The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-03-25

mony was over helped the sobbing
bride to take of her wreath of myrtle
and put on very large hood, which
was part OF tho peasants costume,
such as used to be worn about here,
which she was going to wear as dis
guise. The poor mother was speech
less with grief, and seemed quite dazed
at the prospect Of losing her beloved
daughter.
meantime Karl Dernau, who had
also dressed himself like q peasant,
had brought poor, miserable, one
horsed covered cart to the door of the
chapel, and, after the most heart
rending leave-takings, Lorchen was
lifted in, weeping bitterly. The night
had grown pitch-black by this time;
the lightning flashed and the thunder
rolled in the distance; but under cover
of the darkness, the pair safely effected
their escape across the neighboring
frontier, to where the French had not
yet gained footing, Lorchen passing
for sick peasant-girl who was being
taken to some famous, wonder-work-
ing doctor. AS Karl Dernau drove off
on his strange wedding journey he
looked so brave, and tender, and SELF
reliant that we who were left behind
felt comfortable assurance that our
little bird would be safely hidden in her
nest with him for her protector. Two
years passed, and in the meantime l
had been married in a regular, or
binary way, in broad daylight,
with bridesmaids and wedding
breakfast, and without any Of
the rather uncalmy romance which
had attended Lorchen's wedding.
Still, who knows whether the
mere fact of our having taken part to-
gether in this romantic affair did not
lead to our own marriage? Be this as
it may, it is quite certain that the
next time Fritz Berger and found
ourselves inside the little chapel, it
was for our own wedding.
CATER a time things went better in
the town, and as the French were less
favored by those in authority, it was
thought safe for the fugitives to
come cack; and, as by the death OF
his father, Karl had become the owner
OF the house Lorchen's parents had
rented-the very house we are in to-
day-they came and settled here, and
her mother with them, and all lived
happily together. How happy we
were to be together again! and the
very first time we had quiet hour,
Lorchen told me the story of her be-
trothal, which l had never properly
understood till then.
"'You see, Christel, said she, you
and ! were very intimate, and you did
know all my secrets-almost; but you
did not know that I had cared for
Karl for long time past. was
ashamed to confess it either to you or
myself. But when he came to the eel
lar window that dreadful day, just
when was in the or eatest danger, and
drove it in-I was too dazed to dare
to open it myself-and when he lifted
me up, and before we'll knew where l
was, took me into the cellar OF his
own house, we'll, then Iknew / did care
then he sat down by me and quietly
took hold Of my hand, and when Twas
able to speak thanked him and beg
ged his pardon for having made such
fun of him before. You can guess
what followed. Our betl othal was
not very romantic, Christel, for we
sat upon an old sugar chest, and my
dress was torn and dusty, and the air
of the cellar was dank and musty.
But what did we carefor that? There
were roses all round us, and we were
in Elysium: and as for the romance,
| we had enough before the day was out
to last q whole lifetime
'This was Lorchen;s confession,
and we both thanked Heaven for max
ing us so happy and bringing us to-
gether again. We were happy, indeed,
and this helped us to bear our daily
cares, for we were still in a great deal
of trouble and anxiety, and the clouds
hung thick and black over the politi-
cal sky. There were no christening
feasts when our little ones were bap-
tized, and, in spite of our real happi-
ness, good many tears fell on the
little heads. But at last there was a
q change! Suddenly it was as if a
fresh wind had begun to blow. No
one knew whence it had come, but it
was there, and we all felt invigorated
by it. Lore and I, too, soon noticed
that there vas a great deal going on
behind the scenes, which gave us
plenty OF food for wonder and con-
lecture. Wagoners, who did not look
at all like wagOners, were constantly
bringing heavy loads Of merchandise
to Karl, and my Fritz, who was
a lawyer, and nothing naturally
to do with such matters, was al
| ways present at the unloading, and
helped to carry the goods into the Gel
| lar as soon as it was dusk. 1t was
quite clear that there was some secret
which our husbands were keeping from
us, and after bearing it patiently for
little while we determined to put an
end to such an unnatural state OF
things.
"Well, we found it all out, and
learned that Karl and Fritz were
members of a secret league which had
branches everywhere throughout Ger
| many, and was formed to deliver the
Fatherland from her foreign masters.
| The "wagoners" were members and
the goods they bought were arms,
which they stored in the cellar; and
there, in what had been Lorchen's
prison, the confederates held their
meetings. On these occasions, now
that we knew what was going on, we
used to do our part by lighting up the
chandeliers in the drawing-room,
clinking glasses together and carrying
wine bottles and dishes to and fro, to
divert the attention from what was
going on down below, and to throw
dust in peoples eyes.
GAS soon as ever our good king is
sued his appeal ito my people, we saw
the result of all these secret prepara-
tions. The enthusiasm was tremen-
dous, and every German heart was all
aglow. Oh, child, it was a grand time
and shall never forget the day when
the pastor read out the kings procla-
nation IN the market-place-and there
was not room for the crowd in the
church-and called on all the men to
come forward and take part in q holy
war to expel the enemy. There never
was such excitement before or since!
Friends and acquaintance embraced
| Nra on~4lo, oo1 kko v~noc% \: