
Alas for the poor Max Burkli, and the
prosperous peasant Gutknecht, for the voice
of the daughter would never more be heard
within the home.walls OF one, and the wing
of the angel of sorrow was overshadowing the
other
In the deep valley under the cliff they found
the lovers. ray of life still fickered in the
bosom of Ulrich, but the lamp had gone out
from the heart of the maiden.
They buried her in cleft of rock where
Nature had hewn sepulchre. The hunter of
chamois, together with his mountain neigh
fastened a great stone at the entrance to this
sweet-scented cave, whose odor was like that
OF eastern spices, mingled with the breath of
the pine, and of hemlock. They laid The dead
bird there in her coffin, and the gentian bios
somed over her.
Ulrich never climbed the wild mountains
any more, he was hencetorward unable to
move about much, but he would sit by the
dark door that shut him out from the face of
his. beloved, through all the long, soft summer
hours and when the voices Of winds swept
over the sepuchre, or the breeze tnkled the
blue bells of the gentan,the music of the voice
of bis beloved arose in his soul, above the
sound OF their swinging, and above the melo-
dy OF winds, saying, "then we will go home"
She was at home already he would 90 there
to meet her BY and by
So Urich worked on skillfully carving all
curious things in dainty wood /; and the little
Katherli began TO dream her beautiful young
dream of love.
Hans Burkll is winsome lad, my Rather
Ii, quoth peasant Gutkne chit, but the lad is
crazy to think OF marrying thee, thou chicken
Thou art good for nothing save for to eat hon
ey, and knit the tamily's stockings l should
not have been more astonished il the boy had
asked me for the kitten playing with The ball
of yarn, than was when he asked me for
thee"
But Katherli pouted. Peasant Gutknecht
smoked his meerschaum, and laughed a sort
of little contented and amused kind of chuc-
kle. Katherli covered her face with her
apron.
"What is the matter with it 2" questioned
the proprietor of the meerschaum.
81 want 10 marry Hans"
Peasant Gutknecht emptied the ashes from
the meerschaum, and looked out OF the win.
dow. Hans Burkli was approaching the
house with Ulrich leaning upon his strong
shoulder. The peasant sighed.
"He is a clever lad, Katherli, but thou art
not much better than baby; what can the
boy be thinking OF to want such dumplng
for a wife 90
81 am old as my mother was when she mar
ried you. If she was alive she would be good
10 me ; she always was"
Here Katheri sobbed.
"That is true, child don't cry, you shall
have the boy sometime-when you are are a
little bigger. When he has earned a thousand
frances Tor the wedding, he then can have
you"
ale can never do it in the world, in cutting
wood and hunting chamois-you know he
cannot"
"Let him try. Love can do anything"
"Can it?" questioned Katherli.
"Of course; but children like you must not
think about such things, Mind your knitting,
child, The kitten is running off with your
bali. There are some flowers in my coat pock-
ct that / gathered tor thee on the mountain"
81 don't want flowers--I don't want any
thing, if l cannot have Hans"
Butterfly" unused the peasant.
Hans Burki was missing among his noun
tain haunts on the next bright morning. Ka-
thorE nripd littlp hut clio InoLad VOW, ,,;so
Hope has wonderous lamp forever burning in
the heart of youth Before many days think
good peasant Gutknecht missed him also: the
huntings must have been little solitary, for
the old man, now the strong arm was gone
that was always ready to carry the game L
think the peasant missed him, but he said
nothing about it, and Katherli smiled and knit.
ted away, and the kitten played with the ball
Just the same. Ulricl worked diligently on
his curious wood-carping and the peasant
Gutknecht smoked his meerschaum in the
evening, and looked gloomy. and scolded lit
tie sometimes; he said KatEerli was stupid
that Ulrich WAS dreamer--Max Burkli, the
good, genial soul, he called an iceberg and lie
swore that the kitten was possessed of seven
teen evil spirits. Katherli smiled and knitted
away
A party of wanderers Katierli was glad
to see them at her little Threshold, aud she
did not much care if she was alone, although
she would like it very well if father and Ulrich
would happen home just then.
The travellers consisted of two gentlemen
one very young and imperious the other, an
elderly man, with kind voice, and still kind,
er smiles. and two mountain guides who i'm,
mediately wandered away within call, until
their services should be needed in the descent
The younger person was French baron
who was spending the summer among the
Alps. with his guardian, in order to skeer
cool as he expressed it. Katherlis hopita.
Bile coffee, brown bread and delicious honey
was appreciated by her guests; perhaps mo-
less than the beauty of the verilable Katl,erI