Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1885-05-09

4 of the crevasse, where, had he not
been found by Frank de Vaud, he
would certainly have persisted before
morning, and became food for the
eagles.
In three hours time Frank was
\ back with assistance, and Poddlesby
was safe, but more dead than alive.
He was then carried to the nearest
chalet the gcatherd's, where pretty
Johanna lived, m o.....4 .w,.a
r AFll be as fresh as daisy tormor-
row. said little Poddlesby as they
put him to bed
But he was not so. He was down
with fever, and for weeks he lay
'twixt death and life. When at last
he became convalescent, nothing could
exceed the kindness of Johanna's par
ents to him, nor, indeed, of Johanna
herself.
But of course I shall pay them
well for it." said Poddlesby to him
self.
But was this gratitude, reader? /
trow not
! Poddlesby was somewhat surprised
when, on bidding his host and hostess
| goodbye, the crisp bank-note he tried
to slip into the hand of the latter was
firmly but respectfully declined.
They HAD only done their duty,
said this honest couple; if they de-
iserved any reward at all, it would
come from Heaven
| WELL said Poddleby to himself
that evening, when he found himself
| snug in his hotel, in the town down
in the valley, 4 don'tfeel overstrong !;
I'll stop here few months and fish,
and do the civil to that charming
! johanna. "A sweet child she really
is, and / cant do less after all their
kindnesses. III take her everywhere
and show her everything. She is
| too good for that lout of q Frank.
I'm not sure that ! WON'T marry her
myself
Have You ever seen tiny cloud,
reader, rising overthe sea, or over.
the hills in a mountainous land? Up
and up into the blue sky, getting
bigger and wider and darker every
minute, till at length the storm
breaks and the thunder roars, and
all is chaos and destruction. Just
such little cloud began to rise be-
tween Frank de Vaud and Johanna
the very day that Poddlesby com
menced paying attention to our inno-
cent Swiss maiden. He brought q
| gift of rare fruit, more luscious than
any which Johanna or her parents
had ever eaten before. 1t must have
| cost golden giulders. She couldn't
offend by refusing to accept it.
| This was the thin edge OF the
wedge. After this Poddlesby asked
Johanna's parents-and he asked so
prettily--if she might be his guide
among the hills now and then he
was studying botany, he said. Old
fraud that he was he did not know a
fr-cone from hazle catkin!
I have now come to the disagreed
BILE portion Of my little tale, and will
hasten over it. Poddlesby made
himself very great favorite with
Johannes parents, and they always
thought their child safe when with
him. Meanwhile the cloud grew and
grew 'twixt Frank de Vaud and his
bethrothed, for he was jealous Of the
insinuating Saxon, and at last the
storm burst, and-the lovers quar-
relied and parted.
Frank spent most of his time
among the mountains now. He
loved that somewhat ancient gun Of
his more than ever. But Frank sell
dom sang. The joy and the happi-
ness seemed clean gone away from
his big heart forever and day.
He gave the little chalet, at which
he had spent SO many pleasant
} evening, a very wide birth indeed.
L I 4