The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-09-08

time the feast would be spread in the
great banqueting hall. But Peter, who
felt perfectly well, and had, it will be
remembered, missed his dinner, could
not help thinking of the fat OK, and of
all that he had heard, but had never
seen, and still less tasted, of the deli.
cious wines and luxurious viands of the
castle larder. So he at once declared
himself hungry, and ordered that re-
freshments should be brought to him.
The steward, with his white badge
and baton of Office, marching in front,
ushered in some halfdozen henchmen,
bearing various dishes such as high
ly spiced game pastry, cells done in wine,
picked porpoise, stewed truffies, olives,
and pie composed of minced venison,
mixed with apples, raisins, wine, sugar,
beef, spice, and woodcock. The butler
followed with wines of various kinds.
Peter ate long and drank deeply-until
he could eat and drink no more. Not
that he liked either the dishes or the
wines, for the first were utterly distaste-
full to his palate and the latter he con
sidered insipid and mawkish, and, if
the truth were told, not to compare
with good beer. But he was hungry
and, besides, were not those the luxu-
ries of the great and rich, for which he
had often in secret sighed? Wherefore,
as we have said, he ate and drank his
fill, until with the last mouthful of the
mince pie deadly sickness came over
him, ard he was compelled, with the
assistance of the servants, to effect a
hasty retreat from the table. And then
he fell heavily on his bed and slept the
sleep of him who has drunken too
freely.
The steward and the butler looked at
each other, and elevated the whites of
their little eyes and the pinks of their
fat hands.
my Lord Count is glutton,"
wheezed the steward.
my Lord Count is a drunkard,"
gasped the butler. And all the bench
men and pages agreed with those two.
As for the Lord Counts own follow
ers, they did not know what to think
Never before had they known his tempe
rate highness to eat and drink like this.
In about two hours Peter Bloch-that
is, the Count Won Schwaltzschotfen
burgh-awoke, feeling dull and heavy.
:" l don't like this" muttered the
Count. III never felt like this when |
was Peter Bloch" And he sighed.
"What would my noble Lord Count
have ?" queried the page of the cham
ber bowling low before him.
The Count scratched his head and re-
flected. He had had enough to eat and
drink-also, sleep sufficient; and he
was at a loss what more to desire.
" Will it pleased my Lord to take a
bath ?"
The Count Peter submitted. He
wasn't in the habit Of taking baths and
he now thought it very unnecessary and
d;sagreeable, and when it was overmade
up his mind to take no more. Then he
yawned, and wondered what else he
would do. He felt very much inclined
to step out and take a look at his pigs
and cabbages-a thing which had al
ways afforded him a certain pleasure
and satisfaction. But he remembered,
with a half sigh, that there were no pigs
and cabbages here.
"Will it please my Lords highness to
have music?" suggested the attentive
page, observing his lords air of en,ui
Peter Bloch did not care straw for
music, nor, in fact, know anything
about it beyond Katrinas hand organ,
inherited from her father, on which, in
the quiet evenings, when their work
was done, she was accustomed to grind
extraordinary sounds to marvellous
tunes. Peter rather liked this organ it
soothing him and gave him a pleasant,
drowsy home-feeling; and now, when
he heard harp skillfully played upon
by the castle minstrel in an adjoining
apartment, he thought it greatly lacked
the charm of Katrina's hand-organ.
" | don't care for music quoth the
Count, indifferently, unless-a bright
idea occurred to him" unless the La
dy Hildegarde Adelherga Rosalinden
will play"
But my Lord Count, at this hour
and in private! My lady is not accus-
toned to show herself at all times
neither to entertain suitors, save on
suitable occasions. pray you, my
Lord Count, reflect"
But the Lord Count wouldn't reflect.
All that he knew was, that he was
Count Won Schwaltzchoffensb and
that he was in his own castle, where
every one was bound to obey him;
wherefore he sent his page with a mes
sage demanding the presence of the
Lady Hildegrade. In fact, he remem-
bered her beauty, and that she was his
betrothed; and his heart began to warm
toward her, insomuch that he refused
to listen to any excuse of the Lady. so
earnestly did he desire her presence,
and to gaze upon the loveliness Of which
he had hitherto been favored with but
a distant glimpse.
So the Lady Hildegarde Adelberga
Rosalinden came, flushed and naughty,
followed by her maidens bearing a
Count Peter Bloch felt a
little in awe of her magnificance, I'm.
til rejecting that he was rich and
handsome Count, and the future lord of
the haughty.beauty, he gradually gath.
cred courage to commence love-making.
This he did in his own way, as he had
been accustomed with Katrina. He
stole seat by the Lady's side, put his
arm around her waist, pinched her
cheek, and bestowed upon her rosy lips
a resounding smack, designed to ex-
press admiration and respectful HON.
age