Litchfield enquirer., 1876-07-13

 song or game of croquet. Supper was served at half past eight at the parsonage, after which we returned to our respective homes feeling that it is indeed pleasure to celebrate the anniversary of our na. tional Independence. PARTICIPANT.
 Justin Mccarthy in HArper's weekly.l
 "THE FELLOWS" LOVE STORY.
 ''No, I don't care so much for staying in Germany now" said my friend Lynd- say Roundell to me, the other day, as we sat after dinner, we two alone. in the win dow of little hotel overlooking the Thames. We had not met for some years; and having now chanced to meet in Lon- don, he on returning from the Italian port where he had been British consul, and having just come back from the United States, we celebrated our reunion by quiet dinner together. When we used to meet more often, and were little younger, we were both passionate lovers of German literature, music, philosophy, scenery and wines. Naturally, therefore, we had been talking of Germany.
 'No," heTepeated, 'I don't care much aboab staying in Germany any more. always hurry through. know all about United Germany, and its greatness, and its victories, and that sort of thing, and it's splendid, of course. am glad of it, you know; but it's little like fellow who is glad that some girl he loved when he was boy has grown grand lady and married an earl. Delighted, of course, and all that; but she isn't our Lisette any more. I spent night or two in Berlin lately, and went to an evening party-had to. It was given by a friend, Q modest professor. I tell you, there was as much show and sham, as much jewelry and rust ling silks, and bare shoulders and foot men, and airs and tomfoolery, as if it was in Paris under the empire
 "I fear T fear that years are telling on you, Roundell. You are becoming an old fogy," .......
 1T suppose so. But these people used to be so simple, sweet and homely when used to visit Berlin first. Tell you what, I used to like the little courts of the tiny princes. It's a shame, suppose, but I nsed to like them. Say what you will. these little courts had flavor of antique chivalry and old romance about them"
 Had they? I confess I never could see it. thought them ridiculous little humbugs."
 "Well, and you are right enough, from the point of view taken by the journalist and the practical politician. But why don't you take a look at them from the romancist's standpoint ?"
 Because can't imagine any romance clinging around such formal, dry, and dusty old pedantries. Did you ever hear of the romance of a master of the ceremo- nies Can you imagine Gold Stick in Waiting the hero of a thrilling love story ?" .ru.r -..4.-.t s. ..t.,
 Rnnndell only sent column Or smUA0 up over his head into the blue ether, and was silent. After silence of O moment or two he said, "Did you see in the pa. pers the death of the grand duchess of Liebesheim ?''
 ''No, didn't observe. The old grand duchess?"
 "Oh no, the young one-the wife of the grand duke-I mean the fellow who was grand duke until Bismark sponged him off the slate"
 "I didn't see. Where did she die ?"
 'In Florence. She was very young to die."
 "Young to die-yes But she was not exactly chicken, you know. Let me see. When was it we saw her in Liebesheim at her marriage festivals? In '52, wasn't 1t? We'll, you see, twenty years"
 "Yes, yes, of course; but always think of her as young. How beautiful she look ed then!"
 "She did; she seemed a charming wo- man. only saw her twice-the day when her husband brought her out into the bal cony to bow to the crowd, and once at the court ball, for which some good-natured functionary-I forget who it was-kindly got me ticket"
 ''She is dead-so soon!" my friend re- peated, thoughtfully. did not quite un- derstand his emotion. l was sorry the grand duchess should be dead, if she par ticularly wished to live; but one must be a great devotee of royalty to feel profound grief at the death of a princess whom he saw tWice, in a crowd and at distance, twenty years ago. It surprised me to find my friend so deeply concerned for the ex- tinction of any royalty. seeing that he used to be rather of the stern republican school. To be sure, since he and l were in Germany together he had received a consulship from the government of her majesty Queen Victoria. ...
 ''They say that her husband was a worthless scamp" for want of anything else or better to say.
 ''They did; believe It was only too true" replied Roundell, rather gloomily.
 ''She didn't care about him, suppose?" asked. ..
 "No. How could she? He was brute, and the marriage was mere political ar- 
 Il suppose these royal or semi-royal always are" 7.s
 l,,Sk 1:.ooklx D,,k hao up another pillar of smoke, and murmur- ed: "Dead!-so young and so beautifull"
 "You grow quite sentimental about the grand duchess. Did you know her 1"
 'l never saw her, as you have said, for years." . -.l. tI .....ea. st. .,
 'Then why are you so greatly concerned about her death ?"
 ''Well, you see, her memory belongs to the old time, when we were young; and can see her face now before me. sad and beautiful. know she was very unhappy. remember hearing story I don't know whether it's worth telling, though. r anal, I''By all means. Go ahead shall bo delighted to hear it" grls9BI 3af ! geE.
 I said this because Roundell spoke in that half-eager and half-apologetic tone which shows that man wants to tell you but is afraid youiwin not 'eare to listen to it. a,
 'It isn't much. There was Q fellow knew at the time we werein Liebesheim- an English fellow. don't think you knew him. He was studying something or other there, and he liked to read in the mornings. He used to get up with the lark, and stroll out into the park. You the park-pretty, wasn't it ? And he found out quiet place where hardly any people ever.went even in the day, and he used to read there. remem- Der the spot, every stone and leaf of it. he showed it to me- and used to lounge there sometimes after he had gone lt was little bit of clearing in rather Q thick part of the wood, and there was Q little stream there. used to spout Goethes poem to the Bachlein there.
 'tYou used to snouk or tha fellow von