New Ulm weekly review., 1886-03-24

her greatest delight was to tease and
torment her admirers whenever she
had the opportunity. | often used
to scold her for it; for, being her most
intimate friend, | acted as confessor,
and she always honestly told me her
misdeeds. Sometimes, we got really
angry with one another after a ball or
| picnic, when her list stofconfessions was
unusually long. But where was the
use? She knew that could not help
'forgiving' her, as she said, directly she
asked me, little fondling puss that she
was; and she knew, too, that all young
men she had fooled and tormented
would be at her feet again directly
You know that song:
81 know q maiden fair to see.
| Take care!
| She can both false and friendly be-!
"And it goes on:
She has two eyes so soft and brown:
! Take care!
She gives a side glance and looks down.
! Take care!
Trust her not, she's fooling thee
"Well, child: that was Lore all over;
just as if it had been written for her.
But you mustn't think badly of her,
| for all that. She was dear, sweet
little thing; and in spite OF all her fol-
lies, she had a good, honest heart AS
l said, she was universally admired;
and so it seemed strange that young
Dernau, the merchant, who was a
next-door neighbor of hers, should be
SO stiff and cold, and take no notice
at al of her. Sometimes l twitted
her with the fact that he had never
once danced with her, and was quite
insensible to her charms. That al
ways made her angry, and she would
pout her rosy lips and say:
Pm sure [ don't want him, Chris
tel; he's a bear?'
"Well, you know, bad times came
for poor Germany. The French con-
quered us, and the King and our beau
tiful Queen Louisa had to fly with
their children; and it seemed as if we
should all become French subjects.
| 1t was q bad time for us in our little
town, for the authorities favored the
enemy, and we were disturbed by
sounds OF fighting all round us. All, it
was terribly sad! for all prosperity was
at an end, and we spent our days in
misery and anxiety. Poor Lorchen
had, too, a special trouble Of her own,
for accounts of the wild doings OF the
French reached us from all sides, and
it was said that they had a very
ough-and-ready way OF counting, for
if a German girl took their fancy they
just sent their soldiers to carry her off,
and then took her away with them to
the war. Wewere constantly hearing of
deeds OF violence and robbery, and the
laws, being administered either by the
French or their adherents afforded us
no redress or protection whatever
What could we do? People hid their
valuables as far as they could in hol.
low trees, behind walls, or in the
ground, and whenever any Frenchmen
were known to be in heneighborhood
they hid their wives and daughters as
we'll. Poor Lorchen had the hardest
time OF ALL for her mother was so
nervous that she was always seeing
danger, and she insisted on the poor
girls spending the greater part OF the
day down in the cellar, and many an
afternoon l spent there, too, keeping
her company.
"'Look, said /, on one Of these oc-
casions, you can see straight into
Neighbor Dernau's garden, through
this little window
"But Lorchen blushed and turned
her head without answering. One
Whitsun Eve, a lovely May day, just
like to-day, a number of the enenly's
troops passed through the town, and
OF course Lore had to sit in the cellar
and get through the time as best she
might. AS soon as the terrible
"Parlevouhs" as we called them, had
all gone through and out OF the town
gate, the captive was let out, and
what must the silly girl do but 60 to
the sitting-room window and lean out
Aftec being in prison SO long, she
enjoyed the sweet spring air doubly,
and it amused her to watch what was
going on in the street. But misfortune
never slumbers; and, as it fell out, a
young French officer came past lead
ing his horse by the bride, and look
ing for a blacksmith, as the animal
had cast a shoe. He had no sooner
caught sight Of the lovely little head
among the roses which clustered
round the window, than he threw the
reins to a boy and dashed up the
steps like madman. 1t did not take
him a minute, but Lore was as quick
as he, and had slipped back into her
hidingplace. Still, where was the use
OF that, when the Frenchman had
seen her and was bent upon finding
her?
81 want to see the pretty demoi-
selle," I" he cried in his broken German,
and he insisted on searching all the
rooms in the house, then the garrets,
and finally the cellar! It was useless
to say him nay, for he was master OF
the situation, and Lorchen's poor
mother followed him down the cellar
stairs trembling.
But, wonder OF all wonders, the nest
was empty, the bird had flown! Find
ing, therefore, that his search was
vain, the young officer flew into rage,
and snatching up little ivory minia-
I t,1ro nf ,Oro dacho1 ont pf 10 bn,co