The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-01-06

will point at me ana say, yes, he mar
rled this little nobody, this little Mar
guerite, but they say he loves herr and
they will think it strange that you
should love me from your great height.
But you won't forget TO do that, Hans
ever, ever-will you, my love?"
"Never, until my voice forgets its
music! must pray God to still it for
ever, could my heart prove so false.
Something within me, Marguerite, con-
quers myself 1t is hope springing
within my breast, | will take your
money, little one a sacred debt, Wait
for me two years, fraulien; then ] will
return, to give you richest payment, |
swear it, and | seal it with this kissl'
Hans had gone, and Marguerite was
left alone She lived now in one little
room, high up many stairs-up which
she toiled YEARLY,
At long distances apart, letters came.
Oh, how eagerly Marguerite spelled
them out She slept with them under
her pillow by night, and they sank
and fell with every pulsation of her
heart by day.
Then there were weeks, aye, months,
when she heard nothing, and the child's
figure grew thin and her cheek grew pale.
But one evening, when she had al
most given up hope--when the great
dread lest Hans should be i'll, dying or
dead, remorselessly Swallowed her path
way-the messengerssmiled welcome.
But at last, when she broke the seal,
something white and huttering fell to
the ground. She stopped to pick it up.
What did it mean? 1t was a little
slip, with some figures in one corner.
They represented tho exact amount she
had given Hans. Bewildered, she turn
ed to the letter. It's words explained.
II pay you my debt. Think, my little
love, what il cost us, yet earned it,
Marguerite, on the very night of my
debut. | have sung, and the people
have listened. | looked about among
all the faces on all the young and
beautiful women with their eyes fixed
upon me-but nothing inspired me.
Then | thought of you, and looking
straight into space forgot them all,
darling. The flowers rained at my
feet. Great ladies tore the roses from
their breast; but | would have given
them all dearest, for one little, wild
blossom your hand had plucked. They
say will be rich and famous. | can
not tell-the world is tickle. The vii
lage banker will cash your order. But
you need not buy back the little home.
/ am coming for you soon, TO bring you
to cage, better worthy of my noun
tain-bird."
Again and again Marguerite read and
re-read the precious words. What car
ed she for the money? 1t had made
Hans great: :.
@ "Going back to your native village
you, who have the whole world
at your feet sighed one of Florence's
most famous beauties, as she looked in
to the young singers eyes.
Six months had passed since he had
paid his debt to Marguerite, and still
he fingered. He had spent thrice that
amount, since then, on a trinket to clasp
some fair lady's arm. Did he, in hold
ing it so lightly, forget that once it had
been girls all? Why, then, did the
sigh the lady uttered find response in
his own breast? .,,,.>,s
at is duty which calls me-"
"DutyH' she murmured. care you
sure it is not mistaken duty? All yolr
life has changed Herr Werter If, in
its early time, you pledged it to some
rustic maiden, think-could she fill its
measure now?"
The beauty's voice trembled. The
cool softness of herhesh pressed lightly
against his burning palm.
"And if l give her up he said
"what then? You will be mine?'
But the "Yes" she uttered was hush
ed by the madness of his kisses.
And Marguerite watched and waited.
He was coming; therefore he did not
write.
1t was the second anniversary of the
day that was to have celebrated their
wedding, when the goss.ps burst into
her room.
"IIa, ha' they said, "did we not tell
you SOP" pointing as they spoke to the
paper, which announced the betrothal
of Herr Werter and the greatest beauty
in all Florence.
leave me-" she said at last, when
they looked to see what she would do.
81 wish to be alone.
But one of kinder heart, after some
hours had passed, stole back into the
darkened room.
The child lay tossing in delirious few
err, and the physician, when called,
shook his head
The strain had been too great, he
said. She must die.
On the third day after, as the watch
ers sat about the bed, a step sounded
on the stairs A man stained with the
dust of travel, burst impetuously into
the room.
"Margueriten' he exclaimed-"Mar-
gueritem Then he stopped and gath
cred the import of the scene before
him. 81 did but falter!' he cried, fall
ing on his knees by her bedside. II
came back, my wild German daisy, to
tell you so. Oh, Marguerite, is it thus
pay my debt?n
Then, as though the voice must pene-
trate the mists of fever, the blue eyes
opened, a wonderful, ecstatic light in
their depths.
Hans she whispered Hans for
r