American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-01-12
HOW HE CONQUERED.

Paul Weimer was in love. Poor Paul /!
the object of his affections did not know
her own mind, and her parents despised
him. His beloved was the toll-keeper's
daughter and lived on the bridge which
! SPAWNED the broad river below his noun
tain home. Aida was naturally a CO.
quette, and her fathers position opened
a way for the Indulgence of this dis
| position to an unlimited extent, so that
her lovers were numbered by the dozen,
and even Count Rudolph himself failed
not to cast an admiring glance upon the
fair girl in his frequent journeys across
the bridge. Still she was by no means
Indifferent to the manly charms of Paul
Weimer, and she declared to her mother
that there was not, in all the province,
as bright a pair of eyes as Paul's black
orbs. AS it was impossible to deny
this, the mother merely said it was
pity he did not employ them oftener in
searching out the insects that destroyed
his vines than in sighting the channels
upon the heights. And his figure,
too,'' persisted the girl, who desired to
uphold Paul, now that another spoke
against him.
Did you ever see more magnif-
Gently formed man, mother?''
ooh, that is well enough, child, but
his form was developed by climbing
over crags and precipices in search of
the wild goat, when he should have been
digging in his vineyard
Aida knew this was true enough, so
she made no reply, yet, among all her
suitors, none occupied so many of her
secret thoughts as dark-eyed Paul.. and
the day on which her father turned him
from their door and commanded him
never to enter it again was a sad one for
her, although she would not acknowl-
edge that she loved him.
Young Weimer was rendered des-
perate by this proceeding, and became
wilder in consequence. The poor
channels had reason to curse the toll
keepers cruelty, for Paul now hunted
them with relentless zeal, and more than
ever neglected his vineyard.
The mills of the gods grind slowly"
but each ones turn comes at last, and
those who care not what others suffer
have personal suferings thrust upon
nexp.
ne Wlnter was passing and the toll
keeper had begun rejoicing at the pros
pect of the return of spring. The river
was still frozen, hnt the south wind
blew warm and balmy, and there had
been warm rains upon the mountains,
so that the ice was soon expected to
disappear. The family retired to rest as
usual, and were enjoying the peaceful
sleep that follows day of labor, when
a sudden and terrible awakening came
upon them. The elements were raging,
their house shaking to its foundations,
and the crash of falling arches greeted |
their ears. The trembling man sought
the roof of his house and discovered |
that the bridge at either end had been
swept away, and he and his family were
prisoners in the midst of whirlpool
that every instant threatened destruc-
ton. He cried aloud for help, and his
voice was heard above the roar of the
elements by crowd of Mortified gazers
On the rivers bank, but no one dared to
lace destruction in going to his aid.
Count Rudolph rode up in haste, and in
his hand a purse.
&C Five hundred crowns to any one
Who attempts their rescue, " shouted he,
'ut no one moved, and destruction SEEM
d inevitable.
A stir in the crowd announces a new
arrival, and man in coarse apparel,
With an Alpine staff in his hand, is seen
lividing the crowd right and left as they !
mpeded his onward progress. To the
COUNT he paid no attention whatever, !
ut at once made for the river, where a !
mall fishers boat lay upon the bank. 8
Without a word he launched into the ;
oiling current, and was soon fighting
is way toward the central pier, upon
hitch the toll-keeper's house stood. {
fter a desperate effort and many mar r