The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-09-01
A Romance of the Mohawk

"SASS ~S~
A Romance of the Mohawk.
It was at the close of n warm Septem.
Der day, a little more than a hundred
years ago, that Herr Peter Rosbach sat
smoking bis pipe in the doorway of his
mill on the Mohawk river.
The Mohawk is one of the most pleas
ant of streams. Although, with one or
two exceptions, there is nothing rugged
~ grand about the scenery. still there is
q quiet loneliness surrounding it, capti-
waiting to the eye and soothing to the
sense.
But the prosaic Dutchman regarded
and the richly-wooded hillsides more
for their moneyed value than for their
artistic beauty. And or this evening,
as he sat there-his corpulent frame
clothed in long waistcoat and short
knee-breeches, the fat calves of his legs
encased in silk stockings, his pudgy feet
wearing low shoes with immense buckles
he was the complete personifcation of
q placid, well-to-do Teuton.
For Herr Peter Rosbach was unde-
niably wealthy. Many of the broad
acres spread out before him belonged to
the Rosbach possessions. to say nothing
of the mill itself, which in those days
was a most valuable piece of property,
because the facilities for preparing grain
for family use were very limited, and for
miles around farmers came with loaded
bags of grain, or "skipples," to be con-
verted into -four, and great was the gain
that found its way into Herr Rosbach's
capacious pockets.
But after also declared the lads of
the Mohawk-the choicest possession
owned by the fat old Dutchman, was his
seventeen-year-old daughter Elsie. AL.
though an only child and motherless at
that-for Herr Rosbach was a widower
of many years s~tanding-she was as
sweet and gentle in disposition rs she
was comely in person.
She loved and was beloved by Helm
rich Schell, a young man in the Ameri-
can army. But the course of true love
never runs smooth, and in this case the
obstacle was the opposition Of Herr
Rosbach.
Now the old Dutchman loved peace
better than war, because peace brought
him plenty ofpro6t, whereas war turned
everything upside down and made lis
pockets suffer.
Although not an adherent of the
British cause, he was not enough of a
philosopher to seek the reason of the
rupture between England and America,
and he had made up his mind that the
latter was making a great ado about
nothing.
As for himself, he was equally will
ing to grind corn for a Britisher or an
American, and he would do it equally
well for both.
He was getting old-he needed help
in his business. Who would be so faith
full as q son-ip- law? But what aid could
Heinrich Schell, q man given to war and
fighting, be to- himp Nothing! Conse-
%quently, handsome, gallant Heinrich
was banished from the house, and Elsie
was forced to accept the attentions OF
Ludwig Gewartsam, q mar nearly as
old, quite as fat, and next in wealth to
Herr Rosbach himself.
On the evening of which we speak,
this aged woOer, attired in all the
splendor of a blue coat and yellow
breeches, had come to call on his imam.
orata. In obedience to her fathers
command, although her soul rebelled.
Elsie had also put on her best dress-a
crimson short gown, topped over 8
quilted petticoat Of black silk, short
enough to display a pair of dainty feet,
incased in high-heeled, r%ed-tipped slip
pers.
3urmounted her yellow, braided hair,
md about her white neck was folded s
neat kerchief of the same. spotless. ma.
terial, left open far enough to display 8
string of gold beads.
But Elsie's cheeks were somewhat
pale, and her soft, blue eyes had q sad.
downcast look in them, as she sat or
the step of the old-fashioned porch, in
dustriously knitting a stocking, from
which occupation she was occasionally
called to attend some want of her father
such as filing his long-stemmed pipe OF
dra Wing mugs of the first new cider o.
the season.
Meanwhile the sky changed from pale
amethyst to deep purple, and away il
the south a great silver star SLOWLY
swung into its place. Toward the
western hills, where the last faint ray!
of the departed sun rested lingeringly
Elsie CHANGED to direct her gaze.
She suddenly started, the SHINING
knitting needles fell from her hands, tn
ball of red yarn rolled down the step
and was lost amid the broad-spreadin.
leaves of the capbages growing near tn
porch.
With all the grace and agility that;hi
obese body would allow, Herr Gewart
sam waddled after it. Searching a few
minutes, he found the yarn, and then
with q red and perspiring face, wit
many puffs and snorts after his unusua
exertion, he restored it to Elsie, sayin
in tones of cultural sweetness:
,"Thy yarn / hat found, liebchen."
At another time, Elsie would hav
observed and resented the affectionat
familiarity, but just now her eyes wer
riveted upon the western hills.
"What seest thou, Elsie-a thunder
storm comirg?" questioned Herr Ros
bach.
"No, my father; but tell me, did 20
not fasten the sheep in the pasture?"
SEQ be sure-even before l did com
20 mine supper"
"Then tell me, what is that line
olack objects, like sheep or cattle, tn:
is slowly stealing down the hillside
See, just to the right of the old pin
ree."
"Where? I see nothing, charmir
Blsie." said Herr Gewartsam. s~trainir
his bleared eyes in the direction Els
hadp ointed her plump, white finger.
"Do you see nothing, fathere" 81
again asked.
Without replying, Herr Rosbac
gazed long and earnestly. Suddenl
his rudy face grew pale. He sank I'M
his armchair, dropping his pipe as
did so, and uttering the brief word:
"Himmel!" .
"What is it, mine friend" inquire
Herr Gewartsam.- sis it sheep
wolves proving around?"
Wolves, sure enough!" ~eiaculat,