Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-03-11
i am weary having walked a long

4 am weary having walked long
distance said the stranger. Have
you any objection to my walking 10
and resting for awhile p
None in the least, sir, The door
OF this house is always open. though
the mistress is rarely at home
The stranger was ushered into
the sitting room.
The man who admitted him
busted himself in procuring refresh.
ments, bread and cheese and beer, of
which the stranger gratefully par
took.
Pardon me- said the red.faced
man, but though you speak German
excellently well l thought l detect.
ed q little of the French accent
4 am a Frenchman.'
sYour hand p cried the red faced
man. i, too. am Frenchman. Viye
Ia France I
tVive Ia France L repeated the
stranger. But how comes it that
you, lover of Ia belle France, are
settled down here in Germany
'Ah it is q long story said the
man. l came here with the French
army In 1906, this day ten years
ago. This is between ourselves. l
and q comrade were CHARTERED in
this house. He had scuffie with
one of tho grandees of the place and
came near killing him. A guard
came to arrest him. l confessed the
crime to save his life. for he once
saved mine. Luckily, my affair was
put off until the next morning, and
for want of better prison i was
lodged in an clubhouse. But my
good angel was not asleep
Your good angelo
Yes, In the shape of as plump and
pretty girl as ever your eyes rest
ed Oh. My angel csjoled the senti.
nels, gave them drugged wine, and
when they were asleep set me at
liberty, and found me a secure bid.
ing place. The grand army marched
away without me. 10 due time /
emerged into daylight again, shaved
of my whiskers and moustache, babe
adieu to eagles and to glory, married
my preserver, and became q stew
ard, as my wife is bousekeeper, to
the Baroness Ida Won Arneim, the
loveliest and most unhappy lady in
the world
what is the cause of her unhsp.
p,nessT
THAT is secret known only to
herself, said the ex-soldier. sAll
know about it Is that a few months
after the battle of Jena she left Wei.
mar suddenly. Where she went l
know not. She came back in year,
much changed in appearance. though
still lovely to look upon. She did
not remain here long. but went to a
county-house in Berlin, whittier she
was summoned by her father, Gen.
eral Won Rastadt, whose health was
failing. She always comes here on
the anniversary of the battle of Je-
Mathis day-and remains for few
sssssSfs -sbHHss' s svifidSeihaly' sSfaHasiIl6,0g
weighs upon her mind
She has no intention of changing
her conditioner marrying again p
asked the stranger.
None. She has had suitors-
more than l can reckon upon my
| fingers-but she sends them all to
the right about in double. quick time.
This makes us think that her sad.
ness is an affair Of the heart. MY
wife, Minna. will have it that she
lost her heart to my oomrade, Vic
tor, who was CHARTERED here with
me after the battle of Jena. But
don't believe in love at first sight
not I ! Victor was q fine fellow,
however. wonder what has be-
come of him =
KILLED, most probably said the
stranger. Few of the Old Guard
survived Waterloo
| 'Ah. Waterloo they were too
much tor the Little Corporal. Eng
lish, Dutch, Germans, all the world
against him. But for the baroness
l should have been forced to march
against the Emperor. She saved me
from conscrIption, and, thank Heav-
en- Europe is once more at peace.
But you must excuse me now, for
hear carriage wheels, and it may be
the baroness
In ehort time the room door
opened, and lady appeared, accom-.
panied by an old gentleman.
1t was the baroness and her father
General Won Rastadt.
Il am told you wish to see m Q sir p
said the baroness.
yes madame, replied the stranger
with some barrsssrnent; that is,
if L have the honor of addressing
the baroness Ida Won Arneim 2
That is my name, SIR said the
lady.
Bertrand and his wife, Minna,
now pretty dame, had entered the
room and were busy with some
household arrangements, but of
course, their curiosity permitted
them to lose nothing OF what pass,
ed between the mysterious stranger
and their mistress.
Ten years ago. said the stranger
"a young French soldier, who bore
the name of Victor, was q guest 10
this house,
| Il remember him. said the baro.
ness, in voice shaken with emo
ton. Il heard nothing of him since
that day. 81 have supposed him
hear the tears gathered 10 her eyes
dead
'He is not dead, replied the stran.
ger.
The baroness raised her eyes to
Heaven, and clasped her hands,
while her lips moved as if uttering
prayer.
He lives sir you say?' she resum.
ed, but deeply sgitated.
| Lives, and is well. Moreover, he
would present himself here if be
thought you hadn't forgotten him.
| Il thought he had forgotten me-
said the Baroness, in low tone.
| Not for one moment cried the
stranger. lin the roar of battle