The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-11-07
From Blackwood's Magazine.l
Lin DA TRESSEL.

sent the offer made to her. When
Peter Steinmarc told her that she was
lone woman, left without guidance
or protection, she allowed the fact,
admitting that guidance would be
good for her. When he went on to
say that Linda also was in need of
protection, she admitted that, also.
She is in sore need" Madame Stau-
bach said. : The poor thoughtless
child" And when Herr Steininafc
spoke of her pecuniary condition, re-
mjnding the widow, that, were she
left without the ledger, tie two women
could badly keep the old family roof
over their head, Madame Staubach
acknowledged it all, and per
haps went very suddenly to the true
point by expressing an opinion that
everything would be much better al
ranged If the house were the proper
ty Of Herr Steinmarc himself 1t
isn't good that women should own
houses" said Madame Staubach; Z" it
should be enough for them that they
are permitted to use them" Then
Herr Steinmarc went on to explain,
that, if the widow would consent TO
become his wife, he thought he could
so settle things, that for their lives. at
any rate, the house should be In his
care and management. But the widow
would not consent even to speak of
such an arrangement as possible She
spoke word. with tear In her eye,
of the human lord and master who
had lived with her for two happy
years, and said another word with
some mystical allusion to heavenly
husband; and after that Herr Stein
marc felt that be could notplead his
cause further with any hope of sue
cess. =" But why should not Linda be
your wife?" said Madame Staubach,
as her disappointed sutton was about
to retire.
The idea had never struck the
mans mind before, and now, when
the suggestion was made to him, he
was for while stricken dumb. Why
should he not marry Linda Tressel,
the niece; gay, pretty, young, sweet as
youth and prettiness and gayety could
make her.. a girl than whom there
was none prettier, none sweeter, in all
Nuremberg and the real owner, too.
of the house In which he lived,-in-
stead of the aunt. who was neither
gay, nor sweet, nor young: who,
though she was virtuous, self deny
ing, and meek, possessed certainly but
few feminine charms? Herr Stein
marc, though he was by no means liv-
ing outside the palesof the Church to
which he belonged, was not so strongly
given to religious obserVances as to
have preferred the aunt because. Of
he piety and sancity of life. He was
not hypocrite enough even to suggest
to Madame Staubach that any such
feeling warmed his BOSOM. Why
should not Linda be his wife? He
sat himself down again in the arm
chair from which he had risen, and
began to consider the question.
La the first place, Herr Steimarc
was at this time nearly fifty years old,
and Linda Tressel was only twenty.
He knew Linda's age well, for he had
been an inhabitant of the garrett UP
stairs when Linda was born. What
would Frau Tressel have said that
night had any one prophesied to her
that her little daughter would here
after be offered as wife to her
husbands penniless clerk up stairs?
But penniless clerks often live to fill
their masters shoes, and do some
times marry their masters daughters.
And then Linda was known through
out Nuremberg to be the real owner
of the house with the three gables.
and Herr Steinmarc had an idea that
the Nuremberg magistrates would rise
up against him, were he to offer to
marry the young heiress And there
was a third difficulty; Herr Steinmarc,
though be had no knowledge on the
though his suspicious we're
so slight, that he had never yet mem
toned them to his old friend the
widow, though he was aware that he
had barely a ground for the idea. still
had an idea, that Linda Tresseps
heart was no longer at Llnda's own
disposal. 2a'
But nevertheless the momentou
question which had been so sudden
asked him was one which certainly
deserved the closest consideration. 1t
showed him, at any rate. that Linda's
nearest friend would help him were
he inclined to prosecute such suit.
and that she saw nothing ont Of
course, nothing anomalous in the
proposition. 1t would be very nice
to be the husband of a pretty. cav
et-tempered, joyous young GIRL it
would be very nice to marry the heir
ess of the house, and to become its
actual owner and master, and it wouId
be nice also to be preferred to him of
whom Peter Steinmarc had thougEt
as the true possessor of Linaa's heart 4
! II LINDA were once his wife, Linda,
he did not doubt, would be true to
aim. In such case Linda. whom be
knew to be a good girl, would over