The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-05-24


mirers, intrusted me with a good man,
OF the small secrets OF her heart. Anon,
these, but this is forestalling, hei
very decided liking for . young officer
in the Hanoverin service, whose name
was Compton, and who was certainly
handsome, as we'll as agreeable, enough
to justly her penchast.'
AT this point in my narrative l was
momentarily startled by an excited lit.
tie spring from her place on the floor
beside me of Minna, my second niece.
Minna was a romantic little puss, who
took precocious interest in love story.
The approaching appearance Of the
hero on the scene had been too much
for her equanimity, and hence the eager
start, followed by an exclamation of de-
light, which by her less excitable sis.
tiers was summarily and sternly put
down.
Major Compton" continued,
made his first Appearance among US as
single man"
| "T.en he was married ?" in a voice
Of utter dismay from Minna, while even
grave Laura calculated. so, Aunt Bes-
sic, how very hat?"
| | was silent for moment, feelipc
sorry in my heart for the poor chill
dren's disappointment, and then / said
soothingly:
IF you will wait little, and listen
patiently, my dsars, you will perceive
that the individual in my story in whom
| expect you will take the most inter-
est is not the handsome Major who, for
short while, turned all our heads,
more especially that of Gertrude Ruck-
mann. When this girl, whom was silly
enough to call, for short time, nv
dearest friend, was first introduced to
Burford Compton-he had Irish blood
in his veins, which may partly account
tor the peculiarities of his conduct
she had not been many days in Ham,
burg Her youth and girlhood had
been passed in England, and the Ger.
man relatives with whom she had come
to spend the winter months being quite
unworldly people, there was little
chance of their young guest becoming
early initiated into the gossip and on
dts of Hamburg society.
"The ball at which Gertrude Ruck-
mann made her debut was as brilliant
an affair as money and liberality com.
bined could make it. The festive en-.
tertainment was given by the CAV
young mercantile bachelors of the city.
foreign as we'll as German, and the cost
OF it was said to be prodigious. By some
1t was estimated at 100000 marks, but
that must, think, have been an exsg.
geration. l shall never totally forget
our first dinner at a table dhote, for that
dinner was at the Hotel Petersbourp,
where number of young men who
were seated opposite to our party gave
free vent to their high animal spirits,
while they discussed now in English,
and now in German, the arrangements
for the already famous fete, which was
in few more days to come off, .
Among those who were most remarka-
BILE for their reckless talk and extraya.
CANT propositions stood first and fore.
most a young officer-for such he, even
to our uninitiated minds. appeared to
we were destined to know
alter as Major Burford Compton.
an see him now, in his fair Saxon
oeauty-blue-eyed, brown-haired. taw.
,y.bearded! That handsome beard of
lis was, recollect, a subject for good. ,
lumored chatting among his friends
or, as it would appear, foreign officers J
re obliged to be closely shaver, and
who had been six months on !
cave in England, could hardly venture '
o report himself ut headquarters with
hat decidedly ornamental appendaee
o his face. The dinner, as is always
he case in Germany, was a very long 9
flair; and as it progressed, our neigh. 6
'ors grew more and more uproarious,
ending The champagnecorks right up.
1hen the startling pop came, to the I
aulted skylight above our heads, and c
{ last when the numerous courses had a
cen discussed, and only the dessert
upon the table, coolly taking Z
ut their cigars, preparatory to then l
nd there enjoying the smoke in v
Thich their souls delighted. You may v
oppose that after such demonstra. r
ION on their parts, our stay among v
hose noisy, lighthearted, and, fear, a a
tile excited young men was but short. t
Our dear father was evidently trife k
ut out for, as he said, he was an old. r
ashioned person, and could not bring {
imself to approve of tobaccosmoke Ii
eing pulled from strange mems lips "
ato the faces of his womankind. e
And what q conceited- looking fcl. p
DIV the fair good-looking one isvf said {
our poor dear mother, when we began t.
, talk them over. h
In this opinion / was inclined to n
gree; but your father, although q
.rongly objecting to anything an. F
to puppyism, differed-a lit il
e to my surprise-fiomu US both. j.
=" don't know when have ever seen :
pleasant face was his remark, as il
e warmed his hands over the big
hite earthenware stove that stood in I,