Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-03-26

in the old chapel, outside the Martini
gate, and You may imagine my utter
amazement at being mysteriously
sent for at such an hour, and then
finding myself taken to the chapel to
DO one OF the witnesses to Lore's mar
riage the others being her mother and
Dernau's most intimate friend, Fritz
Berger.
1t seemed uncommonly dismal to q,
girl of seventeen, as l was then, with
my head stuffed full, too, of all sorts
OF tragical stories. 1t was mild,
dark night; the sky was much over
cast; and ever and anon a distant
flash of lightning announced that a
storm was coming up. The feeble
glimmer from the two tapers on the
altar seemed only to make the dark
ness darker, and the flames
tilckered necessarily as the
wind came sweeping in gusts,
and making the bong his Of the old lime
tree rattle against the church windows.
1t was enough to make one shudder,
child, can tell you! The venerable
old paster who had married Lorchen' 8
father and mother, and baptized Lor-
chen herself, gave only short ad-
dress; but it was all the more impress
sive for that, and we were all very
much touched by it. When the cere-
mocny was over ! helped the sobbine
bride to take off her wreath of myrtle
and put on q very large hood, which
was part Of tho peasants costume,
such as used to be worn about here,
which she was going to wear as g. dis.
gulse. The poor mother was speech
less with grief, and seemed quite dazed
at the prospect Of losing her beloved
daughter.
meantime Karl Dernau, who had
also dressed himself like g. peasant,
had brought poor, miserable, one.
horsed covered cart to the door ofthe
chapel, and, after the most heart
rending leave-takings, Lorchen was
lifted in, weeping bitterly. The night
had grown pitch-black by this time;
the lightning flashed and the thunder
rolled in the distance; but under cover
OF the darkness, the pair safely effected
their escape across the neighborine
frontier, to where the French had not
yet gained footing, Lorchen passing
for q sick paasant-girl who was being
taken to some famous, wonder-work
ing doctor. AS Karl Dernau drove off
on his strange wedding journey he
looked so brave, and tender, and self
reliant that we who were left behind
felt a comfortable assurance that our
little bird would be safely hidden in her
nest with him for her protector. Two
years passed, and in the meantime
had been married in a regular, Or
binary way, in broad daylight,
with bridesmaids and wedding
breakfast, and without any OF
the rather uncalmy romance which
had attended Lorchen's wedding.
Still, who knows whether the
mere fact of our having taken part to-
gether in this romantic affair did not
lead to our own marriage? Be this as
1t may, it is quite certain that the
next time Fritz Berger and l found
ourselves inside the little chapel, it
was for our own wedding.
"After q time things went better in
the town, and as the French were less
favored by those in authority, it was
thought safe for the fugitives to
come cack; and, as by the death OF
his father, Karl had become the owner
OF the house Lorchen's parents had
rented-the very house We are in to-
day-they came and settled here, and
her mother with them, and all lived
happily together. How happy we
were to be together again!. and the
very first time we had a quiet hour,
Lorchen told me the story Of her be-
trothal, which [ had never properly
understood till then.
You see, Christel, said she, you
and were veryintimate, and you did
know all my secrets-almost; but you
did not know that l had cared for
Karl for a long time past. I was
ashamed to confess it either to you or
myself. But when he came to the GEL
lar window that dreadful day, Just
when | was in the gr eatest danger, and
drove it in-I was too dazed to dare
to open it nyself-and when he lifted
me up, and before I we'll knew where
was, took me into the cellar of his
own house, we'll, then knew did care
for him, and l began to cry. And
then he sat down by me and quietly
took hold Of my hand, and when Twas
able to speak thanked him and beg
ged his pardon for having made such
fun of him before. You can guess
what followed. Our bet, othal was
not very romantic, Christel, for we
sat upon an old sugar chest, and my
dress was torn and dusty, and the air
OF the cellar was dank and musty.
But what did we carefor that? There
were roses all round us, and we were
in Elysium; and as for the romance,
we had enough before the day was out
to last a whole lifetime.'
*"This was Lorchen's confession,
and we both thanked Heaven for max
ing us so happy and bringing us to-
gether again. We were happy, indeed,
and this helped us to bear our daily
cares, for we were still in g. great deal
OF trouble and anxiety, and the clouds
hung thick and black over the politi-
cal sky. There were no christening
feasts when our little ones were bap-
tiled, and, in spite of our real happi-
ness, q good many tears fell on the
little heads. But at last there was a.
a change! Suddenly it was as if a
fresh wind had begun to blow No
one knew whence it had come, but it
was there, and we all felt invigorated
by it. Lore and l, too, soon noticed
that there was a great deal going on
behind the scenes, which gave us
plenty of food for wonder and con-
lecture. Wagoners, who did not look
at all like wagoners, were constantly
bringing heavy loads OF merchandise
to Karl, and my Fritz, who was
a lawyer, and nothing naturally
to. do with such matters, was al
ways present at the unloading, and
helped to carry the goods into the Gel
quite clear that there was some secret
r,,1>s IT.