Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-06-22


girl on his knee as usual. giving her his
mustache TO pull, and listening to the
recital of her prayers. After receiving
several of those big, child like kisses
that resounded so charmingly, he laid
her down in her little cradle. AS soon
us NJ M'lle Charlotte had closed her eyes, her
mother rocking her and singing softly
one of those little lullabies that can be
traced even to the savages, the officer
went into the parlor, where his mother
sat waiting for him. He kissed her
forehead in sincere tilial affection, then
walked up and down the long room sew
eral times, halting finally before win
dow to look out upon the gleam OF light
that ST, etched from the parlor candles
upon the wet sidewalk.
A graceful young woman, one finger
on her lips. and stepping lightly out of
the room where her little girl had Just
fallen asleep, approached the dreamer,
who, though he had just been promoted
to Majority, still wore his Captains uni
form.
"What are you dreaming of, Fred
eric?' she asked, as she leaned her
head against her huband's shoulder.
"Of course, Martha," he answered, as
he reached out his arm to draw her
toward him.
'' Is it the rain which makes you so
sad?
"No, but the prospect of passing my
evening at the inn, when it would be so
much pleasanter for me to stay at home
with vou.'
"Then why do you go?"
"You forget, my dear, that my old
friends, Weisch and Buggler, have offer
ed me punch for tonight, which we
are to drink in honor of my promo
tion.'
Cant 90 with you?''
couldn't keep from laughing at the idea
of seeing his Martha enter the bar-room
of an inn.
Then they don't allow women in
your miserable old tavern?'
alt is they who refuse to come. At
least. that was the way of it when l was
lieutenant. Since then, Martha, | have
been with you so much that don't
know whether there has been any
change or not
"Then 60 quick, SO that you can come
back all the sooner" said the young
wife, as she disengaged herself from her
husbands arms.
Major IIasner, who had now reached
his 34th year, was one of the most
promising officers of the Prussian army
His character was mild, and his regular
features carried an expression that was
rather melancholy than otherwise. He
threw his great army coat abc ut him,
buttoncd itup, look ed out of the window,
and then came back and sat down op-
posite his mother and beside his wife.
Martha had in her hand one of Mile
Charlotte's little ribbons, which that
young lady was probably dreaming of
at that very moment
"Come, 90 on, now, and let me have
this sofa all alone," said his wife, who
saw his hesitation, and wished to help
him out of it.
She received another kiss, and the
Major, after having traversed the room
three or four times with measured tread,
babe his mother "good night y with
sigh, stopped a moment before the door
of the bed-chamber to hear the regular
breathing of his child, and then went
away.
There was still fine and drilling
rain outside. 1t was quite distance
between the Majors house and the
cafe "Aux Armes de Brandenburgh,"
which was situated near the cathedral.
Devil take Buggler and Weisch for
breaking in upon my habits, such
weather as this" muttered the officer,
as he felt the rain in his face.
There was time when the rain would
not have made much difference to him,
and then he would have been equally
indifferent how late he remained at the
tavern. But that was when he was a
lieutenant, when he was in France,
when his mother was far away and be-
fore he knew Martha.
The Major was late in arriving, and
his appearance was received with the
most respectful saiutation from his sub
ordinates and hearty shake of the
hand from his friends.
The veteran Buggler, who had been
the first to arrive, had taken the largest
table in the room. He broke out in
hulrahs when he saw his companion
enter the room Hasner had served
under his command, and he was de-
lighted at his promotion. As TO
Weisch, he arose, spread out his mouth,
and his great porcelain pipe vibrated in
the air rs it hung for IA moment between
his teeth, post it never left except to
be flied again.
Nv.
lei Il, b., ,oI