The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-05-17

mony was over I helped the sobbing
bride to take off her wreath of myrtle
and put on @ very large hood, which
was part of the PEASANTS costume,
such as used to be worn about here,
which she was going to wear as a dis
gu'se. The poor mother was speech
less with grief, and seemed quite dazed
at the prospect of losing her beloved
daughter.
Meantime Karl Dernaud; who, ha1
also dressed himself like a peasant,
had brought a poor, miserable, one
horsed covered cart to the door of the
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 neighboring
frontier, to where the French had not
yet gained a footing, Lorchen passing
for sick peasant-girl who was being
taken to some famous, wonder-wOrk-
ing doctor. As Knrl Dernau drove off
on his stfange 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 i'll the meantime l
had been married in 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 ala not
lead to our own marriage? Be this as
it may: it is quite certain that the
next time Fritz Berger and found
ourselves inside the little chapel, it
was for our own wedding.
latter 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 quiet hour,
Lorchen told me the story OF her be-
trothal, which l had never properly
understood till then.
You see, Christel,' said she, you
and were very intimate, and you did
know all my secrets-almost; but YOU
did not know that I had cared for
Karl for long time past: / 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 or eatest danger, and
drove it in-I was too dazed to dare
to open it myself-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 l 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 1 was
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 care for 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 hfetime.'
'"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 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-
tlzed, and, in spite OF our real happi-
ness, a good many tears fell on the
little heads. But at last there was q
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 |, too, soon noticed
oA'.~o oAA~iC "I|o eo SAOtNO uCttA SOHIS I'll
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 eel
lar as soon as it was dusk. 1t was
quite clear that there was some secret
which our husbands were keeping from
us, and after bearing it patiently for
a little while we determined to put an
end to such an unnatural state of
things.
"Well, we found it all out, and
learned that Karl and Fritz were
members of a secret league which had
branches everywhere throughout Ger.
many, and was formed to deliver the
! Fatherland from her foreign masters.
The "wagoners' were members and
the goods they bought were arms,
which they stored in the cellar; and
there, in what had been Lorchen's
prison, the confederates held their
meetings. On these occasions, now
that we knew what was going on, we
used to do our part by lighting up the
chandeliers in the drawing room,
blinking glasses together and CARRYING