Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1867-02-14

ed with bunch of China asters in a
jar, and was substantially furnished,
| was glad to see, with a pie, dish
of raw ham, loaf Of black bread,
and some grapes. AS for drinkables,
there was a small jug of Bavarian
| beer, and there was bottle Of water,
Lori hustled to and fro Gretchen
lighted another candle, and set them
both on the stove, behind the table.
As she did SO, my eye was attracted
to the foor,on which the light stream
ed. IL was uncarpeted and a.num
Der of black beetles were running
acros it, alarmed by the illumina-
ton, no doubt Now, | have always
had an irrational repugnance to this
insect: | am afraid my face showed it.
We cannot get rid of the nasty
creatures" said Gretchen They come
out in myriads from crevices near the
stove but the light always fright
ems them away"
We sat down. | was very hungry,
and fell to with ;, right good will
Lori kept me company. She sat OPP
posite and whenever | raised my
eyes, | saw the movement of her mas
sive jaws defined against the candles
behind her. Gretchen s It on right
hand; thus the light fell sideways on
her face, while that of her sister was
in shadow; and the table being small,
Gretchen's hand and mine came fire.
quently in contact. She ate very lit
tie she crumbled and played with a
piece of bread, and seldom allowed
those strange piercing eyes of hers
to leave my face. As supper went
on, Lori talked and laughed a good
deal Gretchen said nothing. She
seemed to grow more and more alb
sorbed in her own thoughts and
once, when her hand touched mine, |
observed that it shook. She filled up
tumbler of water and drank it. Lo-
ri pushed the beer towards me.
Fill up for yourself" | drained
the jug into my glass. l raised it to
my lip and began to drink Sudden
ly Gretchen uttered sharp cry, and
started up. In doing so, she nearly
upset the table; and her elbow some
how came in contact with the glass
in my hand. It's contents wered split
upon the floor.
Zach the beetle, the horrid thing !"
she cried. at has gone down my
back, believe |" She rushee from
the room, as white as a sheet.
I" Fool !" muttered Lori, setting her
Jaws tight "What waste of good
liquor |! And there is no more in the
house l will send her, for her pains,
to go fetch another schoppen."
"a Not on my account, pray. I like
water quite as well. Nay, your Bay
erische bier sometimes disagrees
with me-"
She looked up sharply into my face.
Why, what manner Of man are
you, that drink water 2" she de-
manded
l seldom afford myself anything
else" | replied.
The beer had streamed from the
table to the floor, where it had form
ed itself into long diagonal channel
towards the stove. 1t was still drip
ping, which drew my attention, sup
pose, to the boards. The beer had
encountered one or two black beetles
in its course. had heard of their
fondness for fermented liquors it
had taken effect very quickly in this
case. l saw them struggle, feebly
and more feebly, to crawl away from
the intoxicating food. Lori's quick
eye discerned what | looking at.
"The nasty creatures They soon
make themselves tipsy," she said, as
she ran and fetched a broom. Then
she swept them up into a plate, and
carefully wiped the floor
Gretchen now returned to the room
and helped her sister to clear away
the supper. As she moved about l,
my hunger being appeased, noted
with quickened perception what a
supple, grandly formed creature this
Gretchen was. The fancy came into
my head that the White Cat, when
ua1sIormed, must have resembled
her fair and lissom, with delicate
pink nostrils and strange bright eyes.
In the elder | thought the cat grew
akin to the tigress her sharp mar
row teeth, heavy jaw, and stealthy,
cruel eyes, filled me more and more
with an indefnable repulsion. | was
glad when she said,-
az will go see after your bed,
young man. Gretchen will keep you
company meanwhile"
l was sitting in the moonlight, near
the window. Gretchen stood beside
me.
"You are unlike all the men have
known" she said, after she had look
ed at me in her strange way for some
minutes. care all Englishmen like
you ?"
Happily for them, l suppose, very
few"
But Englishmen are faithful" she
said, eagerly. "They never deceive,
never betray. have read about one
Englishman in a book Could you
be true to a woman, without chang
ing all your life :"
81 should hope so p | cried, with
the impetuosity of youth. A mans
love is not worth much otherwise"
She stretched forth her long white
hands and laid them on my shoulders.
"Will you be my love, young Eng
lishman?" she murmured, in hoarse,
tremulous voice. az can make you
rich. You need toll no more. I can
save you from great dangers too. l
like your face"
| started up, blushing for the thing