The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-02-13
GUSTAVE'S PATIENCE.

Approaching Tue mcicueflkuT heoiu tA'o
sound OF kiss, that, If not so loud as that
of some cannon, had at least an echo, and
was by far the noisiest one i ever heard. The
parties who set it off leaned against the wall
where one can stand and look down upon
Heidelberg. She was pretty girl of per-
haps ~; he man of 40 years, short, stout,
and red and Jolly of face. Her name was
Christina, his Gustave; so | learned from
their talk when they were seated near me
in tho famous little inn. Finally becoming
confidential under the genial influence Of
Rudesheimer, be leaned back with jovial
blush and asked me in German:
"You sawusP
II heard you"
Gustave roared with laughter. Christina
hid her face with napkin.
al kissed her, said he, "because at that
spot one year ago she called me fool"
"Gustavew murmured Christina
ZACH gott You did Can forget it"
Then to prove that he could not, and in
order, as he said, that | might carry away
no false impression of their conduct, he told
me the following seasonable story:
-Four summers ago Gustave was idly turn
ing over the pages of Heine's poems in the
salon of the Hotel du Mont Blanc at Cham
onix, when suddenly there fell into his hand
pressed crisp bunch of Alpine flowers.
They were fastened to sheet of white pa
per, on which were written these words:
CHRISTINA, RAUTH, HEIDELBERG.
Now Gustave was too old and tough to be
lackadaisical; but nevertheless time and a
strict attention TO his lucrative business Of
brewing beer had not succeeded in utterly
crushing out all sentiment from his soul. So
he carefully placed the little souvenir in his
pocket book and smiled. The outcome OF
this smile was a visit the subsequent autumn,
when Gustave had business in Heidelberg,
10 the house Of Christmas father, an estim-
able old professor at the university.
When the young lady and her mother en-
tered the room Gustave was dazzled. On
her side Christina wondered AT the appear
ance of the fat little Sinking German, I'M
til presently he was able to deliver himself
of the Alpine flowers and these memorable
words:
"Fair Christina, it will always do me great
sorrow that am too stout to climb for
edelweiss'
Poor Gustave instantly repented these
words, for he thought it was due TO them
that Christina, bursting into tears, fled like
ray of sunshine from the room, leaving it
to him all dark and GLOOMY, But the mother
opened his eyes.
Christina she said, sis wildly in love
with diSsipated impecunious artist whom
she met in the Alps, and who gathered for
her those Alpine roses and sprays of edel-
weiss that you found in the book The pro-
fessor and | hope TO wean her away from
him, but it seems from this reminder that
she still thinks of the artist" Gustave left
the house like a drunken man, for he left his
heart behind him.
Then came months of such persistent de-
votion as would have moved heart of
stone: but unluckily Christina had no heart
to move. The artist had it,
"Don't despair encouraged the professor.
But Gustave had no thought of despairing
1t was not by such weakness that he had es-
tablished his profitable brewery He knew
too well the efficiency of unhagging effort,
Finally there came day, when by the
friendly cooperation of tho mother, he was
given private interview with Christina
Beautiful Christina, he said point-blank,
"will you be my wifef
She looked at him with scorn
"Your wife," she cried "Neverl until l
have rs many years and as much fat"
Gustave pondered long time over her
words. Unfortunately he knew of nothing
that would reduce his age; but he cheerfully
began course of diet and exercise in the
hope of diminishing his weight His efforts,
however, were unavailng He daily grew
more red and round Meanwhile his con-
stancy 10 Christina never wavered. The
professor, who taught philosophy in the
university, was charmed He wrote to
Herbert Spencer, citing Gustave as a re
markable instance of the persistence OF
force"
And now Gustave tried to subiugate
Christina by strikingly original scheme
Regularly, ON the first day of each month,
he renewed to her his offer of marriage.
This business-like method exasperated her
exceedingly, and she came to regard him as
mild kind of maniac.
(Which, said Gustave Il was" He pro-
posed to her every time he saw her and lis
patched mnumerabe letters, all of which
contained but one sentiment, on which be
rang different changes
"Fair Christina, be my wife
At length, one autumn day last year, he
1IEAR e Nl.aaU l-0 at.-.l IL.
80 80 a. t.'' Pr r. noIe " mn on .I,,
,'"" ~ u "ei ne iio'nei 'iieny 'oiu
INN 'ie AUS psirag aPh III lne ihorh'
is P"pei "'',i 1i'''iiisu IN iS'iiia a''"h'
MN ~ SIMPLY ie,''uuo 'ue ues''n vi hei
oe'''eu d'Se. az "uiiicn from urlhB
anu eeheia uiNnipa''oh WIN All altr'
pusiiiess eye uusCa'e Sd" hls chahce. ro'
Two iohg weeks MS was aoseh'-at Mnhicn.
ineh came news Oh wnae ne was domg
snipy giving 'ne uead ar'iSt uecenI ouriA
anu car,is ior 'ie ageu niotner; "heh ne
io.uine1 ne u'l'niea Cni is'iia WIN tr,uinph
ai. .e,,''e' i'' Z" 'u'e'o 'e SCI iou"u VIII lii
"oI uei'es'
MY edeiweiss, SAID he
Aiter mat christina tolerated him Bu'
one gay "heh .hey were waking 10 the
mo"nehKur ne drew her 10 the wall and
asked her Tor the hrst time since the artist
death 10 be his wife
gu are 1901, said Christina peeVlhiy
inis happened one year ago exactly on tn'
spot where heard That NOISY KISS.
FOR the frst time IN his life Gustave be
came respondent He left Heidelberg feel