Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-01-29
THE LOST BRIDE.

shipping, nYeu FRAU Scnmldh Iaif, iat
German woman of forty. She had nc
children of her own, but there lived with
her little girl whom she called Minchen,
but whom the neighbors knew as
"Minken.o
In the same tenement with the
Schmidts lived Yankee, owner OF the
sail and row boats. Minchen was great
pet of the Yank's.
On Minchen's eleventh birthday old
Yank, seeing the afternoon was fair and
the breeze mild, told her. as she was now
grown so big and old, that she might
take the Sally out all by herself, row till
she was tired and float home with the
tide. The kind man, while Minchen ran
hometo ask permission Of Frau Schmidt,
put in the tin box under the stern seat
of the boat a large orange and a birthday
cake, all frosted on top, and with large
an" in pink carraway seeds, for a
decoration. "She says may" said the
little one, breathlessly, as she came run
ming down the wharf, holding in her
hand by one string her torn yellow sun
bonnet. With many knowing mods and
winks in the direction Of the hidden
goodies, Yank helped the child into the
Sally, and bidding her to be, careful,
stood waving to her from the top of the
tallest pile. ~
When the good woman's husband re-
turned all sooty and dirty from his work
at the coal heap, they talked about little
Minchen, how they loved her, and how
pretty she was; how she must be back
from her birthday treat, and how proud
she would be os having gone so far by
herself. Soon Yank came in and said:
"Whar's the little 'uns turned in
already ? Gin eout, reckon" n. E..
"Shs has not come yet" said Fran
Schmidt, trembling little, "but she will
soon be here" added she, seeing the
frightened look on her husbands face.
Not one word said Yank, but grabbing
his hat, fairly jumped down the steep
flights of stairs, ran quickly to the wharf,
jumped into the first boat he saw, and
pulled with all his great strength for the
island. ...
All this time Minchen, who had not
been on the island at all, was pulling
hard for home, she thought; but the fog
had come in SO quickly, and the wind
made the waves so high, that our poor
little girl no longer knew which way to
steer; 80 with bows pointed to the Golden
Gate she rowed with all her little strength
for the open sea. Wet and weary, she
sand ut last into the bottom of the boat,
helpless, for she could row no longer.
Praying the good angels to take care of
her, she sat quite still, trying to hear the
island fog horn; but she could not, The
wind was in the wrong direction.
II must be nearly home," she said !;
81 must try to make for the wharves,
they surely are just over there"
So she rose, took the oars in her poor
dumb hands, and began to pull again.
Suddenly she let both oars slip from her
grasp and float away on the high waves,
for with dull, booming sound came the
knell of the Fort Point fog bell, and she
knew she was passing through the Gate,
out to the open ocean; that she had
taken the wrong direction and was float
ing out to sea-going away from home
and love, away from Frau Schmidt and
her flowers to the cold fog and colder
ocean, to death--to death-to death.
And with these thoughts whirling
through her mind, she sank, lifeless, in
to the bottom of the boat.
Home came Yank after an unsuceess-
ful search, and staggered up the stairs to
where he knew he should find the weep
ing Frau. He reached the door of Min
chen's room, and, opening it, found the
poor woman crying on the coarse, little
bed. He just touched her arm "Gone,"
was all he said, and turning, went sud
denly down to his own room, and there
cried like child. Every day after did
he climb to the top of Telegraph Hill,
vainly and foolshly be knew, hoping to
see the green Sally dancing on the limo
acknowledgements. Descending, he went
to the police station to inquire if any
news had come of Minchen. Hearing
none, be walked sadly away, wondering
how he should again reply to the sad
questions in Frau Schmidt's eyes,
The morning after Minchen's disap-
pearance dawned bright and warm on
the ocean. The sun, as it looked down
from the sky, saw what Yank would have
given his eyes to see--a little, green
boat. with a child. wet and weary. "