Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-12-18
GRETTY'S TRUST.
A Romance Of the Swiss Mountains

Romance of the Swiss Mountains
Old Van Hansen sat on stone about
halfway up the Gulderhorn. Fan
above and on each side of him rose the
eternal hills, their ice-clad peaks at the
present moment rosy pink with the
suns parting rays. But up from the
Sreen-valleyS gray-blue shadows were
creeping, and driving the pink away.
Far beneath him were hills and val
leys, village and lake, and stream
let meandering through a dark pine
wood. Very beautiful, all of it. But
its beauty was entirely lost upon Won
Hansen, as he sat there on his stone
thinking aloud, after the manner of
solitary men who are well up in years.
he cared no more for the scenery than
sid any of those bats that, like birds
OF evil omen, went sweeping past him
and past him, and round and round his
head.
Virtue always triumphant" he was
saying ''Pah! mere sentiment, mere
moonshine.
The fact is, Won Hausm had been to
the play in the village down yonder
only the evening before. He had spent
no less sum than twenty BATON on
those strolling actors. Not for any
pleasure it was likely to give him had
he gone, but Gretty, the prettiest girl
in all the village, had asked him to take
her. She could not 90 alone, she said,
and Rudolf would hardly return from
misunderstanding for days to come.
Virtue always triumphant! Yes,
that is what she said. Pah! moncy is.
Ha! ha! And l have that. O, my
worthy but poverty-struck friend Ru-
dolf, you may return when you please;
Gretty will marry Won Hansen. Old?
Eth? Who calls me oldP'
He took snuff as he spoke from an
old horn, sending the powder home
with his tinger-point, and it must be
confessed he looked anything but
handsome as he did so, for he wrinkled
his brows and twinkled his eyes, and
leered like an aged baboon.
odd? Let me see; seventy last
birthday. Merely in my prime. lon
years more, and I'll be only eighty;
twenty, and I'll be but ninety; then J
may grow old. Eagles renew Their
ages. Why shouldn't - aha' he.
screamed, 'yonder is an eagle"
He started up as he spoke, and with
eyes turned skywards and finger point
ing up began tottering forward stepby
step towards-destructi a precl-'
pice fully five hundred feet deep lay at
his feet; he was on the brink of 1.-THE
next step would have been his last.
But n rough hand seized him by the
coat-collar, pulling it up till his head
sank within, like monks in his cowl,
but dragging the old man back at the
same time.
Tired of Your sinful life, old birdP'
said the newcomer, rough but good
natured chamois-hunter, with gun In
hand and bag on back, a morsel OF
feather stuck jauntily in his hat, just
to show the village maidens, he used
to say, that Bernezell was still bach
elor.
"Old bird!" growled Won Hansen, re-.
seating himself on his stone. ''Who
are you calling an old birdP You're as
bad as any one else. Humphr'
''Well, say" said Bernezell. "this
is gratitude! What are you going to
give me for saving your neck, eh9"
"Neckp What? o, yes, to be sure.
Wen go down to the village, and I'll
pay for pot of lager"
"A pot of lager!" cried the other,
laughing. as that all the value you
put upon your-ha! ha! ha!'
"Value l put upon my ha-ha-ha!
What dye mean? You're uncommonly
like fool!''
"Well, well, perhaps am; but say
friend, you're in fine temper tonight
ANY one been yeXinp yOup'
The old man grew all smiles and
lcers in moment. His face lighted up
like withered melon with the after
noon sun on it.
moi" he chuckled, taking another
pinch and digging his friend in the ribs.
"On-the contrary. Was at the play
last night with Gretty. Ha! ha! Hol
no! She doesn't mourn long for her
hunter. And look here; she's going to
marry me.
"Marry you" -,
CAV, She promised-that is, she will
promise when | ask her. But now
come along down and have the lager.
Keep your hands to yourself. Do you
think j want your assistance to get
upp" 49,,
al being thousand pardons, old hi
mean you merry young goose, you!
Here, say. hold on; don't leave me
behind. Why, you go bounding along
like a young stag"
Young on the legs, ehP.
II should think You are.
They were seated very shortly in the
village tavern. They hadn't taken long
to go down hill.
"And now" said Won Hansen, I'm
going 10 unfold my plans: But here,
let us have another pint. =.
"What can the old heron mean,
muttered Bernezell to himself, "by
such reckless liberality. Something In
the wind, / know. The gray hawk
doesn't whistle till he is just going to
swoop."