The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-05-15


window ~
"a letter from the princc!" said
Catharinc i'm astOnishment.
"From whom should it bc?" cried
Fritz.
"The letter was not to me-"
"Indced !" replied Fritz. "Dcar and
well-belovcd Catharine'-a not these
the words addressed to you? and the
purse, was that not addressed to you ?"
81 do not know the prince" said
Catharine weeping. 81 have never
even seen him the gold was sent me
by my aunt"
"What" replied Fritz, thunder
struck, "your aunt is, then"
"Alas yes" said Catharine "my
aunt's name is Catharine, but now she
is called the Baroness b. My faith
er told me, on his dcath-bcd, never to
see her, or to receive any thing from
her. Many times she tried to make
me some presents | have always re-
fused but this time, on account Of our
marriage, | thought | would accept for
your sake. Ii did wrong, did ii mcr-
it leaving me so cruelty ?n
"Then," said Fritz, ait was not you
to whom the prince sent this billet and
money!"
"No, indeed; it was to my aunt"
replied Cathurine, weeping.
at was not to your influence, then,
that | was mede corporal, then decora-
ted, and made captain, after having
been whipped.
"No, but perhaps it was owing TO my
aunt"
"Triplc fool that | am ~ cried Fritz,
striking his forehead and swearing
frghtfully. "Enlisting, and giving up
my commission, and Cntharine's fling
ing my money out of the window I"
Fritz fell into Il swoon. The caresscs
of his wife restored him, and for mo-
ment they forgot their misfortunes in
one long embrace. Fritz then wished
to know why he had never heard from
his wife.
"Aiter you disappeared, spent six
weeks in seeking you, but | could learn
nothing ofyou."
81 passed that time in the hospital" i"
replied Fritz.
"Then, Presumed Catharine, ,"my poor
old mother fell sick and / watched and
took care of her until her death. After
wards began my search again. learn
cd that you had enlisted, and that your
regiment had left the country. would
have followed you but was poor, and
| took good care not to aggravate my
fault by addressing my aunt. In res
ignation ! waited and in hope, and at
last you have returned"
The result of this explanation was 4
full and perfect reconciliation. Nothing
was wanting to the happiness of Frit;
and Catharinc until poverty knocked
at their door. Catharinc had lost he
employment in searching after her hus
band as to Fritz, since he had been
soldier he was no longer good for any
thing. The five hundred ducats Of tn,
prince supported them FOR time, but
it was soon exhausted. One morning
when there was neither fire, nor bread
; nor money in the house, Fritz though
Of plunging himself into the river
Goubtless to find the gold his wife ha,
flung there. Arrived AT the Shore an,
just as he was going to jump in, ht
chanced to look on the opposite side
and saw on the wall of the quay The
following notice:
"a purse, containing ten thousanC
ducats in gold, has been drawn out o
the water in this place. The owner cal
have it by calling on the fisherman
Ludwig, ut the new fauboUrg."
Reading this prevented Fritz IRON
carrying his suicidal intentions int,
execution, and he Immediately set on
for the abode Of Ludwig. 1t is needles
to say the honest fisherman rcturnCC
the whole purse, Fritz at last realize,
his first air-castlcS. He hired Il hand
some shop, in which he installed hi
wife behind an ebony counter. llappi
ness restored Catharinc's beauty, and il
a short time Fritz's shop became tn
rendezvous of all the young folks /
town. our hero made his fortune, an,
promcnaled through the streets in hi
coat with steel buttons, gold-hcade,
cane, and had his place on the bench c
church-wardens. Before his death h
filled the important Office Of alderman
; and was on the point Of obtaining lc
, tcrs Of nobility II0rh n Womc.
\ Cool IIrSBASD.-rucr. IT, on