The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-03-07

back thy bracelet, du ungliicklicher
! Junge.''
The Count seemed in nowise chagrned
the contrary, he could scarcely conceal his
delight; and when the lieutenant and his
| friend departed for Leipsie next day, the
| Count, in bidding him farewell, babe him
| remember the rebuff which had been min
istered to him by Henrietta Rhense.
Left to himself, Count Otto withdrew for
a day or two to the solitude of his own
rooms in the Schloss. Perhaps he was
endeavoring to check his passion at the
outset, and had resolved not to brave
further the temptation of going to the
| theatre. However that may be, on the
! third evening he again appeared in his
box, and sat there alone and entranced.
| Night after night he went, until it was
clear that he had wholly abandoned him
self to the delight of gazing at the beau
tiful young actress, wherever that might
lead him. He sought for no society; he
impaired his raptures to no one; he
]
quainted personally with Henrietta Rhense;
but every morning boquet, brought by
a man who was not in the Counts livery,
was left for her at the theatre; and every
evening the young man sat in the shadow
of his box, and looked down into the
wonderful Rosewood, in which the Prin-
cess wandered
At length the Count made the acquaint-
ance of the Fraulein Rhense, and that in
the most commonplace way. He did not
rescue her from the burning theatre, or
save her from being run over in the streets,
or, in fact, do anything heroic and dra-
matte; but one evening, as he was leaving
the theatre, he observed an old man, gray
and worn, speaking to the manager; and
as he passed, the old man was talking of
the wonderful musical powers of a boy
whom he had heard play in Vienna
Count Otto caught the name of Mendels-
sohn Bartholdy and, without any form of
introduction, stopped at once and inquired
of the old man what he knew of the Won
derful lad. The old man, it seemed, was
professionally muscian-Count Otto had
achieved a tolerable reputation as an anna
teur compassionate insensibly they gided
into long and earnest conversation about
the various masters of the day, their quail
ties, their followers, and their prospects.
At the end of their talk the Count abruptly
asked his newly-found friend to call upon
him next morning at the Schloss, that he
might show him some MSS, which had
been sent him by great composer of the
time"
81 have the honor, then, of addressing
the Count Engelhardt >" said the old man,
rather taken aback.
The Count now remembered that he did
whom he had asked to visit him, and at
this juncture the manager stepped in with
formal Introduction, and the Count dis
cover that he had been talking to Herr
Ludwig Rhense, the father of Henrietta.
Old Rhense kept his appointment next
day at the Schloss, and from that moment
a warm friendship sprang up between the
two men, who had been placed on terms of
equality by thsir love of a great art. 1t
need hardly be said that Henrietta Rhense
could not longer remain a stranger to the
Count, and so, after ALL the young actress,
the company of her father, did actually
make her appearance at the Schloss, and
was conducted over the palace by the
Count.
Nothing could exceed the courtesy of
his manner toward her. Indeed, it is pro-
bable that he strove by every outward
mark of Difference and respect to obliter-
ate from her mind the remembrance of the
message he had sent her. And the more
the Count saw of the young actress nature
the more he learned to admire her. He
found in her all the graces Of character
which he had imagined she might possess.
The more he saw of her, the more he knew
she was worthy of his love, until one morn
ing, when he found her alone in her faith
er's room, he asked her to become his wife.
Her face was pale and her eyes were sad
as she looked at him and met his anxious
gaze.
81 am very grateful" she said in low
voice, "And yet ought not to have let
you say this to me-for l knew that you
would say it. ought to have gone away;
and yet to remain was very pleasant.
There was something in her voice that
told him she loved him, although she spoke
so sadly.
81 cannot be your wife-at least, not
now," she said 1T is too hurried. You
do not know me. You do not know how
long your love might last And then you
might come to regret having pledged your
life to fleeting fancy. | will go away
from here, and some time hence | may
come back; and then, if your love has
stood the test of absence, | shall know
| need not fear. That is all l can pro-
mise.'
Nothing would shake her resolution;
and, her engagement with the manager of
the Stauffenheim Theatre being over, she
left the place, bidding Count Otto good
bye. Her father knew of her resolution,
and approved it.
She was scarcely out Of the town when
Count Otto went down to the manager of
the theatre.
"What have you done with the scenery
and appointments of the ,feeris ?" he asked.
"Nothing as yet, Herr Graf, for the
theatre remains closed for fortnight
But must see about getting the scenery |
had from Vienna sent back there"
Herr Director, said the Count, "let
the scenery remain, and l will buy from
you, at your own price, the theatre and
everything it contains. The ground it
stands on, as you know, is mine, and |
want to have a theatre attached to the
Schlsss. will pay you for the building
and what is inside it, and | will present
you with new site for theatre down
close by the river, and not far from the
Stadthaus. Is it a bargain -
The manager was too overwhelmed to
L.. I IL,