The banner-enterprise. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1883-18??, 1883-06-07
OUR lI0STESS'S DAUGHTER,

"Come," said rising and throwing
aside my book" come, Traverse, W
have had work enough for one day
Let us take a sunset walk on the oil
ramparts, and have our tea at tina
charming little restaurant under tn
beeches.
Traverse took a last lingering lool
at his sketch, then carefully set bacl
the easel against the wall, and W,
descended the stair from our apart
ments on the upper floor, where W,
enjoyed a view of the housetops O.
the quaint little town of Neureide, OF
the banks of the wide and winding
Rhine.
"Stop moment" Traverse said, as
we reached the first floor. 1--WE vii
see if there are any letters. l desired
the Frau Hansing not to bring them
up hereafter, for, good woman though
she is, her talk is rather overpower-
ing"
We had been recommended to Frau
Hansings lodgings by fair cousin of
my own who was visiting some half
English, half-German relatives near
Bonn.
"If you stop at Neureide," she
wrote, "my relative, Madame Estorf,
desires me to say that you will find ex-
cellent lodgings with Frau Hansing,
an old and faithful servant of hers,
who will make you very comfortable" J"
And, despite Frau Hansings love of
talking, of which Traverse mildly COM
planned, we had found the promise
amply fulfilled, and had so far no cause
to regret oar choice of lodgings.
The old lady opened the door in an
swer to Traverse's light tap, and her
plump, rosy face assumed an express
ion of commis2ration and sympathy.
"Ah, mein Herr. so sorry No let
ters to-day-though," she added, cheer
fully, in her broken English, on which
she pridtd herself. "Likely there will
t5comes much letters one day, to-mor-
row, and then the Herr shall rejoice to
his full contentment to hear from his
home
Over her shoulder / saw that she
had decorated her little sitting-ro0m
with flowers and evergreens.
"You are expecting company, Frau
Hansing?'
"Ah, yes, mein Herr; but it is only
my little Bertha-my daughter, who
is companion to Madame Estorf. A
nice. dear little girl, and my only
one"
And the old lady's eyes shone with
pride and delight as she thus spoke of
her daughter:
"She is with madame, who is now
at Rudcsheim, IN visit; and, its Icing
so near, madame has kindly consented
to her coming to us for one week. She
is very clever AMI pretty, is my little
Bertha, though it is l who say it, for,
was she not brought up by madame,
and in great part with madame's own
granddaughter, the Fraulein Estorf?
1t was very kind of them to treat my
little Bertha so well; but. then, l my
self was nurse to the poor little grand
daughter when her own mother died.
Well, she is a great heiress now, as the
Herr knows"
1t was true that my Cousin Julia, in
describing the family in which she was
now STAYING, had more than once al
luded to this Fraulein Estorf. She
was granddaughter of the old madame
of the same name, and was the real
owner of the estate on which they re-
sided near Bonn, with the handsome
chateau and the valuable vineyards
adjoining. Beyond this, | knew moth
ing of the Fraulein Estorf; though the
probability was that l might some
time meet her, as in this our summers
holiday-trip Traverse and l were
slowly making our way up the Rhine
toward Bonn-which was, in fact, the
objective point of my travels; for |
must let the reader into the secret of
my engagement to my fair English
cousin, Julia.
That evening, returning rather late
from our al fresco tea, we observed
Frau Hansings door half open, and
the tall, graceful figure of young girl
standing under the hanging-lamp read
ing a letter.
"That must he Bertha" said Ira
verge his artists eve instantly attract
cd. LET us see what she is like"
ANY letters yet, Frau Hansing?"
he inquired, peering into the room; and
the girl turned around quickly, dis
playing a lovely, piquant, brunette
face, with dark eyes and delicate
cherry-red lips.
"Frau Hansing is out" she said,
modestly.
al beg your pardon. You are the
Fraulein Bertha?" said Traverse, re-
solved, as it seemed, to make her ac-
quaintance, and at the same time lift
ing his lat with graceful courtesy.
"Yes," she answered, with some sur
prise and also certain reserve.
"Excus, me; but | knew you were
expected. And since the Frau Han
sing is absent, will the Fraulein be
good enough to give me my letters, If
there are any?"
| had passed mp the stairs, and 1t was
fully five minutes before my friend
Joined me.
"What charming little creature is
our landlady's daughter" he said, quite
enthusiastically. "Such lovely features,
and so much expressionl Aud then