Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-06-17


last summer All the day the heat had
been intense; but now the cool zephyr
was gently stealing through the tall lime
trees near the little village of Keburgh,
situated somewhere near the large city of
frankfurt, in Western Prussia A little
rivulet gently meandered through the fields
near the village. and by its side were two
young people, talking earnestly together.
And so you have quite made up your
mind, Gretchen?9
Yes, | have, Fritz she replied. Il
like you very well as brother; but
shall never marry | shall always live at
home and see to father-it is my duty to
do so.'
But, Gretchen, your father is an old
man, and cannot live many months long
er; besides, know he would rejoice to
receive me as n son-in-law," said the
young man, aud his lip quivered as he
turned away to hide the emotion he was
ashamed to show his compaion.
Il cannot help that, Fritz" said Gretch-
en-; my mind is made up, and you have
had my answer"
MAY Heaven forgive you the sorrow
YOU are causing, Gretchen?r said the
young man. Il cannot stop here, i shall
go ont with my regiment in the third ar
my corps. Neighbor Spielsbourgh stopped
me to-day. and said his brother had told
him that at Ems high words had passed
between our good old king and the French
minister, Benedict, and there We're whis-
pers that war is to be declared but
goodbye, goodbye. Wemay never meet
againn'
Before Gretchen was aware Of it, Fritz
had passionately imprinted kiss on one
of her hands. and was gone. Her mood
now changed, and she burst into tears.
''Oh, Fritz, Fritz, come back i--come
back | did not mean it /; | did not indeed
she said; and she sat down by the side
of the streamlet, and gave way to tears
Gretchen Nievenstein and Fritz Wrotis-
law were the only children of two of what
may be termed comfortable" inhabitants
OF the pretty village. They had been
brought up together from childhood, till
within the last three years, when Fritz
had been away to serve with his re egiment,
as every man in Prussia is obliged to do
When he came back he fanced Gretch-
ems manner was changed towards him,
and he thought he must have rival but
no, this supposition turned out to be incor-
rect She was simply wayward and ca
PRECIOUS, and really did not know her own
mind as she did not feel until Fritz had
gone-perhaps for ever-how deep her re-
gard was for him.
That same night came the important
news that war was declared by France,
and poor Gret chen passed a sleepless
night. thinking that next morning she
would go and make it up with Fritz. and
tell him how foolish she had been.
The next day, after breakfast, Gretchen
started off, all smiles aud bushes, to the
farm Of old Herr Wrotislaw, wondering on
he way what she should be able to say to
Fritz when she saw him. The old gentle
man saw her coming up the path, and
stepped out to meet her.
"Ah, my DEAR" he said, in rather
tremulous voice. my good boy is gone;
he would not wait, brave fellow that he is,
to be summoned to his regiment, but started
off early this morning. 1t is a good job
his poor mother is not alive now. or what
an anxious way she would be in. But L
cant make the boy out. When he came
in last night he seemed gloomy and unset
tied, till the news of the war arrived,
and then he was quite restless to be off.
But what is the matter, my dearpn he
asked, seeing Gretchen turn pale and
cling to one of the pillars OF the portico of
the house.
Nothing, nothing, father" she an
swered, after q pause.
"Ah, WELL my dear, of course you feel
the absence of my noble boy; but don't
cry, we shall see him coming back lieu
tenant or captain-wont that be grand !?
Ha, ha' said the good old gentleman.
making feint of laughing, to hide the
tears that were nearly starting to his eyes
Weary days and still wearier weeks
rolled by, how sorrowfuly to poor Gretch-
en-! She had not heard from Fritz, and
his father had only received one letter
from hint was very hurried and
short one-to say that they were Just 60
ing into an engagement; and at the bot
tom of the letter Gretchen saw these
words Write and tell me how Greteh
en- is"
She asked the old man for this letter;
and oh. how she cried over it Fritz, in
the hurry of writing had not given them
any address, or else she would have writ
ten to him.
Time had thus gone on, when one day
she was reading newspaper, she read
newspapers all her spare time, now they
were the only means whereby she hoped
to hear of Fritz. She had once seen his
name in full, 'private Fritz Wortlslaw"
mentioned for ''bravery;' and oh, how
her little heart bounded with joy! yet the
next instant she quailed with terror at the
thought of the great dangers he was pass
ing through.
| She was listlessly turning over the
pages when her father, who was in the
next apartment, heard shrek and fall.
He rushed in, and saw poor Gretchen on
the floor with the paper tightly clutched
in her stiffened hand. When she came to
herself she said,
"See, father, see!"
And the old gentleman, scarcely less
. ag itated than herself, looked through his
spectacles, and saw among the list of
dangerously wounded, in arecent skirm-
ish the name they all knew so well-.Pri-
vate Fritz Wortislawn
"Oh, father, father,n she said. Il must
90 to him; l must, indeed. Oh, if he
should die without my being able to tell
him what weak, foolish girl I've been to
| him. [ should never be happy again ~