National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1874-02-20
MY FREDERlCA,

blue as the sky, or as the sash that
bound her slim waist her complexion
was of lily purity; her lips were as
rosebuds bursting into flower her hair
was the yellow gold of flax, intertwined
with floss silk. call her my Frederica
by sort of poetical license and in
right Of my love for her. She was, in
truth, Mt this time, the Frederick OF the
Herr Professor Vandergucht, the sub
rector of the university, for she was
his daughter; and afterwards she be-
came the Frederick of another. Still I
yentured to call her mine-absurd as it
may seem. I even call her mine now.
Twas christened Hans. which showed,
perhaps, that my family did not expect
great things of me; for Hans has,
somehow, come to signify foolish sort
of fellow all the world over. Hans
is slow, but he is sure" my father was
wont to say of me. Slow /? very likely.
But sure. How, and of what?
did not distinguish myself as a stu
dent. drank much beer and smoked
many pipes, and, as mementoes of my
Burschen life, I still carry about with
me q scar on my Uranium, which will
stand forth exposed unpleasantly when
I have grown bald, and an ugly seam
across my left cheek, the result of a
badly-stitched sabre cut. did not
fight duels because liked fighting, but
because I could not we'll avoid it.
Frederick had let fall, now her kerchief,
now her bouquet. In my haste to
gather up and restore these treasures I
brushed abruptly against FELLOWSHIP
dent. BY mischance l even trod upon
his toes. His feet we're tender his
language violent. Combat and blood
shed became unavoidable. He escaped
without O hurt. was less fortunate.
It was owned, however, that I had COM
ported myself becomingly.
I met my Frederick only now and
then at the soirees and the receptions
Of the Herr Professor, her father.
Did she know of my love? Yes if
she could read my glances, though, 1
admit, I have known eyes more express
sive than my own, which are, indeed,
of faint color and feeble power, needing
help from concave glasses. Yes; If
she could penetrate my thoughts or di-
vine nv dreams. Otherwise she would
be less informed upon the subject.
For could not precipitate my love
into words. My Frederick did not in
vite speech or indulge therein herself.
She was too beautiful to have need OF
language she was poem in herself
It WAS sufficient to look upon her. To
address her, or to hope to hear her,
would have been outrageous presump.
tion. So held. I have heard her
silence imputed to her MS fault. But
of what sinful folly will not some be
guilty? There are men who would
have the Venus OF Medicis fitted with
the apparatus of a German doll, and
made, upon pressure in the ribs, to
speak, "Pa-pa," "Ma.ma."
! When went to England I promised.
to myself, that l. would never forget
Frederick. I planned to return some
day and make her mine meanwhile !
would grow rich. At present 1 was
very i'll supplied with money. My
father could spare me none-his own
wants were more than he could COM
fortably meet. He bestowed upon me
his blessing, however-all he had to
give. received it gratefully, if not
without a wish that it had been more
commodity. 60 ' rt
/ had resolved to become . famous
painter, or rather, I should say a
wealthy one. I knew that England, if
she gives artists nothing else, gives
them money, at any rate. Perhaps that
is all they really require of her. S.e,,
! I found myself in London, the tenant
OF garret, which served me for q
studio, sittlng-room, bed-chamber-all.
had made the acquaintance of q little
group of fellow artists assembling at
cheap cafe-half Swiss, half German
In the Soho district. They were Eng
lish, with . Frenchman among them,
whose name was Alphonse, think, or |
Adolphe II am not sure which. But |
when Frenchman is not Alphonse, he |
is usually Adolphe. ,o.'--,s-,.s Ia
They made me welcome, and were of |
service to me. One of them kindly in |
troduced me to his .pawnbroker, from
whom I derived much useful assistance;
though, the more I sought his aid, the
more my wardrobe diminished. But
That could not be helped. had to
live. ~ q, i-1 na 'lysls4 iga 7z mss
We talked, and played dominoes, and
smoked-the Englishmen, cigars the
Erenchmen, cigarettes I, my pipe with
the china bowl, plated lid, and worsted
tassels. They were kind to me- sl-
though they found me laughable, with
my long hair, my spectacles, and my
bad English. did not mind. Indeed
1 did not understand them. Jokes as a
rule are always thrown away upon me.
As have said, am slow.
Of my art soon discovered they did
not think highly. I had brought with
me from Germany large unfinished
picture. 1t was illustrative of q scene
in the Mlnna Won Barnhelm of Lessin0.