The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-05-05
4 know q maiden fair to see.
Take care!
She can both false and friendly bel'

Tknow q maiden fair to see.
Take care!
She can both false and friendly be!'
"And it goes on:
She has two eyes so soft and brown.
Take care!
She gives . size glance and looks down.
Trust her not, she's fOoling thee!
''Well. child, that was Lore all over; just
as IL 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 oil her follies, she had a good,
honest heart. As | said, she was univer-
sally admired and so it seemed strange
that young Dernau, the merchant, who
was next-door neiyhbor of hers, should
be so stiff and cold and take no notice at
all Of her. Sometimes twitted Her with
fhe fact that he had never once danced
with her, and was quite insensible to her
and she would pout her rosy lips and say !.
I'm sure don't want him, Christel !;
'Well, you know, bad times came for
poor Germany. The French conquered u.s.
and the King aud our beautiful Queen Lou
lisa had to fly with their children: and it
seemed as IL we should all become French
subjects. 1t was a bad time for us in our
little town, for the authorities favored the
enemy, and we were disturbed by sounds
Of fighting all around us. Ah, it was terri
bly, sad! for all prosperity was at an end,
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 a German
girl took their fancy they just sent their
soldiers to carry her of and then took her
away with them to the war. We were
constantly hearing Of deeds of violence
sadd and robbery; and M the laws being admins
ents. afforded US no redress or protection
whatever. Wha. could we do! 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 we'll. 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
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
But Lorchen blushed and turned her
head without answering. One Whitsun
Eve, lovely May day, just like to-day, q
number Of the enemy's troops passed
through the town, and Of course Lore had
to sit in the cellar aud get through the time
as best she might. As soon as the terrible
'Parlevouhs,' 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 1t fell out, young
French officer came past leading his horse
by the bride, and looking for blacksmith,
as the animal had cast shoe. He had no
sooner caught sight of the lovely little
head among the roses which clustered
to boy and dashed up the steps like a
mailman. 1t did not take him a minute
but Lore was asquick as he, and had slipped
back into her hiding-place. Still, where
was the use of that, when the Frenchman
had seen her and was bent upon finding
heri
II want to see the pretty demoiselle," he
cried in his broken German, and he insisted
upon searching first all the rooms in the
house, then the garrets. and finally the eel
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
But, wonder of all wonders, the nest was
empty; the bird had flown! Finding,
therefore, that his search was vain, the
young officer flew into rage, and, snatch
ing up little ivory miniature Of Lore,
dashed out Of the house, vowing that he
would come back next with a whole squad
ron and stay till the girl was found. As
soon as he was gone, LOre's mother sank
down in chair and hurst into tears, feel
ing utterly bewildered and altogether at
her wits end. But she had not wept long
when her neighbor, young Dernau, made
his appearance, and, to her extreme sur
prise, asked her with all due form and GER
emony to accept him as a suitor for her
daughters hand.
"'Ach' cried the poor woman, Lorchen
is gone-clean gone; she is not in her hid
ing place; and il l could find her to-day,
where's the use, when tom orrow that
French villain is coming to carry her off
I'm a poor miserable, helpless woman
what can dol o, this dreadful warP
''But the young man only laughed in an
ts ,sf sort Of ai way and then said
you so, and depend upon it | shall be able
TO take good care of Lorchep when once l
have the right. In the cellar she is, how
ever, at the present moment, though not in
yoursv
so saying, he led the astonished dame
into his house and down ever so manystairs,
and there sure enough was the captive Is
his cellar, doubly a captive now, and lit
tie shamefaced and fearful, but still look
ing very happy as she fell on her mothers
utck duu DeSStu ueT 10 give nor dnu hATl
her blessing And so it came to pass that
they were betrothed in the cellar, and i'm
after all sorts Of mysterious prep
arations were made in both houses, and at
last the good pastor himself was called in to
give his advice, A: eleven o'clock that same
night there was enacted one OF the stran-
gest scenes which our peaceful, sobergoing
little town ever witnessed: for young
couple were married in the darkness, in the
old chapel outside the Martini gate and
you may imagine my utter amazement at
being mysteriousiy sent for at such an
hour, and then finding myself taken 10 the
chapel % be one of the witnesses to my
Lore's marriage, the others being her mother
and Dernau's most intimate friend, Fritz
Berger.
st seemed uncommonly dismal to a girl
of seventeen as l was then, with my head
stuffed full, too, of all sorts of tragical
stories. 1t was a mild, dark night; the
sky was much overcast; and ever and
anon a distant flash Of lightning an