The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-05-14

self, and explained the pictures loud
enough for all creation to overhear,
while I was anxious they should sup.
pose that had been familiar with the
masterpieces all my days, and was on
ly looking at them out of q sincere ap.
probation of the beautiful. I'm afraid
liked better the Doctors method OF
going through 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 we'll laid open," as if Rembrandt
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" said.
But she would go on encouraginghis
attentions, and he would 60 on fol.
lowing us hither and thither. Well,we
were in Germany at Christmas-t time,
and we had Christmas-tree all to
ourselves. The Doctor and | went
out to select it, and it seemed Us il
the Black Forest had walked into the
market places. 1t took q good while
to find the right one, and We went out
day after day, till Ladislaw said it
looked as if we were waiting for one to
grow. However, we had it planted in
our own parlor, and such lovely 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 in fairy land,
and silver acorns and walnuts, bud.
ding with real roses and lilies, migno.
nette and Parma violets, blossomine
into gorgeous cornucopias of gorgeous
sweetmeats, and lighted by a hundred
tapers. The Doctor took a keen
pleasure in it, as if we were two chill.
dren. l enjoyed it all ofcourse, AS if it
were a dream-a poem; but the vision
of the veiled lndy would rise ur
anon, and seemed to ask if had for.
gotten her, although ut times she had
seemed like the baseless fabric of q
dream. The Doctor and were extin.
gushing the tapers, after Mrs. Adams
and Ladislaw hadgon to theirr rooms,
when he stopped humming the LoreIei,
and said, turning to me, 'here is q lit.
tie flower that Christmas trees some.
times bear, which you have overlook.
ed. The reason l was so long in sc.
lecting the tree was because wanted
one that was sure to bear this kind OF
blossom" and he held in his palm a
tiny ring box in which u circlet OF
pearls cleaned. Iput out my hand;
just then the veiled lady seemed to
sweep between us, her long veil almost
obscuring the Doctors face. "Shall /
put it on your finger, mein Liebling,
Withdrew my hand. ~ did not
understand" stammered; ado not
wear rings" And he blew out the
last candle as left the room.
The Doctor was preparing to leave
at this time, having only agreed to
spend six months with Lndislaw, 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 Gerna-
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 hundred
mellow tongues; then we opened the
balcony doors, and listened to the
weird music and the voices in the
street calling "Happy New-Year"
from far and near; and presently some
one stopped beneath us, and sang an
Abendlied sweet ns the murmuring OF
IL little brook among the grasses, ten.
der as u lullaby.
"a happy New-Year, Mr.. Finch" ]
cried. "Comc up and say good morn.
ing"
Then, as leaned over the Christ.
mas tree to blow out IL candle that
had burned down to theevergreen, and
was making q rich, pungcnt odor in
the room, the lace shawl had thrown
over my head caught in the flame Of
another candle, and in an instant ]
seemed to be standing in the centre Of
a flame. Inever knew exactly what
happened. seem to remember seeing
the Doctors face through that red
mist, and perhaps Mr.. Flnch's, con-
not besure, and then darkness. When
| came to myself was in bed, and the
little Doctor was feeling my pulse; and
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
dearcr to him than even in my beauty:
how no flame was so strong as his
love, or could burn it to ashes.
"And the veiled LADY," I asked, ir.
relevantly.
"The veiled Lady," he repeated.
"Yes. Who was she? In the even.
ing at Heidelberg Castle. You must
remember. Don't try to deceive
me-"
"Yes"-and tho smile was leapine
from every dimple-"yes; the veiled
lady OF Heidelberg Castle was-NIrs.
Adams. your chaperon."
"Yes," said Mrs. Adams afterward.
"confess that you thought very little
OF the woman who would walk to the
Schloss with the Doctor alone at that
hour. had missed you, and we went
in pursuit"
"And has Mr.. Finch been to ask fo,
me?" 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, Sand roses are not ex,
actly in his line. He has thrown Of
his disguise"
"And has he turned out to be O
cuckoo, or a nightingale"
"l1e has turned out to he only q
jail-bird, my dear. He has been q ia.
nous forger, that is ALL"
The Bee In G reat Abraham,s Ron.