The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-12
ehicle was already rattliuo away.

Vieoh uu'iiiS my h'V ot'coON my p"Vh
without having attracted me particu
larly. ! was riddle to myself; how
ever, made the firm resolve to fud
out tomorrow some particulars about
this new street acquaintance.
A few hours later | sat with mum
Der of pleasant friends in one of the
best restaurants under the lindens
The conversation was lively and cheer
full, and there were many ladies and
gentlemen continually going in and
out.
In the neighborhood of the table at
which we sat and made ourselves mer-
ry was gathered large party, joyous
and gay like ours.
Some young girlish faces before us
having attracted me involuntarily
looked around for my unknown, but
there--yes, certainly there he was next
to the little blonde coquette, with the
seductive little small nose and the
snowy felt hat-the officer of Lutzo-
wer street, the same before whom my
little friend had taken flight, for al
though / had no foundation for the
idea, since we had met many other
men on that street, | could not help
thinking of the large, snowy, hand
some, but utterly blase and insolent
looking lieutenant of infantry in con.
nection with her.
"Who is that pale officer p asked
of my friend Erich.
"Where p
indicated the direction to him
"The one with the black beard, next tc
the little blonde lady"
"He?" said Erich, and laughed
"Why, he is the late betrothed, the
handsome Paumwolf. l thought you
surely must know him
"No, no; but what is the story
about him?" l inquired.
"Well, nothing more than that yon.
der blonde has, with some trouble it
must be admitted, captured him for
life, after he had caused nearly ninety
nine others to dream of the happy fate
For myself I never could have attained
such an elegiac calm, after breaking
off love affair. But he has been un.
fortunate. Young ladies with and
without pedigree, with and without
money bags, bow down to him, after
he has devoted himself to them fol-
half an hour, entirely conquered by his
irresistible destinations. And it is just
the same with the old ones. Many, to
be sure, allege, indeed, that behind
that titanic brow there is nothing but q
cornfield, and that threshed-out one.
While Erich had been speaking my
eyes had wandered away from Paum
wolf His pale face, framed in by
curling black beard and hair, reminded
me, in fact, of the Zens of Otricoli
To me it was in the highest degree re
pugnant.
Enough tears have recently been
flowing from beautiful eyes since his
betrothal with Fraulein Josepha Maier
has appeared in the Gdzette.'
"Maier p involuntarily asked.
eyes, yes" laughed Erich, "simply
Maier with "a d. but passably pretty
and immensely rich, of course. Anc
since Fraulein Josepha does not look
Jewish, Paumwolf can endure that hii
father-in.law in sDe should have for
merly been cloth merchant in Frank
fort on the Main"
The conversation having once turned
on the handsome Paumwolf, 1t did moi
soon leave the subject. On the Other
side of our table the people were whis
pering about him, and one said
at is quite incomprehensible to mt
that he did not rather take the LITTLE
Gerdshof, whom he so recently oourted
The girl is of altogether different stocr
from the Maiers, and she seems to b'
head over ears in love with him"
"Yes, but the money--the money |?
cried another.
"Well, at all events, this one is /;
blonde, too, and very rude one,' re
marked third. An idea suddenl,
seized me.
"Where does Fraulein Gerdsho
live?" asked | Of Erich.
lie looked at me for moment with
out speaking and then laughed aloud
swell, you certainly are amusing
| this evening with your abrupt cues
tons. Besides being called Won Gerd
shof of old Margravite nobility, he
father is pensioned general, bu
where she lives / do not know. d.
you wish to console her for the loss o
Paumwolf, old boy ?"
threw him glance full of rage
A young assessor who sat at our ta5l
and seemed to have heard our dia
logue called out to me; 81 can Civ
you the address, baron-KurprinzeI
street, No. 35."
All that was the very dwelling o
my Unknown. / felt all the BLOOD
rush to my heart then thanking hin
for the information, took my hat anC
stick, and without turning to reply t,
the jesting remarks of those remaining
at the table, left the place to saunter
without aim or object, through thu
moonlit streets.
How, after long wandering hithe
and thither, finally found myself be
fore the much thought of house Kur
prinzen street, l surely cannot tell.
went on the opposite side of the stree
and looked at the house standing be
fore me in the clear moonlight. Ii
the midst of blooming gardens tn
dainty villa rose, with its antique
vine-covered and many columned gal
lery in front, like the enchanted cas-
ties in story books, And the littl
fairy who wandered about therein
Was she still awake, sheltered behinc
the one single window of the gable
end, which was still lighted grievine
perhaps, about the unfaithful Paum
wolf? With pity, scorn and-yes
will confess it-burning jealously il
my heart, | at length turned my step
homeward to my quiet lodging.
After rather sleepless and restles
night, and several anxious mornin,
hours, l made my way at the prope
time for visiting, to Kurprinzen street
Now | was on the steps Oh, tn,
beating of my heart, the almost pain
ful oppression that came over me Ny
pulses had not throbbed so wildl
since long years ago, when the frs
/ ,tallo., Of ..o,..,l -,