Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-10-02

GRETCHEN.
ny NM. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 4,

1t was about ten o'clock in the evening
when the drinkers left .he ''Swan. Theo-
dore followed with the rest, and weat
down the silent village. All the little win
dows were being closed, and the good
might b. heard crying In the
darkness, as they closed their shutters,
"Good night, OreheI good night, Gredel,
good night! - 4 g'gig6
Then all became silent, and Theodore
was left alone in the dark street-gazing.
listening, dreaming, whilst the countless
stars twinkled overhead, and the trees rus.
tied along the roadsides. sE 9e
How many things does night reveal that
escape the eye and ear by day! Hark to
that distant murmuring; look at that cat,
half-seen, darting along through the deep
shadows. Listen to that bird, chirping so
softly that the marten on the watch for it
can scarcely hear it. ssf - -.4aagvt
Theodore loved the night; he went a
few PAGES, paused, turned around, and lis
tened attentively. He recollected the
words of the weaver, as he gazed up at
the sky. keep thine heart with all dill
gence."
But when he looked once more at the
earth, when he inhaled the sweet odors of
autumn-the new-mown hay, the brown
leaves OF the trees-then he thought Of
Gretchen, pretty Gretchen. so blooming,
and fair, with her large eyes of liquid blue
ever lighted with the sweetest of smiles
her bright and merry laugh. How beau.
tiful she then rose to his thoughts, and how
fast his heart would beat +! He could see
her tripping from table to table, her arm,
white as ivory, slightly raised as she pour
ed the foaming liquor into the large shin
ing mugs-her finely shaped figure, her
two plaits of fair hair hanging down to the
edge of her short scarlet petticoat, her
teeth shining like white enamel!
Gretchen had smiles for everyone except
NJ. Theodore as soon as he entered she
became serious, but at the same time such
tender expression stole over her large
blue eyes, that the poor lads heart over
flowed with love. His emotion mastered
him, and he murmured unintelligible
words. -
Theodore went on dreaming; he could
see also old Reebstock, Gretchen's father,
in his large gray periwig, with his open,
good-natured countenance; them the
smoky tavern, with its low rafters 1.-The
clock, with its porcelain face; the lamp
hung from the ceiling. lighting up all the
brown faces of the drinkers and the vine
dressers, half-hidden by their slouched
hats, and glittering too on the little pew
ter mugs in their hugh rough hands.
''There is life upon earth, ," he said to
himself-''life, bright and full Of love, Joy,
and comfort. Wine, delicious fruits,
sweet odors, and Gretchen-that is what
my life consists of, that is the sum of
earthly bliss to me-"
He trembled with emotion as he thought
of the girl; he saw her SO clearly in his
minds eye. that he might have marked
every thread in her dress, every bead IN
her necklace, every change of expression
in her rosy, dimpled smile. ''a
Gretchen was in every object he saw,
in every sound he heard he looked at the
stars, and Gretchen was there he listened
TO the wind, and there he heard the voice
of Gretchen: he thought of the peopled
world, and there was Gretchen too. Ever
there-listening to his thoughts and an
swering them. 0 Love, Love! What
art thou? whence contest thou?
Thus Theodore went on in the starlight,
by the back of the village, skirting the
coppice-wood, following the little paths
edged with palings, and came out at last
on the new ly-mOwn meadow. Here he
noticed the queer. irregularly-built cot
tages, with their outside staircases and
worm eaten bannisters, their poultry
yards, and their wide and far-projecting
roofs. Dark, mysterious shadows brood
ed over all. t j"
After making long round, he found
himself once more before Reebstock's .
home. He stopped behind the shed un-
der Getchen's window, and said TO him.
self, looking at the little round aperture at
tt,a t,tN - tha cl,,tt tos
.'She is therer' .~~.a.--
pale light on his forehead, defining with a
clear outline the hollow of his eyes, silver
ing his fair beard. and ripping over his
negligent yet graceful and picturesque
artists dress. In his left hand he held his
sweeping the ground; and with his right
he sent his heart to Gretchen in kiss.
Then, after remaining thus in silent con-
temptation for quarter of an hour, he
vaulted lightly over the low garden rail-
ings, entered the yard, and seeing on the
right the tap room door open, the barrel
with its iuii red hoops looming in the
darkness, the low bench. the hatchet with
its curved handle, cleaning with blueish
light, the plane, the pincers, the cooper's
obliquely by the rays of the moon. he "a.
vanced slowly, inhaling the sourish smell
of the fermenting hop and grape. So.
Not q sound was to be heard; from the
skylight above streamed calm. subdued
light. He sat down on a barrel. and
said,- ~.
"Ah. how pleasant it is here"
He looked at the trellis to which the
ivy was clinging, the little trough in the
yard where the poultry were fed. the
laundry door to the left; and it seemed to
him that an inexpressible charm hovered
over all this homely scene. because Il was
so often lighted by the presence Of his
Gretchen. @ as .s.
"Ah ~ thought he. "if Gretchen would
only come out for ever so short time
If 1 could only see her just now, I should
be able to say to her, Gretchen, love
theem
He remained lost in these thoughts fol
about an hour, unable to make up his min,
to go, when he heard strange noise out
side, Theodore raised his head to listen
it seemed like the smackin4 of lips ate
tasting the best Of Johannisberg sa
4 lCONTINUED ON FOURTH RAGE.ls