West-Jersey pioneer., 1877-01-11

magistrates unbuckled his knapsack, took
out his good suit, and just had his toilet
done when Gertrude knocked at the door
and called him. How wonderfully beauti-
full the girl looked in her rich yet simple
costume, and how sweetly she bade him
come with her, as the father and mother
would not come till later. Va
''The longing after her Heinrich can not
oppress her heart very much," thought the
young man, with satisfaction, as he drew
her arm through his and walked with her
in the gathering twilight to the dancing
hall. He took good care, however, not to
give words to such thought. 1t was a
singular feeling that came stealing over
him; and when the young girls heart beat
against his arm, his own throbbed violently.
| Sand tomorrow / must 60 on again." he
said, softly, with sigh. He hardly knew
that he had spoken, when his companion
answered, smiling.
'Don't concern yourself about that: we
will be together longer-longer perhaps
than you would wish"
| 'And would you like me to stay with
you, Gertrude ?" asked Arnold, his forehead
| flushing.
"Certainly," she replied, artlessly. "You
are good and pleasant, and know my fa-
ther likes you, too. Besides, Heinrich didn't
come,' she added, resentfully.
"And what if he comes tomorrow ?"
sS1n - l. -
up at him earnestly with her great dark
eyes; ''a long, long night lies between. To
morrow You will understand tomorrow
what the word means. But to-day let us
not talk about it, she said, breaking off
abruptly. ''To-day is the festival we have
long, oh so long looked forward to, and we
won't spoil it with sad thoughts. Here we
are, you see, at the place. The young men
won't take it amiss that bring new part
ner with me.''
Arnold was going to speak further but
loud music from within drowned his voice.
The musicians played strange tunes; he was
not familiar with one of them; and at first
he was almost blinded by the brightness of
the many lights. However, Gertrude led
bim into the middle of the hall, where a
crowd of young peasant girls were talking
together. There she left him until the
dance should really begin, to look about a
little, and become acquainted with the other
young men.
For the first few moments Arnold felt i'll
at ease among such strange people. Their
queer dress and accent repulsed him, and
sweet as their peculiar speech had sounded
from Gertrude's lips, it came very harshly
from the others. Yet the young men were
all friendly to him, and one of them came
up, and taking his hand, said:
''lt is sensible of you, sir, to wish to re-
main with us. We lead merry life and
the interval passes pretty quickly"
"What interval ?" asked Arnold, less as
tonished at the expression than that the
young man should speak SO decidedly as if
he were going to make the village his home.
''Why, do you intend to go away ?" asked
the peasant, quickly.
eyes, tomorrow, or the day after; but
Pm coming back.
Tomorrow! indeed! Oh, that's all right
then. Tomorrow we'll talk it all over
again. But come and let me show you all
the fun, for if you 60 away tomorrow, you
won't get another chance at it,
The Others laughed slyly among them
selves, but the young peasant took Arnold
by the hand and led him all through the
house, which was closely packed with crowds
of people. First, they passed through rooms
in which were card players, who had great
heaps of gold lying before them; then to
nine-pin alley all laid out in shining stones
In a third room kiss in -ring' and other
games were going on, and the young girls
ran out and in, laughing and frolicking with
the young fellows, until flourish from the
musicians, who had all along been playing
merrily, gave the signal for the dance to
begin, and Gertrude stood at Arnold's side
and took his arm.
"Come, we must not be the last" said
the charming girl, 'for, as the magistrates
daughter, have to open the dance.''
"But what strange tune is that p" said
Arnold. 81 can't get into the measure at
ALL"
''You'll be all right presently" laughed
Gertrude. SIN five minutes you'll get used
to it. I'll show you how"
They all pressed toward the dancing hall,
laughing and making marry noisily, and
Arnold soon forgot every thing in the mere
happiness of holding the wonderfully lovely
maiden in his arms
Again and again he danced with Gertrude,
and no one seemed to dispute his claim,
though the young girls passing by them in
the dance rallied him more than once on his
devotion. One thing, however, surprised
and troubled him. Close by the tavern
the old church, and in the dancing room the
harsh, discordant tones of the cracked bell
could be heard distinctly. At the first stroke
it was as if some magic spell had fallen upon
the dancers. The music ceased in the midst
of a measure, the gayly moving crowd stood
motionless, fixed as statues, and seemed to
count anxiously, but all hushed as death,
each heavy clang of the bell. But no soon
er had the last echo died away than the
noise and merriment broke out afresh. This
was repeated at eight, at nine, and at ten
o'clock. When Arnold tried to ask the
meaning of such strange proceeding, Ger
trude laid her finger on her lips, and looked
at him SO sadly and SO sorrowfully that for
all the world he would not have troubled
her and more.
ITO be continued in our next.1
The Swiss write more letters to each other
than any other people. In a year they car
ry on correspondence of twenty three let