The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-08-27
.alsle4 2e saans


seized the opportunity 10 make sketch. Over
ths place . a,so hung the strange % ioE % smoke
the sun. shining clear and bright upon he
7Agaia the Old cracked bell rang in tho yillases
md Gertrude, standing up quickly and brush
| ing he tears from her eyes. beckoned pleasantly
to the young map to follow her. , iaf
! Arnold was ut her side In an Instant
4 We must not grfsve any longer" she said.
smiling they are ringing church out. and now
comes the dance. You must baye thought the
people OF Gertnelshausen very dull and stu MD. .
but this evening You shall find just the con
Itrary" -.
mold said. and see nobody coming out
That's very likely" answered the girl laugh
ing. because nobody goes IN not oven the
rest, aud rings church out and in"
| And none OF you go to church ~
neither to mass nor contg,ssion .i,n she re- re-.
Pope. who lives In far country. aud he will n
But have never in my lite heard anything
Indeed we'll. It happened 50 very long ago"
said the girl carelessiy, Look, there's the
and shutting tho door. He doesn't - to the
tavern in the evening. but sits at home oil by
| himself"
Fl" Should uf hsE hin 'sSS' sol hf94 the errie4 Of all
he doesqt TT, taAg ! T 4, T. hgart osraa Arnod
| less surprised at this curious statement than ~
| the girls artlessness.
=" It's u long story" replied Gertrude. and the
priest has written It oil down in ~ great thick
| book. fit would alnnse you. and i YOU know
Latin you can read the book. But she added,
warn'ngly. ~ speak of i before ny M father.
men and girls coming out OF the houses already
and must hurry , to get M noms apd dress myself
Z" And how about the arat dance Gertrude T.
- shall dance it with you' you have my
They walked quickly back to the village where
! quite n different spirit was prevailing since the
morning Laughing groups Of young pe9plee
out for the holiday, and the boys, too. wore their
best clothes. Outside the tavern. as they went
| by were garlands Of leaves hung from window
| to window and forming great triumphal arch
When Arnold saw that every one was in his
best attire he did not care to appear in his tray
| cling clothes, so he went in ut the magistrates.
unb1ckle@ his knapsack, took out his good suit
| and Just had his toilet done when Gertrude
| knocked ut the door and called him. How won
derfully beautiful the girl looked IN her rich yet
| simple costume and how sweetly she bade him
| come with her. as the father and mother Wouid
| not come till later.
| Tho longing after her Heinrich cannot D.
press her heart very mneh." thought the Young
through his and walked with her in tbo % ther,
| Ing twilight 10 the dancing hull. He y good
car however, not to give words 70 such a
thought II was u singular feeling that came
stealing over him; and when the young girls
heart beat against his arm, his own throbbed
violently.
| and tomorrow ! must go on again.' he said
softly. with a sigh. He hardly knew that he hld
spoken when his companion answered. snil-
| "Don't concern yourself about That we will be
together longer-longer perhaps than you would
Aud would you like me stay With YOU, Ger
trudo2' asked Arnold, his, forehead flushing.
Certainly" she replied, artessly. You ar
YOU too. Besides. Heinrich didn't eome,' she
added resent uily.
And what If he come to- morrow
| To
Mt him earnest with her great dark eyes. q
long. long night lies between Tomorrow You
means. But day lot US not talk about IT,. she
said breaking off abruptly: To day is the les.
tval we have long on 40 long looRsa a torwhra
| Hore we are you see. at the place. The young
men won't take it amiss tht bring new part
uer W tn me.
Arnold was going to speak further. bnt loud
music from within drowned his voice. Th Inu-
sicans played strange tunes he was not ~ ~.
ihr with one Of them; and ut first he was almost
blinded by the brightness OF the many lights:
Howeve, Gertrude led him into the middle Of
were taIsing together Thcre she loft him. until
the dance should really begin, 10 look about u
little and become acquainted with the other
For tho first few moments Arnold felt i'll at
ease among such strange people. Their queer
dress and accent repulsed him, aud sweet as
their peculiar speech had sounded from Ger
trude's lips. II came very hafshly IRON tne
others Yet the young rnen were all friendly Y
him and one of them came up, ana taxing MS
at is sensible. OF you, sir. to wish to remain
with us. We lead merry life. and the interval
what intervaa'' asked Arnold, less astonisb
. ID nj the expression than TINT the young man
y Should sneak a. decidedly IA " he were going t.
make the VII laee his home. 'Yon think that
am coming bark heroF ,,
) Yes. tomorrow, OF thc day after; but In
coming back.
then Tomorrow veil tax " all over again
| But come and let me ai,ow you all the fun. Tor i
you go away to-,norrow.you won get nnothcl
chance ut it, ,tagr r... ..-. a..-r
: The others laughed slyly among themselves
, but the young peasant took Arm I'D by the hun'
/ aud led him ali through tho house. which wa
they passed through rooms ia which, wer
card players, who had great heaps OF goit
ing before them. then t, to nine, I,e1,l pi,
|, In q third room 'kiss-ip -the-ring" and ,o,he
! games were going on. and the young girls ra' r.
young fellows, until q flourish from the must
clans. who hal all along been playing merrly
gave tho signal for the dance to begin, ana Ger
p frude stood At Arnold's side and took his arm
j Come. we must not be the last, said tn
charming girl for, as the magistrate's daugh
4 ter | have to open the dance.
v But what strange tune Is THAR SAID Arnold
4 Il cant get into the measure ut all
y you'll be all light presently" laughed Ger
/ trude I'm five minutes you'll get used to !
O They all pressed toward the dancing hal
v laughing and making merry notsiiy, and Al
1. mold soon forget everything IN tne mere happ
, ness OF holding the wonderfully lovely made
, In his arms. - 40 "a. 49, Al -.
4 | and no one seemed to dispute his claim. thong
!; the young girls passing by them in the dane
; rallied him more than once on his devotion
v One thing, however surprised and troubled hin
Close by the tavern stood the old church, and !
4 the dancing room the htirsh discordant tones
q the Cracked bell could be heard distinctly.
o the first stroke 1t was as Il some magic spell ha
i fallen pom the dancers. The music ceased In tn
midst Of a me ure. he eayly moving crowd stoo
: | motionless, fixed as statutes, and seemed t
. . count ouxfousIv hut all hushed AZ death. eac
!. y heavy cang OF the bell But no eoonsr had 70
!. ment broke out afresh. This was repeated {
eight at nine and at ten O'clock when Asn%, prl
u ceetIing. Gertrude laid her finger on her 10
= ana looked at him 30 sadly and so sorrowiul
Il that for all the world he would not nave trouoe
/ her any more. 5.ufL .tI. -
70 At ten O'Clock came a pause In the dance; an
h the musicians who must have had lungs OF irg1 r1
1 \ l<xfk kbo