The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-11-26

4 out oi his mind. Only the other day
1ihe wanted to help me build the hut
i for the titmouse, and then he must
| also help Charlotte turn the hay,
while all the peasants laugh at him
This is not proper, Christina; but /
DO not dare to speak to him. he is
/ so much above US.
Let him alone" answered Chris.
tina. with alittle milk and honey
this good Zacharias is content He
likes to be with us, it is SO SIMPLE here,
and then he likes to talk to our little
daughter. Who knows but that he
may adopt her, and when he dies she
would be remembered in his WILL"
The forester shrugged his shoulders
His natural sense made him divine
some mystery, but he did not 90 to
| the length of suspecting the folly OF
the old judge. One fine morning he
saw descending the mountain wagon
laden with three barrels of Rikev,r
vine. This was OF all the presents he
mad received the most acceptable to
4eri Forester, for of all things he liked
a glass OF good wine. And when he
had tasted the wine he could not help
| crying out:
'"This good Zacharias is the best
man in the world. Go, Charlotte,a ,and
make for him a bouquet OF the finest
roses and jasmines in the garden. and
when he comes give it to him yourself.
God, what wine! What fre!'
| Zacharias followed close upon the
| heels OF his present, and felt himself
more than repaid by the flowers which
Charlotte hastened to give him, while
the forester said cordially:
You must take supper with us and
taste your wine, Monsieur Sieler. My
wife is right to call you our benefac-
tor"
4 Zacharias seated at the table in the
open air, his fishing pole against the
wall, Charlotte opposite him and the
forester on the right, began to talk
OF his prospects for the culture. Hehad
a pretty fortune, we'll managed. and
| he wanted to buy 200 acres of wood
land on the edge of the valley and
build forester's house on the hillside.
"We shall always be together" said
he to 4eri, "you with me as much as
l with you
Mother Christina came lin in her turn
and devised this thing and that.
Charlotte appeared content and Zach.
arias imagined himself understood by
these worthy people. And he went to
his chamber that night full OF the
most blissful illusions, putting off till
the next day his great declaration,
doubling nothing as to the result. He
held Charlotte's bouquet in his hand,
and when he was alone he iell to kiss
ing it with eausion, weeping like q
child, and murmuring:
"Zacharias, you are going to be the
happiest OF men, and, may it please
God, you will renew your youth in a
little Zacharias or a little Charlotte
who shall dance upon your knees, and
caress you with her rosy little hands.
At this the good man seated himself,
drunk with hope, his elbow on the
window sill, his eyes wide open, and
hearing, as in dream, the frogs croak-
| ing under the moon in the silent val
ley. He had sat there for an hour,
when something like volley of peb-
bles, or of dry peas, ratified against
| the window glass and aroused him
| with a start.
"What is that2" demanded he in a
| low tone, raising the window q little.
Charlotte, Charlotte, it is l." re-
| Piled a tender voice.
Zacharias trembled, and rs he listen
ed with staring eyes, the foliage stirred,
and a young man stepped out into
the moonlight. The old man raised
himself Indignantly, and threw the
window wide open.
Have no fear, Charlotte" said the
new conner, II come to tell you good
news. My father will be here to-mor-
| row to arrange with Yeri Forester
about our wedding" Receiving no
response he asked after minute:
"Where are you, Charlotte?"
II am here" said the old man, turn
ing very pale and looking fxedly at
his rival. And as the Judge began to
speak with raised voice, the youth
said in a loud whisper: "ln the name
OF heaven do not cry out. am not
thief. | am Charlotte's betrothed."
"Yeri Forester never told me any
thing OF this, the wretchp' gasped
Zacharias.
mo, he does not know yet that We are
bethrothed. He said when | asked
his consent that his daughter was too
young; that | must wait. But we
have engaged ourselves anyhow. /
have told my father, and he is coming
tomorrow to see Yer, and, as knew
it would please Charlotte to hear this,
| thought would stop under her win
dow and tell her the news
Thepoor man fell upon a chair MS
into All abyss OF grief, and covered his
face with his hands. How he did suf.
fer. What agonies traversed his soul!
What an awakening from such sweet
hopes!
At the end OF q few minutes Zacha.
rias raised his head and asked:
"How do you call YOURSELF"
Karl 1mant, monsieur"
''What are your circumstances"
My father hopes to obtain for me
his place as forest guard Of Grinder
wald."
Charlotte loves you very much.
does she not?"
"oh, yes, monsieur, we love each
other very much"
"Youne man." said the Judge in a
broken voice, "you do not know the
evil you have done. But go now.
You shall have news from me-"
The young mountaineer did not
wait second invitation; with one
bound he disappeared behind thegreat
trees.
"Poor, poor Zacharias," murmured
the old Judge. Behold thy illusions
flownl' And he went to bed sobbing,
and covering his head with the bed
covers SO as MOTTO be heard
Toward Z O'Clock the next morning
having gained little calm, he descend
ed to the sitting room and found Yeri,
his wife and daughter waiting break
fast for him.
"My friend" said he to the forester.