The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-05-21
self, and explained the pictures loud

enough for all creation to overhear,
while ] was anxious they should sup
pose that l had been familiar with the
masterpieces all my days, and vas on
ly looking at them out OF q sincere APP
probation ofthe beautiful. Pm afraid
| liked better the Doctors method OF
going through a picture-gallery in ten
minutes, and the scientific air with
which he regarded Rembrandt's
School OF Anatomy" in Amsterdam
for two minutes, and remarked, pat
ronizingly. that "the arm and hand
were well laid OPEN" as if Rembrandt
was q pupil in the dissecting-room.
But Mrs. Adams said, 81 ought to be
thankful for such an instructor in art,
and that probably Mr.. Finch was a
nobleman travelling %incognito."
"He lives in q castle in the air, ]
fancy" l said.
But she would go on encouraging his
attentions, and he would go on fol.
lowing us hither and thither. Well, we
were in Germany at Chrlstmas-time,
and WE had a Christmas-tree all TIC
ourselves. The Doctor and | went
out to select it, and it seemed as il
the Black Forest had walked into the
market-places. 1t took a good while
to tind.the right one, and we went out
day after day, till Ladislaw said it
looked as if we were waiting for oneto
grow. However, we had it planted in
our W parlor, and suchlovely things
we coaxed into blossom upon it. It
was the most wonderful tree in the
whole world, when it was FAIRLY in
bloom; hung with cut papers that re.
sembled fine gold chains, dripping with
q delicate dew Of silver, dropping
golden pine cones, grown nfairy-land;
and silver acorns and walnuts, bud
ding with real roses and lilies, migno.
nette and Parma v~iolets, b~lossomins
into gorgeous cornucopias of gorgeous
sweetmeats, and lighted by a hundred
tapers. The Doctor took a keer
pleasure in it, Is if we were two chill
dren. enjoyed it all ofcourse, as if it
were a dream-a poem; but the vision
OF the yelled lady would rise uE
anon, and seemed to ask if | had for.
gotten her, although at times she had
seemed like the baseless fabric OF q
dream. The Doctor and / were extin.
gushing the tapers, after Mrs. Adams
and Ladislaw had gone to t~heirrooms,
when he stoppedhumming the Lorelei,
and said, turning to me, there is q lit
tie flower that Christmas trees some.
times bear, which you have overlook
ed. The reason | was so long in Sc.
Letting the tree was because / wanted
n that was sure to bear this kind OF
blossom" and he held in his palm a
tiny ring box in which a circlet OF
pearls cleaned. Iput out my hand;
Just then the yelled lady seemed to
sweep between us, her long veil almost
%obscuring the Doctors face. "Shall /
put it on your finger, mein Liebling,
for better or worse?" he was asking.
l withdrew my hand. 81 did not
understand" l stammered; lido not
wear rings" And he blew out the
last candle as I left the room.
The Doctor a preparing to leave
at this time, having only agreed to
spend six months with Ladislaw, who
was now restored; but Ladislaw,
knowing nothing of his discontinue,
would have him stay over the New
Year; and, as the custom is in Germa.
ny, we lighted our Christmas tree
again on New Years, and talked over
other dead years, and kept each other
awake till all the chimes OF the old
city pealed midnight with q hundred
mellow tongues; then we opened the
balcony doors, and listened to the
weird music and the voices in the
street calling a Happy New-Year''
from far and near; and presently some
one stopped beneath us, and sang an
Abendlied sweet as the murmuring OF
a little brook among the grasses, ten
der as a lullaby.
"a happy New-Iear, Mr.. Finch ]
cried. Come up and say good-morn.
ing"
Then, as l leaned over the Christ.
mas tree to blow out a candle that
had burned down to theevergreen, and
was making a rich, pungent odor in
the room, the lace shawl had thrown
over my head caught in the flame OF
another candle, and i'll an instant ]
seemed to be standing in the centre OF
u fame. Inever knew exactly what
happened. seem to remember seeing
the Doctors face through that red
mist, and perhaps Mr.. Flnch's, I con.
not besure, and thendarkness. When
| came to myself | was in bed, and the
little Doctor was feeling my pulse; and
l just lifted myself on my elbow to
took in the big mirror opposite, and
then buried my head in the pillow. !
can never repeat all the nice things
the Doctor said just then; how | was
dearer to him than event in my beauty
how no flame was so strong as his
love, or could burn it to ashes.
"And the yelled LADY," / asked, il.
relevantly.
"The yelled LADY," he repeated.
Eyes. Who was she? In the even.
ing at Heidelberg Castle. You must
remember. Don't try to deceive
me-
"Yes"-and the smile was leapine
from every dimple-''yes; the yelled
lady OF Heidelberg Castle was-Mrs.
Adams. your ch~aperon.'
"Yes," said Mrs. Adams afterward
"confess that you thought very little
OF the oma who would walk to the
Schloss with the Doctor alone at that
hour. l had missed you, and we went
in pursuit"
ana MT. flncn been TO ask fOl
me?" I inquired later. "Did he send
me those Jaqueminot roses?"
"Mr. Finch is not at liberty to in,
quire for you just now" answered
Mrs. Adams, "and roses are not ex.
actly in his line. He has thrown Of
his disguise"
"And has he turned out to be 9
cuckoo, Or a nightingale"
'He has turned out to be only q
jail-bird, my dear. He has been ia,
@ forger, that is ALL"
The Bee in Great Abraham's Bon.
net.