New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1881-03-16


ceptcd the peripatetic alternative with
cheerful alacrity ana went on an aim
less tramp. He sail he was going III
search OF his proper level.
Maud Muller was the only child of a
retired banker in the sleepy town of
Couponville, an aristocratic village in
one OF the eastern counties of Ohio.
Maud's charms, both physical and men
tai, were the rarest ever lavished upon
women, and she had been favored with
every advantage of education that
money could purchase. Her beauty
and accomplishments had made her the
idol of a large circle of young men, to
not one Of whom she had ever given
the slightest encouragement. They
swarmed under her chamber windows
on moonlight nights and made the long
hours hideous with their caterwaulings,
until old Muller got tired of it and stole
round the corner of the house with a
gun loaded with tcnpenny nails and let
drive at the flock, killing three outright
and wounding four others so that they
died on the following morning. That
was the kind of man Mr.. Muller was
but he was exceedingly fond of his
daughter, and had always been kind to
her.
One evening as Maud was emerging
from her boudoir, where she had been
scrutinizing large mirror and dressing
Tor the opera, she was met by her father
with the information that Mr.. Muggle-
ton waited in the parlor.
Now, Mr.. Muggleton was an ancient
fossil who had taken a great fancy to
Maud, and as he was a man of high
social standing and great wealth, Mr..
Muller had thought best to encourage
him as much as possible, hoping that
his daughter would have the good
sense to offer no objection on account
Of age.
MIR. Muggleton is waiting;'' repeat.
ed MI. Muller.
"Well, give him my compliments, a<tl
tell him to keep on Waiting,'' returned
Maud, with some spirit.
"But don't you intend to go down?
Are you going to be rude?''
20, yes" replied Maud, with an in
jured air, ''rll go down and stroke his
shiny old bald head, and ask him about
his children and his grandchildren, and
I'll ask him to give me some personal
recollections of Noah. And, if you like,
I'll go to the opera with him, and I'll
ask him If there was better talent on the
boards when he and Methuselah were
young!'
"Now, Maud" said Mr.. Muller, s'vou
are making q fool of Yourself. Mr..
Muggleton never saw Noah in his life.
AS to grandchildren, you know very
well that he is a bachelor, and hasn't a
relative in the world, so far as he
knows: I command you to present
yourself at once, and if you don't be-
have properly, there will be a young
lady about your size begging her bread
in the streets before she is aware of
it."
With these words the indignant fa-
ther turned on his heel and left Maud
to choose which alternative she would,
III.
While the events above narrated
were TRANSPORTING, a young man possess
ing q dignitied bearing and eighty-ive
cents in money, was just entering the
brilliantly lighted town of Couponville
in search of his level. It was larger
town than he had ever before seen, and
he was consequently somewhat dazzled
and bewildered. He began to be
doubtful about finding his level that
night, as the evening was rapidly wear
ing away, and another question was
beginning to trouble him, namely:
How was he going to reach the higher
walk of life without more money? How
was he to be high toned gentleman
and live in loftier atmosphere than
that which pervaded the meat-shops,
with SO small sum as eighty-tive cents
in his pocket? AS he walked gloomily
along the strange thoroughfare, busy
with these troublesome reflections, he
heard loud tones issuing from man.
sion which he was just passing. A mo-
ment later the front door opened and a
slight female figure hurried silently out
into the street, and, passing by him
with quick, determined tread, was
soon out Of sight.
When Maud recovered from the shock
Which her fathers angry words had
given her, she Immediately determined
upon q course of action. She resolved
that she would be turned out of doors
before she would consent to 20 to the
opera with the antcdiluvian relic, who
waited for her in the parlor> She called
her father back and told him her de-
termination. The result was that the
proud young beauty was promptly
elected throng, the hail door; for she
it was who had passed George Adolphus
as he wandered ON in search of his
level.
When Mr.. Muggleton had waited for
Maud until he was tired and on the
point of leaving, Mr.. Muller entered
the room, and apolog;zing for the non
appearance of his daughter by saying
that she had violent headache, begged
him to come again in few days, as
Maud would then be delighted to see
him. The truth was that Mr.. Muller
had no idea of Furnishing his daughters
disobedience with permanent Danish
ment. He reasoned that she would
surely go to some of her friends and re.
turn in penitence in the morning.
v.
George Adolphus followed swiftly on
after the young lady, hardly knowing
why he did so, but feeling irresistibly
drawn by some unaccountable PRESENT.
ment that all was not well with her. liz
few moments he came up with her
and followed at little distance, watck-
ing Ter movements with the keenest in
terest. But Maud was so intent upon
some purpose which lay deep hidden i'll
her heart that she did not notice linn.
The street now began to be deserted,
but still the resolutc girl walked rapid
ly on. At length a small foot-bridge
across the canal was reached. The girl
paused. Was her purpose q desperate
one? George Adolphus asked himself
this question and many more beside as
he fingered in the shadows close behind