The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1879-11-29
gateway, into the grass-grown court.

yard
!" A curious place, to be sure" said
the young man, seating himself for a
moments rest on fallen mass of brick
work Overland with soft moss, and letting
his horse meantime Craze at his will
from the rank growth of the court yard.
A very curious place. Looks as if no
one had been here for hundred wears,
wonder VIII ether this can be the haunt
ed castle my uncle was speaking about
only the other night? If SO" he added,
" l wish to goodness the spirit lady would
have the hospitality to welcome me to
her domains, and offer me a drink of
something this hot day" And as he
took Oft his hunting cap to air his heated
brow, his thoughts reverted lovingly to
certain glass tankard in his uncle's
house, which, when filled with yellow
Strasbourg beer, was about as pleasant a
sight to Kurt Won Stein as the world
could offer.
After while the idea occurred to the
young man that as chance had brought
him to the castle, he might as well pay
bis respects to the owner of it, whether
she were phantom or not.
A turret stair, broken and worn, was
close at hand to the spot which he had
chosen for resting place. Twilight was
beginning TO fall as he rachel the castle;
how, suddenly, darkness seemed to have
come, and as ne mounted the winding
turret stair she noticed that lights were
already showing through many of the
windows of what appeared TO be less
rulnOus part OF the building than that
by which he had entered.
"That is all right" said Kurt to him
self, was wise to try my fortune
here. A supper, or even bed, would
not come amiss to me, for | scarcely
know how | shall find my way back to
my uncle's house tonight. But at any
rate shall get some directions, and per-
haps, if the people are not oVerhospita-
bic, guide home"
So saying, he made his way up the
staircase, and knocked at 8 door which
was at the top of it. The door opened
noiselessly, as though by an unseen hand,
and admitted him into long corridor,
lighted and adorned with white marble
statues. From this he passed into a
suite of rooms hung with tapestry, and
strewn with freshly laid PUSHES, with q
few carved settees and chests Of furni-
ture. Still he met no one.
Next he came into a great hall, on the
walls of which hung q number of antique
portraits, while in the center of the
apartment was a table spread as if for
supper.
"This is very curious" said Kurt to
himself. "Where can the family be
gone to? However, one comfort is,
they've got something to eat. l think
I'll wait here and give them chance of
inviting me-"
So saying, he sat quietly down at one
end of the table, which was laid for two
persons. Scarcely had he done so when
the door of the room opened noiselessly,
and lady, young and beautiful, but
with somewhat sad and pale face, en-
tered.
Kurt rose, and at once began to make
apologies for his unwarrantable intru-
sion. The lady waved a white hand
toward him, and bad him be seated.
Say no more" she said, in a sweet,
sad voice. 81 expected you"
There was evidently some mistake
here, thought Kurt, but as the mistake
seemed TO mean good supper, he was
not unwilling to fall into it. He at
once took q seat at the table, and the
lady took hers opposite him.
She was certainly very beautiful, he
thought, as he looked again at her over
the trimming wine cup. The wine, too,
was excellent; so was the whole repast-
at which the lady waited upon him with
her own fair hands-the only popularity
about it being that neither bread nor
salt was to be found upon the table, but
Kurt Won Stein was too much of a gen.
tleman to notice the omission, though he
certainly enjoyed his supper the less by
reason of their absence.
At length the young man ventured to
ask one or two questions of his kindly
hostess. "May l inquire" he said, " are
you, fair lady, the daughter of this
house?"
eyes" was the answer, given, as it
seemed, sadly and low.
And your psrents?"
"They are there" ssid the lady,
pointing to the pictures on the walls.
"Do you mean to say that you live in
this house alone?" asked Won Stein.
AIOuc, IStuIuCO Luc all
the last of my race"
Who shall say how it came about
The lady was beautiful, the man was
young. In such cases love is sometimes
found to be q plant that does not take
long in growing. Moreover, Won Stein,
though noble, was poor, and the lady the
last of her race, the heiress of an ancient
lineage. Possibly the notion of the in
heritance the lonely girl might bring
with her had some part in the sudden
passion which filed the young mans
heart. Who can tell?
It was not long before he found him,
self kneeling at her feet and offering the
beautiful maiden all that he had to offer
his devotion and his life.
The lady listened silently and with
bowed head to his ardent pleading.
Then she said, looking up. but always
from him, and speaking absently: Il
have heard those words before"
"But never from lips so true, 80 hon
est, so disinterested," said the young
man, warmly, forgetting in his fascina-
ton for the beautiful lady how he had
certainly taken her inheritance into
account in the first place.
The lady sighed snd was silent.
Then she spoke: off yield to your
wishes we must be married at once"
DAT oncep cried Won Stein, perhaps
little startled. Yet what lover ever
found the time between betrothal and
marriage too shorti " / am ready" he
said, gallantly and impatient"
The lady smiled, moved softly away
to an old worm-eaten chest which was
set against the WALL took from it two