Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-03-14
Subdued
A PLUCKY GIRL.

DO you won go 10 CnuTCn tulS eVeu-
ing, Malchen2" said Otto Won Polheim
to his eldest daughter one Sunday in De-
cember, as he and the rest of the family
were setting out for the market town to
hear Parson Knopps preach an advent
sermon.
mo, father, Dorothea can go in my
stead, and I will keep the house,
keep the house alone? No, will
leave Hans to protect thee and the manse,
too.''
II would rather not have Hans said
Malchen, with alittle pout, as she glanced
at an ugly gawk who was her fathers
head servant.
"Then thou shalt not have Karl, grum-
bled old Polheim, speaking rather to
himself than to the girl; and, wrapping
his ancient blue cloak tightly around him
he struck his iron-tipped staff two or
three times on the flags of the hall to in
innate to the members of his household
that it was time to be of.
They came gathering downstairs and
trudged out of different doors-a large
and rather noisy troop. Otto Won Pol
helm was landowner on small scale
what would be called in England a gen.
tlen,an farmer-and he had family Of
ten sons and daughters, without counting
two servant wenchcs and q couple of la
borers whom he treated as his children.
The eldest of these two laborers, tall,
rosy. checked, fair haired, blue-eyed fell
low, named Karl, had shown signs of late
of being ia bit soft" about Freulein
Malchen, and this displeased her father,
for though he was kind master he had
'Squires pride, and would have kicked
Karl straightway out Of bis house if he
had suspected Malchen of che,ishlng any
regard for him. At least this is what he
had once said to Kali with more blunt
ness than prudence, for worldly wisdom
would perhaps, have suggested that he
should begin by turning off Karl before
Malchen's sentiments toward him had n
pened into affection
"Now, come, come, let's be Off" re-
peated old Polheim, impatiently; "come
wife, and you Bertha, Frida and Gretch-
en-; you Hans, take one of the lanterns,
and you, Karl, lead the way with the
other"
Karl skunk out, looking very sheepish,
but scarcely had he got into the open air
before the candle in his lantern was
blown out, and he ran back to get anoth-
er. Malchen was standing in the hall and
struck a match for him. She struck a
second and third, for somehow the phos-
phorous would not act, and the operation
of lighting was delayed little. When
Karl took the lantern his hand touched
Malchen's hand and the girl blushed.
"It's a cruelty cold night to go in fall
tered she.
''And 1 don't like leaving you Alone"
whispered Karl. II think 1 shall steal
out of church and come back to see fyou
are safe"
ooh, no, the door will be barred" ex-
claimed Malchen, in flutter.
''Then I'll climb the orchard WALL" an
swerd Karl, nothing daunted, and he ex-
ecuted wink as he went forth into the
cold.
GLOW very audacious he is becoming"
muttered Malchen to herself; but she APP
parently thought that it was Of no use to
bar the door if Karl meant to get over the
garden wall, 50 she simply shut it, and
turned back to spend her evening in the
kitchen.
Herr Won Polheim's farm stood in a
lonely part of the country, about two
miles from R, IN Bavaria. 1t had
once been a castle, and all the rooms
on the ground floor were large, windy
apartments, with wainscoted walls, and
old oaken furniture. The kitchen which
served as the ordinary sitting-room to
the family of an evening, was made COM
Portable by some screens which shut out
the drafts, and by the large fires which
roared in the immense chimneys all day
long. There were two arm-chairs under
the bullying mantel of the chimney on
either side of the andirons, and in one of
these Malchen took her seat. She began
to knit; but soon her work snbsided into
her lap, and she begrn to stare at the fire
in scft reverie.
There We're faces, of course, in the red
embers OF the crumbling pine-logs, and
Karl's was chief amor them. Malchen,
who was pretty, sentimental young lady
Of eighteen, but somewhat cautious, as
becomes the daughter of gentleman
who can prefix Won to his name, asked
herself If she liked Karl. Did she truly
feel for him more than she did tor any
other mani Would she grieve for him
if he met with an accident? If he left
her fathers serv1ce9 II he were taken
away for military service, and forced
to risk his life in the wars? After fenc-
ing little with her conscience, the dam
sci decided that she did not qtlite know
what she ought to think about KARL but
that he was very bold, and not-te-be-
easily-put-down young man, she admit
ted to herself frankly enough in her
quaint German phraseelog.
Malchen. from being romantic, was
bold girl and felt no fear at being alone
In the big house on a winters evening.
The sough1ng of the wind through the
bare trees outside; the noise of draughts
shaking doors that was loose on their
hinges; the monotonous tick-tack of the
kitchen clock, Gid not disturb her COM
posture. She sat listening for footsteps,
and conned over in her mind what sharp |
hing she should say to dismiss Karl if he
had the impertinence to present himself |
before her. The worst of it was that Karl |
was Just such young man as might be
Indifferent to sharp things, His boldness |