The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-01-07

he was one of few men v no had sue
cceded, under extraordinary difficulties.
in masking their escape, il SEEMED i'm
possible now 10 know. Ottiiia's new
friend and protector did all he could to
get further tidings, but in vain. The
rail OF the missing lover was lost, ut
ierly lost, amidst the smoke and dust
and blood OF the wars last commissions
Stay with US ; let this be YOUR homo
live with my wife and daughters, aud
be one OF our family" said Otiilia's friend
TO her in tender, paternal tones one
evening when all hope seemed to have
gone of the restoration OF her lover
The poet and his wife. and the young
Swedish girl, stood together outside The
porch of beautiful country house. and
On lawn which sloped gently to the
banks of noble river.
"Oh, you are generous and kind
who ever was 80 gemcrous?"
'Nay! as an American l owe You
much. You sacrificed all tor our cause /;
do we not owe you al least Il home? p
= But dear friends / ran noIstay. feel
that ought 10 go back to where NV
father is buried, and where my Eric, if
he be alive-and oh, l still believe he is
alive-will surely one day come to seek
for me-
Bnt you have written home-you
have told your friends-they know
where YOU are ?"
Alas! no. have written 10 no.
body have not had The heart to say
anything. have been absorbed only
in the one thought. fear spoil your
happy home with my sadness and my
anxiety"
You shall not go back" said the po-
cts wife, throwing her arm affectionate-
~ round the girls waist. You can
have no very close and dear friends in
Stockholm, or YOU must have written
to them; and we have, therefore, the
first claim on you. Come, now, don't
say any more. You shall be my daught-
err. will never give you upto any one
but Eric; FOR, dear Ottilia, l, too, be-
lieve You will see Eric once more"
Ottilia threw herself into her friends
arms and sobbed; but felt, for the first
time since her fathers death, a CLEAN of
returning brightness.
While she was thus clasped in the
protecting embrace of her friend, the
poet. who stood looking on with moist
enrd eyes, was approached by servant.
who brought message for him. The
poet loved TO be free from interruption
mt home. and was always making stern
and futile vows that he would see no.
body; he was always being importuned
by strangers or bcggars. whom the fame
of his poetry or the fame of his benev-
Olence attracted he was always sending
people hastily away unseen, and then
sending the servant after them TO call
them back. "One may" he used TO say,
''be visited by an angel some day in the
disguise of bcggar or an autograph
hunter; and it would be dreadful mis-
take to send the heavenly messenger
away unseen" So this time he WINGED
a little, frowntd. grumblcd little,
toI.i the servant he would see the I'M
known and nameless intruder.
Ottilia aud the poets wife did not oh
serve his going-only saw after while
that he was gone. Presently he came
hack. looking strangely excited:
my dear" he said to his wife. ''the
angels haze sent visitorat last" And
he drew her away and whispered some
thing 10 her-whereupon she started and
almost broke into scream, and glanced
Involuntary at Otiilia.
The husband and wife walked up and
down turn or Two on The lawn, and
talked in low tones. Then they ap-
preached Ou'lia.
Dear Ouiiia," said the poet. in a
grave, sweet voice, 'you have borne
rointment nObly. Is your spirit strong
and brave enough TO bear with tidings
of JOY 2"
Ottilia cIqsped her hands, and a wild
cry broke from her lips:
''Oh, my dear friends, tell me. tell me
at once! Have you news of Eric? Is
Eric living?"
Eric is living. Ericis here!"
Ottilia IN tde sud len movement n
if she would rush To meet her lover.
then her knees trcmbled, her strength
gave way, and she tainted. When She
recovered her consciousness Eric.
brown, worn of face, and bearded, held
her in his arms.
And so her long quest and her long
sorrow were over, and her lover lived
aud had found her again. His story
was easily told. He had languished
through long imprisonment in Rich
moud, where he never had chance of
writing to her or sending her message.
just toward the close of The war he
had contrived to escape. and made his
way, after immense difficulties, 10 the
North, whence he sailed for Europe in
a slow, old, numbering vessel, which
gave him passage cheaply. Having
got nearly half way across the Atlantic
they were driven back to New Bruins
last reached Stockholm only to find that
Ottilia had long left il to seek him in
the United States. No one in Stock
holm knew anything of her wherea-
bouts. He raised what money he could
and returned TO New York. The very
first day of his arrival he heard some
vague story about Swedish girl living
under the shelter of the venerable poet
and scholars roof. and he lost no time
in seeking the poet in his country home.
He could hardly put his question into
coherent words when, half distracted
with the conflicting fortunes of hope
and doubt, he stood in the poets
presence.
There is nothing more to be said, ex-
cept that Ottilia and Eric are married,
and settled in the United States; that
the poet aud his family hold them al
ways in the warmest and closest friend
ship and that there is far more oftruth
in this little story than its readers = Err
haps would at first be inclined 10 sup
pose.