The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-22
THE FAITHFUL LOVERS;
Or, Something to His Advantage.

Old Ludwig Leihhart was brewer In
the good city of Hamburg. He was as
rotund as one Of his own ale-casks; stolid,
good. natured and obstinate, His wife,
Katrine, was his antipode. Fair, blue
eyed, mercurial, full of dreams and flower
like fancies, she hourished under her hus-
bands protection in a strange, beautiful |
sort of contrast to his rude strength. Lud- |
wig regarded her as something unique
being a woman; and, also, being woman,
to be retained judiciously, and by no means
to have her own head.
"Ah, Katrine," he would say, slowly
shaking his head, "tis well the children
take after me. If they had thy tempera-
ment they would drive fOur-in-hand to the
devil"
Tut, tut" looking around upon her
round-cheeked flock, otto is my own
boy ;, 80.
"We will make Otto brewer" said his
father, composedly.
Otto grew up handsome, talented, i'm
petuous, and with a special passion for
study. But brewer Otto would not be-
come. Old Lebhart's good nature desert
ed him. He stormed Katrine cried. The
end of it all was that Otto sailed for Am
erica to seek his fortune.
D6QOIQ 0lul, JQ6u, IlOuSeu III d uLll6 TUOu
far up toward the sky in the great foreign
city, with its unfamiliar life and ways, try
ing to keep soul and body together by
translating, giving lessons in German and
in music, getting an occasional bit OF copy
ing to do, and so keeping the wolf from the
door; sometimes getting dinner plentiful
enough for his young, strong frame, some
times not, but mostly maintaining his
Teutonic good nature, and never quite
ready to despair.
1t may be guessed that the young fellow
suffered from homesickness. Letters from
home came seldom, for Katrine was no
penwoman, 1t may also be guessed that
with his impulsiYe, ardent, affectiOnate
temperament, he longed for society.
Chance, it is true, threw him into the way
of few of his compatriOts, but they were
of the beer-drinking, registering sort, and
Otto's distaste for the paternal business
extended to the beverage manufactured;
and so the young fellow lived mostly alone
solacing himself by those happy visions
which are the dover of youth, and by his
violin, an old instrument which he had
picked up in boyhood in stall in Ham
burg and which he fondly persuaded him
self was a genuine Stradivarius Where
be was particularly happy or specially sad,
this old world instrument shared his emo
tions and rollicking measures, or walled in
the minor key with the soul of its master.
Living this isolated, unnatural sort OF
life, Otto hardly knew or cared to know,
who his fellow-lodgers were. They came
and went; he met them on the stairs; they
bowed silently or passed him unrecogniz-
ing and he never thought Of them again.
Among others, he occasionally lifted his
hat to a young girl who daily tripped over
his staircase. At first he hardly noticed
more than that she was girl. By-and-by
something more stole in upon his conscious
ness. She was lovely as we'll as young, a
slender, rose-and- white, gray-eyed creature
with brown, curling hair cropped close
about her temples.
1t was spring. The children in the
street were selling violets, The vino
came in warm soft signs, such as stir the
heart and waken vague longings and swee
old memories, Otto's heart was tender
1t was young-so eager to love, so empty
so desOlate.
Coming home and mounting the landing
he saw the figure of his young neighbo
leaning by the window, which opened upo
square, green and flower garnished, ant
then looked away over the tops of the Ia
houses to the superbly beautiful bay. A
he came up she turned her head slightly
and their eyes met, hers so soft and beau
titul that there suddenly awoke in hi
heart an uncomfortable desire to hear he
voice.
1T is lovely view!" he said at h;
zard.
Eyes, worship it. 1t is my creates
pleasure, and hate to leave it," she sale
with certain impotence in her voic
which he did not understand. But he fe
all at once for her to go away was for h
life to loose something.
Are you going away, then?" he aske
sadly.
Il must If l stay I shall starve an
starving is not pleasant. Unless, indeed,
with quick look monsieur goes.
Il go!" he responded, not comprehend
ing.
Yes, indeed Do you not understand
1t is you who disturb, annoy, hinder II
from work."
~" with amazement.
"You-or your violin, which com IS
the same thing. Monsieur write sUorit
for my living. have to sit and write a
day long, and l get so tired Sometime
your violin draws my thoughts away frol
my hero-I get SO weary of my heroes an
heroines-and sends me away into beaul
full, impossible dreams. And sometim,
it grieves-oh, so sadly, and my hea
aches, and aches, till find myself cryir
like child. And then the day is gor
and no pages written. No if monsieur ar
his violin stay, must 60.
'Mademoiselle," said Otto, meekly I
pentant, do not go. l will play no MOI
uponfmy violin"
A fash leaped to her eyes-a sweet, S
ductive color rose to her cheek. Then
shade crossed her face.
But that will be too much sacrifice f
monsieur"
''No-oh, no? Indeed" with genera,
delicacy. II am likely to be so busy no
that | shall not have time to play"
All" joytully, then Mrs. GrunC
will not be disturbed any more
Il am sorry l disturbed Mrs. Grundy
said Otto, good naturally, SIS she an 0
lady2"
Such laugh as rang out into the spril
air! Otto had heard nothing like it sin
he had left Germany.
Mrs. Grundy is my cat That's Il
name | scold by. But mostly l call h
kittykins. Cats, monsieur knows, do u
like music"
Otto bowed with mock chivalric air
Give my compliments to Mrs Grund
alias Kittykins, and tell her that l W
not disturb her again, although | must I
gard her not liking my music as proof
her bad taste
This interview gave a new flavor
Ottos monotonous life. 1t threw 70
GLOW over the SnriDU He topoad IN ho