The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-10-12

not shine in mixed society, but IN his
working-day manners. he cut an ad-
nirable figure. with his tall. active
form, his erect head. his handsome
sunburnt face, his toil-marked hands,
and his msnliness of bearing. Then,
too, he was well off, and had an ex-
ceptionally comfortable home to offer
TO wife.
Gretchen was q coquet; she shrank
from resigning her freedom and cur
tsiling her train of adOrers by definite
acceptance of any one among her nu-
merous suitors. First one admirer.
then another. would be singled out for
marks of favor, but when the question
of marriage was propounded. the girl
became obdurate. Upon that sub
ject," she said a;rily, ''she had not
made up her mind
The suspense of his position was all
but uncomfortable to Wilhelm. His love
was an over-maStering passion;
Gretchen-her beauty and her tantaliz-
ing, enslaving coquetry-was never
out of his mind.
AT last came the war between France
and Germany. Wilhelm Bauer and
Franz Muller, who had both served in
the army the three years demanded by
the State of every German. volunteered
for active service. Love for Gretchen,
no less than love for the national cause,
was Wilhelm's animating motive for
action. He cOurted danger gladly, for
the sake of the distinctions which be
hoped to gain thereby, to lay at his
darling's feet. Gretchen was ambi-
himself. refuse to share his name when
he had made it famous.
The yong mans high hopes were
doomed to disappointment. Very early
in the day of his first engagement, be-
fore any opportunity presented itself
for proving the valor which was IL
him. young Bauer was carried, insensi-
ble and severely wounded, from the
field. Long weeks followed of fever in
the hOspital-fever which, though a
fatal issue at one time seemed immi-
nent. was at last subdued, but from
which the patient awoke weary and
weakened TO the dreary knowledge
that the use of one of his limbS-an
arm-had gone from him forever. He
had won no veStige of the renown for
which he yearned; il was as a cripple.
and not As a hero, that he must return
tC Gretchen and home. He inquired
concerning Franz. A storm of iauda-
ton answered him Franz had covered
himself with glory. By a deed of
grand courage he had saved the life of
his commanding officer; distinctions
were showered upon him; he had re-
ceived an officers commission, and
had risen from the ranks
At first, while his thoughts dWelt on
Gretchen and on her probable recep-
ton of the news of FranZ's exploits
and honors, Wilhelm listened with q
pang of keen jealousy; ,but when he
had heard the whole tale OF his COM
rade's valor, tears of generous admira-
ton started to his eyes. Franz had
richly deserved his rewards. As for
himself, his achievements, and there
fore his deservings, were nil. He must
bear the disappointment and the OBJ
security of his lot silently and patiently
as be was able.
But now, when Weindorf was astiI
with holiday makers 4nbw, when he
Law, unsought and alone, in the deep
ening twilight, Wilhelm's heart was
very sore. He tried to look into the
future with steady eyes, but it lay very
dark and desolate before him.. That
morning he had written, with his one
uSefulhand-happily his right hand-s
letter to Gretchen, in which he re-
nouAced all hope to win her as his
wife. She must'not link her bright life
with that of a cripple. 7-- IS
= One or two occasions on which he
had seen Gretchen stood out more
prominently than others in the young
man memory. He recalled one day
how long ago If seemed-when he
had discovered her standing on the
steps leading to the Englishman's
studio, and waving her hand in merry
farewell TO the artist within. The sun
had caught her red hair, which seemed
like an sureole round her. lovely face. :
Wilhelm bad stood mOtionless In the
grass-gr0Wn street to watch; her. He
remembered, too. a Sunday evening in
autumn, when he had accompanied her
and her father 4. thu. Lust Garten. The
old man had been speedily captured by
some friends, and the twoyogng people
had %andered of by themselves to-
watch'fhe sun set over q distant range
of hills. Wilhelm had spoken TO:
GretchenEnot without a touch OF ma
tive poetry-of his hove and longing:
he had addressed her boldly as "Herz-
iiebchen,a' ard held her hand impris-
oned in his own; protestations On her
part had only been few and faint.
And now it was all oyer-the glorious
time of his young love and hope! q,
..Guten. abend, said loud. pleas
ant voice, speaking with a, foreign ac-
cent: A customer had entered the
shop. and Wilhelm sprang to. his feet
to receive him. Itwas the Englishmau
from over the way, who. now that his
days work was over. was setting about
his recreation in a bnsiness-like ener-
getie fashion; characteristic of his coun-.