The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-09-15
FOUR LIVES IN ONE,
ALVEY II. Adee in The Argonaut.I

we'll To tho lazy nature OF Ronald Wyde So,
having run down there to spend q day or
two among the students and the mines, and
taking a liking to the quaint, unmodernized
town, he bodily changed his plans of au-
tumn travel, gave up a cherished scheme of
Russian vaSabonlage; had his baggage sent
from Dire alen, aud made ready to settle
down and browse away three or four months
i'm idleness AMI not cr-arluoui study. Aud
this move of his lei to the happening of
very strange AMI seemingly unreal event in
his lif'
Rnnal Wyde was then - or II years old,
rather above tine medium height with thick
blue black hair that he had artist trick
of allowing 10 ripple down to his neck, dark
hazel eyes that were almost too deeply re-
ce5 ed in their bony orbit an trouble
some growth OF beard that 81 so-shav As
he always wa. showed in strong blu, out
line through the thin and rather sallow skim
His adlre was singularly pleasing, AMI his
wide experience of life, Taught him by years
of varied travel, made him a good deal Of Il
cosmopolitan i'll his views AMI ways, which
caused him to be looked upon as not over
safe companion for young men Of his own
age under.
Having made up his mind to winter in
FraiItcrS, his first step was to quit the little
hotel. with its moldy stone-vaulted entrance
and its counlned dining room, under whose
full centred arches clO-e, berry, and smoky
fumes fingered persistently, ana seek quieter
student lodgings iii the heart OF the town.
His choice was mainly influenced by thin
raile balcony, twineI through and through
b. the shoots of vigorous Virginia
cr,eper that ilamad and fickered in tho
b-tezy October sunsets i'll strong relief
against the curtains that drifted whitley out
ami in throu gh tho open window. SO, with
the steady going and halo old Frau Spritz-
krapfen he took up his quarters, fully per
suading him ELF that hs dill for the sake
of the stray Eome-t .aths that seemed to
stir the scarlet vine leaves more gently for
him, AMI iguorinG Lottchon's great, earnest
Saxon eyes ~ hest $50 could.
A sunny moraing found bis removal to
Frau Spitz&rapfen's tidy home. There
had been a slight rain in tho early night,
AMI the footways were yet bright an.
moist in patches that tho siantns morning.
rays were slowly coaxng away. f;Onall
Wyde, having set his favorito books hand
lily on tho dimly -draped table, which COM
prise for him tho process of getting to
rights, ana having given more than ono
glance of amused wOnderment at the naive
blue-and white scriptural tiles that cised his
cumbroui four-stpry, earthenware stove
and smiled lazily at poor Adams obvious
and sudden indigestion, even while the I'M
eaten half-app!e remained i'll his guilty
hand, he stepped out on his balcony, leanel
his elbows among tho crimson leaves, and
took in the heathful morning air
in great draughtS. 1t was a Sunday;
the bells of the gray minister harl
by itcrGting their changing calls to
the simple townsfolll to come and be droned
to in sleepy German Gutturals from tho
carved plar-hung pulpit inside. Looking
down he saw thick-anklad women cluttorng
past in Iocse, wooicn-soled Shoes and
dumpy girls with tow braids primIy dang
ling to tier hips, conveying sturdy Dutch
built luggers Of younger brothers up the
casy SLOPE that led to tho church AMI tho
bells. Presently Frau Spritz!>rapfen and
dainty Iottschen, rosy with soap and healtb,
slipped through tho doorway beneath him
out into the little church bound throng,
and they disappeared left the house am
street somehow maccountably alone. Feel
ing this, Ronall Wyde determined on a
stroll.
Something in the Sabbath stiffness around
him led Ronald away from the swift clang
and throbbing hum of tho bolS and in the
direction of the Old cometery. Passing
through the clumsy tower-gate that lifts it's
grimy bulk sul!enly, like huge head-stone
the grave of u dead timo of feudalism
no reached tho battle-ground and entered
the quiet enclosure. The usual touching
reverence nf tho Germans for their dead
was strik.ngly manifest around him. Tho
humble mounds, walled up with rough
stones a foot two above the path way
level carried ON their crests little gardens
of gay and inexpensive plants; whlo t'~s
tall wooden crosses at their head hung yell
low wreaths, half hiding the hopeful legend,
Wieder ehcn.' The moro pretentiOuS slabs
bore vases fill.l with fresh flowers: while i'll
the CRATE barrai vaults that skrted the
grouad like tn, arches of cloister, lay
rusty heaps of Ion s-sncs molderel bloom
topped by newer wreathS tossed lovingly in
tn wilt and turn t. dust in their turn, like
those cast in b3fore them in memory of that
other iu >Ioep below.
TurninF AS 10 from the central walk that
halvel III. Gem atery, Ronald stroled along,
his han,is in his pockets, his eyes listlessly
liked on the oraDge-colOred fumes and roll
ing smoke that wellel out of tall chimneys
in the hollow beyond, an lille student tune
humming on his lips, and his thoughts
where and everywhere at once. Happening
To looi; away from the dun smoke trail for
an instant no found something of greater
intero,t Go at hand An ell man stopped
stitlly over u simple mound, busted among
the flowers that hid it, and by his side
crouched young girl. perhaps Ii years old,
who reered up at Ronald with questioning
veivet brown eyes Tho old man heard tho
intruler's steps crunchins in the damp
gravel, AMI slowly looked up too.
"Good morning, mein Herr said Ronald.
pleasantly.
The oil man remained for an Instant
blinking narvously, apd shading his ewes
from the full sunlight that fell ON his face
"A quiet face it wa, and very old, scanned
AMI creased by may wrinkles that PLAYED
ut ain!ess cruss-purposo; with zach other
beSinns and ending nowhere His thick
learl AMI thin, curve | nose booked Just a
little jewish. ana scanned ut variance with
Els pala blue eyes that Nero still bright in
spite ~ e. And yet, hear,lc1 a, lie was
there was II luriin ( EXPIRE sion about his
features that b1rlerei upon eiiieminalcy
AM made the trollc Of his voice sound even
more thin and wonani;lI ~ Ee answered
Wy!e's greeting.
Good morning, too, mein Herr. A
stranger to our town, see