The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-03-18
GRETTY'S TRUST.

Agnes FtAAllIN-
GRETTY'S TRUST.
A Romance of the Swiss Mountains.
Old Van Hausen sat on a stone about
halfway up the GUlderhorn. Far
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
green-valleys gray-blue shadows were
creeping. and driving the pink away.
Far beneath him were hills and val
leys, a village and a lake, and stream
let meandering through a dark pine
wood. Very beautiful, all of it. But
its beauty was entirely lost upon Won
Hausen, as he sat there on his stone
thinking aloud. after the manner of
solitary men who are well up in years.
de cared no more for the scenery than
did 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 Hausen had been to
the play in the village down yonder
only the evening before He had spent
no less a 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 go alone, She said,
and Rudolf would hardly return from
misunderstanding for DAYS to come.
Virtue always triumphant Yes.
that is what she said. Pah! money is.
Ha! ha! And | have that. O. nv
worthy but poverty-struck friend Ru-
dolf, you may return when You please:
Gretty will marry Won Hausen. Old?
Eh? Who calls me old?''
He took snuff as he spoke from an
old horn, sending the powder home
with his finger-point, and it must be
confessed he looked ANYTHING but
his brows and twinkled his eyes, and
leered like an aged baboon.
'Old? Let me see; seventy last
birthday. Merely in my prime. Ten
years more, and I'll be only eighty;
twenty, and I'll be but ninety; then |
may grow old. Eagles renew their
ages. Why shouldn't - ahaI' 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 step by
step towards-destructiOn. 4 preci-
pice fully five hundred feet deep lay at
his feet; be was ON the brink of 1.-THE
next step would have been his last.
But a rough hand seized him by the
coat-collar, pulling it up till his head
sank within, like a monk in his cowl,
but dragging the old man Lack at the
same time. g.
Tired of your sinful life, old bird?"
said the newcomer, a 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, tha! Bernezell was still bach
elor.
''Old bird"' growled Won Hausen. re-
seating himself on his stone. ''Who
are you calling an old bird? You're as
bad as any one else. Humph!"
"Well, / say" said Bernezell, "this
is gratitude! What are you going to
give me for saving your neck, eh?'
"Neck? What? o, yes, to be sure.
Wen go down to the village, and I'll
pay for a pot of lager"
"A pot of lagerm cried the other,
laughing. ''Is that all the value you
put upon your-ha! ha! han'
''Value / put upon my ha-ha-ha!
What dye mean? Your uncommonly
like fooli'
"Well, well, perhaps am; but | say,
friend, your re in fine temper tonight.
ANY one been vexing you?"
The old man grew all smiles and
leers in a moment His face lighted up
like withered melon with the after
noon sun on it.
''Nor' he chuckled, taking another
pinch and digging his friend in the cribs.
last night with Gretty Ha, ha, Hoi
ho, She doesn't mourn long for her
hunter. And look here; she's going t.
marry me"
Marry your
''Ay, she promised is, she will
promise when | ask her. But now
come along down and have the lager
Keep your hands to yourself. Do you
think | want your assistance to get
up?"
Il being thousand pardons. old BIZ
l mean you merry young goose, you.
Here, i say, hold on; don't leave me
behind. Why, you 60 bounding along
like young stag"
young on the legs, eh?''
Il 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 Hausen, I'm
going to unfold my plans. But here,
Let US have another pint.
What can the old heron mean, "
muttered Bernezell to himself, '.bv
such reckless liberality. Something in
the wind, know. The gray hawk
doesn't whistle till he is just going to
swoop."
.Well, said Won Hansen. land how
is trade, Ell? Got good bags lately?''
Hardly any luck at all, sighed the
other. I'm stiff with jumping, and l
haven't bagged buck for five days. -
..Wouldn't mind having a spell of
pleasure, dare say?-couple of months
in France, now? Come, come, you're
not drinking. Wen have another
pint Money was made TO spend.
Drink and be merry, you young dog,
you, say"
When quite unfolded. Won Hansen 5
plans were something as follows: Ber-
nezen was to meet Rudolf in the hills,
and prevent his return for couple of
months at least. He was on no ac-
count to come near the village for that
time, nor see Gretty. to whom he was
betrothed. lie .'oid bird, as Barne-
zell called him, was topay all expenses,
but the young man must be kept in
Paris in the midst of gayety, and must
never for moment be allowed to think
| of home. Nor must he write, or wi en-
be did his letters were to be destroyed.
"Suppose," said Bernezel, che miss,
es his foothold among the mountains
| and tumbles in creyasse?'
The old man positively rubbed hi:
hands and cackled with delight.
Capital capitall capital!n was a,
he could say. ..Ha! hal ha! Capital
Virtue is always triumphant in the end
He, het'
| Bernezell smiled in his face as h,
said:
| ..Of all the old sinners that eve
lived
..Eh? eh? What's that9r cried vol