The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-10-10

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then thanking him for the information, took
my hat and stick, and without waiting to reply
70 thu testing remarks of those remaining al
the table, left the place to %saunter, without ain
or object, through the moonlit streets.
How, after long wandering hither and thither,
i finally found myself before the much thought,
OF house in Kurprinzen street, / surely cannot
tell went on the opposite aside of the stree,
and looked at the house standing before me III
the clear moonlight. In the midst of bloom
ing gardens the dainty villa rose, with its an.
tique. yine-coyered and many columned gallery
in front like the enchanted castles in story
books. And the little fay who wandered about
thereins Was she still awake, sheltered be-
hind tho one single window of the gable end,
which was still lighted-grieving, perhaps,
about the unfaithful Paumpwolf? With pity,
scorn nnd-yes, l will confess it-burning 1eal,
ousy IN my heart, l at length turned my stepr
After . rather sleepless and restless night,
and several anxious morning hours l ma de nv
way At the proper time for visiting, 10 Kur-
prinzen street. Now / WAS on the steps. Oh,
the beating of my heart, the almost painful Oh.
precision that came over me! My pulses had not
throbbed SO wildly since long years ago, when
the first volley of musketry whistled round my
ears; In the lonely old family estate of Bar
waldo IN the Mark, the lastfew years had passed
away so quietly and m~onotonously; grave
studies and a practical application of knowledge
gained in early and distant travels had occupied
me so exclusively that the etiquette of the
great world had become strange and unknown
to me- And vet it was not timIdity alone which
caused the blood to fly like lightning through
my veins, which made me remark with almost
tender interest the elegant brass plate with the
name engraved: "yonG erdshof.S Now! Cour-
age! The bell is pulled! l am in for it,
An old servant dressed in livery answered
my ring and on my asking if the master was ut
home, took my card and left me with the con-
ventional 81 will inquirer but soon returned
and opened for me the lofty folding door to the
left Of the entrance. His assurance that the
master would be pleased to see me sounded
very consoling to me.
Within the elegantly furnished salon I found
the general, an old, dignifed gentleman, with
erect military bearing, a martial, but not un-
friendly conntenance and a long, gray beard,
which however was carefully shaved from the
broad chin. After l had expressed to him my
pleasure at being able TO help his daughter IN
her dilemma, and he had thanked me for the
slight aervlce-he seemed to be informed Of
everything and to have expected me somewhat
we passed from the usual forms Of polite
ness to a lively conversation, that extended
over every possible topic. TIL time passed as
II on Wings almost an hour was thus spent in
chatting with the amiable old gentleman, and yet
Fraulein Evcline had not appeared. But when
at parting the general said he hoped to see me
often at his house during my stay in the city, I
could not refrain from pressing his hand in
deep heartfelt gratitude. Not long afterward
received a delicately- written card-decidedly
1 A~uy - iAaho bS-lu AlGi III
Won Gerdshoff did himself the honor to invite
Herr Baron Won Ito dine. must confess
! never received an invitation with similar joy.
What was the excitement and expectation Of
the first court bal, as compared with the impa-
tent throbbing of my heart, with which 1, on
the appointed day, betook myself to the dinner.
A numerous company had already assembled;
many of the persons present were Crown to
me, were indeed friends, SO that l soon found
myself most delightfully."- situated.
And the laI1ghtar of the honses h
There stood Eyeliue with her friend, her
graceful figure moving with bewitching grace
among the guests; for she was obliged to assist
that aged, somewhat conventional-looking lady
IN doing the honors of the house-the Generals
wife had been dead many years-and l could
not help admiring the tact and self possession
with which she, II spite of her youth, so charm
lngly filed her position as hostess. Here she
asked an old gentleman after the health of his
sick spouse; there whispered some pleasant
remark to 3 young lady about her tasteful
toilet, or repelled u too gallant cavalier with a
scornful glance or a saucy answer. With each
and all she knew Just the right tone to take.
She was surrounded by all. Every one fiocked
about her, who, like an apparition out Of a
story book, moved around among those nodded
fashion plates. And yet there lay in her vio-
let eyes, when she believed herself to be unob-
served, q sad expression which did not accord
mouth.
Az length the signal for dinner was given.
Eveline laid the tips of her dainty fingers on
the arm OF q tall blonde cavalier, a cousin of
the family. To my great annoyance my por-
ton was Countess Soundso, on longer in the
first bloom of youth. l must add Ihad secret
~ hoped to see Eyeline,s angelic head at my
side. With a mien which was certainly not
very amiabio | offered the Countess my arm
and led her TO the places designed for us.
Though otherwise a most eetimable lady, she
almost drove mo to despair with her loauacity,
and while she even before soup inquired about
my recent journey in the East and expressed a
desire to hear something about my last rev
work, my glance strayed impatientiy past the
auestioner in 3 vain search for Eveline. l had
not had the opportunity to exchange one word
with her. She had only nodded to me from
across the room, pleasantly and contidinsiy, as
TO an old acquaintance
Pfetty soon l felt a gentle touch on my arm,
and 2 voice only too well emembere asked
shyyly and At the same time saucily:
docs mein Herr no longer recognize his
protege?p
| turned quickly, and yes, there indeed was
Eyeline, who had been sitting next to me for
full five minutes without my having observed
her. My neighbor, the Countess, and Eveline's
escort, the cousin in the Guards, very soon un-
derstood how much they might expect TO be
entertained by Eveline or myself during the
four or five hours passed at the table. How
the time sped and what were the generaltopics
OF conversation We never knew. But / was
entirely happy during the whole time. Not
once didI discover in her eyes that melancholy
dropping which had before made me anxious.
get Panmwolf! To this fond, proud thought I
concentrated all my mind and efforts. With
rapture l noticed how her eyes hung SO earnest-
~ on my lips as | told herof my distant travels
and OF my restless wandering about from one
distant land to another. And when 1 spoke of
my dear solitary Barwalde, with its sombre fir
trees, and its r~ush-grown ponds; of my i'm
mense library and the beautiful grand piano
which l often trusted to the hands of my
oyerseer, just to have some accompanying in
strument to my beloved violoncello; when I
said: Surely, Fraulein Eveline also plays on
the piano, and very much better, too, than my
overseer, a thoughtful smile spread over the
dear, sweet face. She loved music very much,
she replied, and it would give her pleasure to
accompany me some day.
~ hope you will do that at Barwalde," l
cried passionately. She dropped her lids over
her clear violet eyes and a deep blush spread
over her cheek.
Eight days afterward Eveline was my be-
trothed. What did care for all the Paum-
VOLTS in the whole world?
On one OF the very first days Of our engage
ment we met the bethrothed pair, Maier and
Paumwolf, on the street.
sShall we turn back, Evi?" / asked playfullv.
thought could not prevent a slight feeling Of
anxiety from raising in my heart She became
very grave for a moment; then nesting closer
to my side, looked up at me with her limo
ssYou know that hare left all that behind
nae, she said softly.
I pressed her arm more closely to me. ssOh,
Evil my own sweet Evil" l was 30 happy, so
proud that even the bold curiosity with which
Lieutenant Paumwolf stared at US in passing
could not irritate me.
Evellne and I have lived many years al our
quiet old Barwalde, where the sun never
seemed to have risen until Eveline's blonde
head fitted through the house and grounds.
But the happiest hours in our blissfnl life are
those in which we sit confidently together after
the cares and duties of the day are over, and
the tones of the piano and violonceilo mingle
their sounds on the still evening air.