Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-12-31
duCed to-.

the railroad brought him. That's the way that, like it's famed and antiquated prototype in the drama, our Elsinore got it's platform. Thirty years before, Bertel Hendriksen arrived in a farm wagon that had no springs. He fairly bounced into his patrimony. Jack Robinson, just ad- mitted to the bar of Richmond, his native city, came to the wild and luXuriant northwest to spend a months vacation, and catch fish. It was nearly three months before he returned to his Virginia home. When he, on the last afternoon, was driven hurriedly to the railway station, in hotel omnibus and sporting togs, with his umbrella, canes, and fish ing apparatus strapped cumbrously to- gether and a family size leather sachel completing the luggage, the Hendrix sens, father, mother and daughter, who all greatly admired the young lawyer, stood on the plat form at Elsinore to bid him good by. The ladies charmingly expressed their sentiments of esteem and the pleas urc that his visit had given them and others. Bertel, now staid, self con- tained man of five and forty, warmly grasped the Nirginians hand at parting and hoped he would be their guest the following summer. He said he certainly would. This reply made little Christine feel very happy, and she hardly knew what caused the blood to heighten her natural rosy color. AS the train, five minutes afterward, moved swiftly away she missed knot of flowers that had been fastened to her corsage, and won- dered if she had dropped them coming to tho station.
 When Jack Robinson revisited Elsi- more he brought no fishing tackle. This was noticed at once by the proprietor of the Lake House. He also observed to the county judge, who ordered tansy and bittcrs, that for the life of him he couldn't see why a man as rich as Bertel Hen driksen was took boarders. After few weeks this intelligent landlord had more to marvel at There were whispers of another wedding. Rumor soon became reality. It was in golden September that Jack Robinson again said good-by on the railway platform, but this time it was to his new father and mother only. Little Christine went with him to Virginia, and on the journey thither he told her how he thought she had lost her bouquet at the very moment she had won his love-
 They were gladly welcomed at the homestead in Richmond, and Jacks widowed mother. a stately, aristocratic matrOn, congratulated her son on his good fortune.
 In July a battle was fought close to tho national capital. The government troops were disc0ntitcd. As this omin- ous news was flashed over electric wires to all parts of tho disrupted republic, a | fearful woman travelled night and day | toward Elsinore by the placid lake. Jack | Robinson had cast his lot with the cause of Virginia
 Christine was so i'll when she reached | Chicago that stranger friends insisted upon days rest, but she longed for the nothing of her despair. Only one train was missed, and then she pushed on. It was late at night when she stepped on the platform at Elsinore. Her sole wei | corners were the station master and tele- | graph operator. Both recognized her, for they had known the gentle girl from | her babyhood. No questions were asked why she had thus come back. The sta | tion master made her comfortable in his narrow quarters, the main room being closed until morning. In less than ten minutes he had @ horse and carriage ready md drove poor, wearied Christine to her fathers house. As she stepped upon the porch, her escort said:
 l II think Col. Hendriksen is writing in his library. There's a flood of light.
 ''Surely not at this late hour" ex claimed Mrs. Robinson, "but why dc l you call him colonel?'
 Before the station master could reply to her question a rapid, firm step was heard in the hall; the door was opened wide and Christine, in the glare of gas light back of him, beheld her father dressed in the full uniform of a regimen tai commander. With shriek which awoke the sylvan echoes Mrs. Robinson tainted at his feet