Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-10-24
"a thousand thanks" he said "bl

10 'tilNi L liGA \Oliht W 90 my II iNiiN)
was at Heidelberg also, He was a
wonderful fellow; linguist, mathe-
matician, a botanist, a geologist
He was only fve-and-twenty when the
government appointed him naturalist
to an African exploring party and in
African he died"
"Such a man." said |, "was loss
TO the world
"Ah, yes, he replied simply; "but
greater loss to me-"
To this | could answer nothing
and for some minutes we smoked in
silence.
Il was not clever like Fritz" he
went on presently, "When | left
Heidelberg, | went INTO business" |
am a brewer, and live at Stuttgard,
My name is Gustave Bergheim-what
is yours?
"Hamilton," l replied; "Chandos
Hamilton" He repeated the name
after me.
"You are an Englishman?" he said,
| nodded,
Good. | like the English. There
was an English man at Heidelberg
such good fellow! His name was
Smith. Do you know him?"
! / explained that in these fortunate
islands, there were probably some
thirty thousand persons named Smith,
Of whom, however, / did not know
one.
"And you are a milord, and a mem
Der Of Parliamenl?'
l laughed, and shook my head.
"No, indeed" | replied; "neither.
l read for the bar; but | do not prac-
tice. | am an idle man-of very lit
tie use to myself, and of none to my
country"
You are travelling for your amuse-
ment?" Il am. have just beenthrough
the Tyrol and as far as the Italian
lakes-on foot, as you see me. But
tell me about yourself. That is far
more interesting"
about MYSELF" he said, smiling
"Ah, mein Herr, there is not much to
tell. | have told you that | live at
STUTTGART. We'll, at this time of the
year, | allow myself few weeks
holiday, and | am now on my way to
Frankfort, TO see my madchen, who
lives there with her parents"
Then may congratulate you on
the certainty OF pleasant time"
Indeed, yes. We love each other
very well, my madchen and |, Her
name is Frederika, and her father is a
rich banker and wine merchant. They
live in the Neue Manner Strasse, near
the Tannue Gate: but the Herr Hamil-
ton does not, perhaps, know Frank
fon?'
| replied that I knew Frankfort very
well, and that the Neue Manner
Strasse, was, to my thi Xxi lg, the pleas
ATTEST situation in the ely. And
then | ventured to ask if the Fraulein
Fredelika was pretty.
Il think her so," he said with his
boyish smile; "but then, you see, my
eyes are in love- You shall judge,
however, for yourself"
And with this, he disengaged a
locket from his watch-chain, opened
it, and showed me the portrait of a
golden-haired girl, who, without being
actually handsome, had face as pleas
ant to look upon as his own.
"Well?" he said, anxiously. "What
do you say?"
81 say that she has charming eX-
pression,' | replied.
"But you do not think her pretty?"
"Nay, she IS better than pretty,
She has the beauty ofreal goodness.
His face glowed with pleasure.
at is true," he said, kissing the
portrait, and replacing it upon his
chain. "She is an angel! We are to
be married in the spring"
Just at this moment, sturdy pea
sant came trudging up from the direc-
ton of Niedersdolf, under the shade
of huge red cotton umbrella. He had
taken off his coat, probably for cool
ness, or it might be for economy, and
was carrying it, neatly foldly up, in a
large, new wooden bucket. He saluted
us with the usual Guten abend" as
he approached.
To which Bergheim laughingly re-
piled by asking if the bucket was a
Ilove-tcken from his sweetheart.
"Nein, men," he answered stolidly /;
l bought at the kermess(a fair) up
yonder,
$50 there is a kermess at Med
ersdors?'
Zach Himme Ia famous kermess.
All the world is there to-day"
And with a nod, he passed on.
My new friend INDUCED in Il long
and dismal whistle.
'Der Teufel 2" he said, "this Is awk-
ward I'll be bound, now, there won't
be vacant room at any inn in the
town. And / had intended to sleep
at Niedersdorf tonight. Had you?'
"Well, | should have been guided
by circumstances. should perhaps
have put up at Niedersdorf. if / had
found myself tired and the place COM
Portable; or | might have dined there,
and after dinner have taken some Kind
of light vehicle as far as Rotheskrche?"
"Rotheskirche !" he repeated.
"Where is that ?"
"It is village on the Neckar My