The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1886-07-24

and ner greatest QoilRnt was 10 tease dn(
torment her admirers whepever she had tn,
opportunity. / often used to scold her fol
it; for, being her most intimate friend,
| acted as confessor, and she always honestly
| told me her misdeeds. Sometimes, we go
really angry with one another after bal
| or picnic, when her list OF confession.
was unusually long. But where was the
usei She knew that could not help for
giving her, as she said, directly she asked
me, little fondling puss that she was; anC
she knew, too, that all young men she had
fooled and tormented would be at her feet
again directly. You know that song:
i know q maiden fair to see.
Take carei
She can both false and friendly bep
"And'it goes on:
She has two eyes so soft and brown.
Take care!
She gives q side-glance and looks down.
Take care!
Trust her not, she's fooling theep
"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 follies, she had good,
honest heart. As l said, she was univer-
sally 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
all of her. Sometimes twitted her with
the fact that he had never once danced
with her, and was quite insensible to her
charms. That always made her angry,
and she would pout her rosy lips and say !
"Tm sure don't want him, Christel;
he's bearl"
"Well, you know, bad times came for
poor Germany. The French conquered us,
and the King and our beautiful Queen Lou
lisa had to fly with their children; and it
seemed as il we should all become French
subjects. 1t was bad time for us in our
little town, for the authorities favored the
OF lighting all around us. All, it was terri
bly,. sad for all prosperity was at an end,
and we spent our days in misery and
anxiety. Poor Lorchen had, too,
special trouble of her own, for ac-
counts of the wild doings of the
French reached us from all sides, and it
ready way Of counting, for il German
girl took their fancy they just sent their
soldiers to carry her OFF and then took her
away with them to the war. We were
constantly hearing of deeds of violence
and robbery, and the laws, being admins
tered either by the French or their adher-
ents, afforded us no redress or protection
whatever. What could we dot 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 the neighborhood, they hid their
wives and daughters as well. 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 I
spent there, too, keeping her company.
Look said /, on one of these occasions,
you can see straight into Neighbor Der
nau's garden through this little window
m I.np I'D
head without answering One Whitsun
Eve, lovely May day, just like to-day,
number OF the enemy'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
FAIRGROUNDS 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 go to the sitting-room win
dow and lean out. After 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, young
French officer came past leading his horse
by the bride, and looking for 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 boy and dashed up the steps like
but Lore was as quick as he and had slipped
back into her hiding place. Still, where
was the use OF that when the Freedman
had seen her and was bent upon finding
her!
II want to see the pretty demoiselle," he |
upon searching first all the rooms in the |
house, then the garrets, and finally the Gel |
lar! 1t 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.
Empty; the bird had flown! Finding, |
therefore, that his search was vain, the |
7oung officer flew into a rage, and, snatch; |
ng up little ivory miniature of Lore,
dashed out of the house, vowing that he |
would come back next with q whole squad
on and stay till the girl was found. As
Don as he was gone, Lore's mother sank
lown in a chair and burst into tears, feel
ng utterly bewildered and altogether at
Ter wits end, But she had not wept long
vhen her neighbor, young Dernau, made |
us appearance, and, to her extreme sur
rise, asked her with all due form and GER
mony to accept him as a sutton for her
daughters hand.
'Ach' cried the poor woman, Lorchen
> gone-clean gone; she is not in her hid
ng place; and IL could find her to-day,
where's the use, when tomorrow that
french villain is coming to carry her off
I'M poor, miserable, helpless woman
What can do? 0, this dreadful warp
But the young man only laughed in an
embarrassed sort of way, and then said:
Only trust me, mother il l may call
'ou so, and depend upon it l shall be able
o take good care of Lorchen when once l
ave the right. In the cellar she is how
yer, at the present moment, though not in
roursr
$50 saying, he led the astonished dame
INTO his house and down ever SO manystairs,
md there sure enough was the captive is
us cellar, doubly a captive now, and lit
lie shamefaced and fearful, but still look
ng very happy as she fell on her mothers
leck, and begged her to give her and Karl
er blessing. And SO it came to pass that
hey were betrothed in the cellar, and i'm
nediately after all sorts of mysterious prep
rations were made in both houses, and at
asst the good pastor himself was called in to
i've his advice At eleven o'clock that same
light there was enacted one of the stran-
est scenes which our peaceful, sober-going
title town ever witnessed; for a young
ouple were married in the darkness, in the
Id chapel outside the Martini gate. and
0u may imagine NV utter amazament at