The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-11-11

wig was the only creature on the face of
the earth that my father feared be.
gan to notice all these things, as grew
to be l6 and so on all these years we
lived, as wild a set of barbarians az could
be found in the nejghborhood of the
Danube. We were all fearless, expert
horsemen, could shoot and fish, and, in
the season of the vintage, help to gather
the grape, tlirt with the pretty girls who
came to work in the fields, followed up
the somewhat pastoral business of shear
ing and killing the sheep, and not entire
ly negiecting Frcre Franz and his books
and paints. That we had any future
never seemed to occur to us; although
the boys with whom we had played
went off to be soldiers We had once
heard Ludwig ask my fatherto let him
go to Vienna and become a soldier also.
My father had answered angrily, and
told us we were not to leave Szegszard
unless we wished to be insulted, to get
into an Austrian fortress, perhaps. Then
we began to suspect that he had
been guilty of some political offense ;
that we were ostracized, and bore taint-
ed name, dreadful thing for boys to
suspect. | was Is, Ernst was 20, and
Ludwig was 22 when the great event of
our life happened A little carriage
drawn by three fleet Hungarian horses,
hung with bells,came trottinginto Szegs-
zard one fine morning, and in it was the
President of the Komfat, and by his
side young lady.
was on my shaggy pony, stopping
for moment at our wine merchant $,
when heard the President speak out in
a grand, pompous voice, and say:
Can you tell me where lives the Bar
on Wolfgang Won Wolf?"
took off my cap and bowed to the
lady and himself, and answered:
Il am the young Count Erlody Won
Wolf, at your service" said |. "Can |
conduct you to my father the Baron Won
Wolff
politely spoken. my golden-haired
youth said the President ; "politely
spoken yes, bring you 4 cousin from
Paris, Mademoiselle Marie de Lucille
Zichy."
felt all the blood in my body go to
my face. "Zichy!" that name had be
longed to my mother A cousin from
Paris. and coming to our Wolf's den!
''Cousin Erlody does not seem glad to
see me! p said the young lady in the
most sweet, frank, pleasant voice, "but
have come--I have come to make you a
visit. You must make-really you must
make the best of me.
suddenly felt was dressed in sheep
skins, that my boots of untanned leather
were ragged, that my hands were brown,
coarse and dirty, that | was a savage. |
thought of Castle Wolf; what place
for a lady and such lady. For as |
stole a look at her saw SLENDER deli
cate, tall girl, with smooth, black hair
folded back from her white brow; dark
blue eyes with long lashes red mouth
full of mischief and smiles. She was
dressed in dark blue cloth, with bright
buttons down the front, and a little hat,
with long blue feather floating bacl;
from her lovely face, noticed her
hands, they were so small, long and 1.-THE,
and her gloves fitted her like her skin
She looked like no woman | had even
seen in my life, but she did look like
| like, what Yes.
Like Ludwig's pictures!
When | had shown the President 5
driver the road up to the castle, | told
his Excelency, with bow, that | would
spur on my pony, and 90 to prepare my
father for the visitors.
saw Frere Franz in the court -yart
and told him the astounding news, leav
ting him to break it to the Baron, while
dashed up to my room and washed my
face and hands and combed my long hair
Then | called to Ludwig, who was paint
ing in the turret. He, too, made him
self decent, and we both reached tn,
door as my father was helping the youn.
lady to alight. She did not notice II
much, being taken up with our dogs
Czilagy and Mords, two splendid vol
hounds, who had barked at every visito
we had ever had before, savage beasts
but who now were absolutely kissing he
gloved hands, so sweet and gentle wa
she.
"Oh! what lovely dogs, what dea
dogs" said cousin Lucille, who evidentl
knew how to win man and beast Baro
Wolfang Won Wolf was gentleman,
man OF sixteen quarteripgs, and althoug
he had just been killing sheep, he di
receive the lady with stately ciyilit,
We were m ore like sheep than woly(
before her! She, however, soon gave N
her hand, and looked up in Ludwig
handsome, melancholy face, with a serer
composure which was rcassuring, an
said: "Forgive me for shaking han(
with the dogs first )" then, as Ludwi
smiled and approved of her, she blushe
most becomingly and accepted his pro
fered arm with little tremble, whic
) put them at once in the proper posiuo
, of man and woman, of protector al
protected.
All we were told was that this lac
was our distant cousin, that we were
make the castle as comfortable as pos,
ible for her, and that we were to ask !
l questions | saw the Baron later takiI
J the whip to Fetehaza, who with Il
privilege of an old servant, was growth
> over the newcomer, so | asked noue,
: My mothers room, long closed, was u
y locked for the guest, and she came dow
). in few moments, lovely, fresh, smilin
u composed, praising the prospeet,praisir
everything,
1t was not long before Lucille had W
3 Felehazas confidence, and the dim
y table boasted again table-cloth, O
II trunks and table linen were unlockt
u and the Barons silver chest yielded
treasures, the sound of hammer a
> chsel was heard in the rooms, and ]
i came an upholsterer nlher service, ,naili
C up old tapestries and curtains, Luci
> > insisted that Ludwig should fresco |
!, room, and she bought muslin at the ,
a lage which soon tluttered in the morni
C breeze, from her easement, giving a
. fined air to our donjon keep, Oh, h
'e she liked the dogs,the puppies, the poni
and what horse woman she was a
Is tie timid at first, but soon seat acr,