Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-08-02
THE WATERCURE,

. who devoted "a CONSCIENTIOUS care 20 Keep
ing her estate in exemplary order kath-
crime was still in the prime of lilc. and
moreover. was very attractive parsonage
So that if she had only wished She could
. easily have found a wooer OF her own rank
Far from entertaining such thought
however. she had in view poor neighbor
ii handsome young fellow, who By the
sweat of his brow cked ont a scauty liveli-
hood from his little farm. But he possess
| ed an honest pride. and valuing highly his
/ independence. little importance as it gave
/ him in the eyes of other people, he would
\ have nothing to do with his rich neighbor.
! 1t is true that Katherines manners had
/ become somewhat harsh and forbidding
/ through the habit of commanding, and
/ Florentin. perhaps, was not far from right
/ in thinking that he would have a hard lot
as her husband; and as he was fully con
scious Of his own ability, he had no inten-
ton of playing the part Of his wife's hired
man So he quietly dispatched all go-be-
tweens whom Katherine sent him, and
when she put herself in his way and in a
manner not exactly winning, scolded him
for his scnseless pride, he replied:
..You are too old and too rich for me,
Katherine | am not going to let you train
me, and don't need your money. Ifyou
( are tired of being a widow, look about for
some one else. Where | am the farmer |
will be master, understand; and you
wouldn't bear that from a man for whom
you must buy wedding-sUit so that he
could be seen beside you in church. |
| know you, Katherine, and that is why |
tell you to leave me in peace. There is no
| help for it; have made up my mind, once
/ for all, and if you make me towntalk any
longer I'll sell out and 90 to America. |
have had to bear filings enough on your
account already
After this the widow kept a discreet 81
1 lence and tried to rid herself Of all thought
Of her refractory neighbor, but without
/ success; and least OF all could she find the
/ heart to follow the advice of good friend
| and put an end to the matter by another
marriage She still hoped, in secret, that
/ Florcntin's decision would be shaken, and
/ that some day he would come humbly edg-
/ ing into her house; but he went his way
/ quietly, thinking of nothing of the kind,
but rather enjoying daily his precious lib.
erty, short as was the allowance of bread
1 that accompanied it.
Several months had passed in this way
when the war Of 1870 broke out. The call
| to arms flew to all parts of Germany, and
/ Florentin was drafted into the ranks. He
/ felt, at heart. no regret at being obliged to
enter the field, for he had the instinct Of
fighting, and that his tiny farm would lie
falow gave him little anxiety, as that
could not add much to his poverty.
But Katherine was not a little frightened
when the news reached her that Florentin
was huricdly equipping to go to the war
/ She sent him word that he ought to protest
against his enlistment; that the Govern
ment had no right to take him away from
his house and land Florcntin laughed at
her ardor, saying that every one could
come with like shiftless excuses. How
then would the companies be complete il
the reserve forces tried to sneak outl lie
wouldn't be a sneak; on the contrary, he
would try to do himself honor by taking
his place by the flag as soon as possible.
Thcreupon Katherine came in person
and found him ready for the journey.
Il meant it well with YOU" said She
"but with you men-folks one can seldom
bring anything about with a reasonable
word. ! might have known you would
have your own way again. Well, 90, then
BE brave and come home sound! And
what ! wanted to say to you was, not to
be worried about your land. | will have
my men take the best care of it, and il
shall not cost you anything That is, with
your consent | will not force kindneS,
on you. If you agree to it, only say so"
Florentin agreed to it without demur,
saying, "I'll thank you when I'm once
| back again; but that will be all; mark that,
| Katherine
"Write me sometimes when you are in
camp"
81 would rather not promise. Perhaps
! there will be no pen and ink; and then, too,
| should be perplexed about how / ought
to address you. | don't think anything
will come of it. Goodbye, Katherine"
The widow pouted "You haven't any
heart, Florcntinr'
Eyes, have, but keep it for myself
replied Florcntin, nOdding to Katherine
and going down toward the village.
For those who were left behind few
weeks of suspense followed while the arm
les were organizing and marching. The
usual days work was done in hali-heart-
ed way, as something of little importance
in view Of impending horrors. Then came
in rapid succession rumors Of the battles Of
Wcissenburg, Spichcrn and Woerth
When more accurate reports arrived some
days later, Katherine gathered that Floren-
tins regiment had been in the battle of
Woerth; and now she began to he torment
ed by a strange restlessncss and by horrible
dreams. She saw her beloved wounded,
crippled, and when she started up out of
sleep she heard his groans and sobs from a
corner of her room. He also called her by
name and in a tone 70 tender that it made
her heart trcmble. After seeing these ap-
partitions a few days, She could no longer
endure it at home; she must go and find
the poor fellow who longcd for her in his
suffering. Pretending that she was going
to visit relative at Mannheim, she put on
her Sunday tinery and started confidently
for Alsace The geographical knowledge
of the peasant woman was limited, and in
leaving her native village she had but
faint idea Of what direction she ought to
take. As soon as she was far enough away,
however. to be sure that none knew her.
she began to inquire the road as she went.
The lonely pilgrim never for an instant
lost courage. On the way she met nothing
but kindness, rs every one gave her under
was once on the other side of the Rhine,
Florcntin's voice never ceased calling her.
Then she felt certain that she was in the
right course; but how long she inquired
from hospital to hospital in the neighbor-
hood of Weerth before finding at last
fourteen days after leaving home-thc OBJ
ject of her search! and in what condition!
Poor Florentn's right knee had been
shattered in battle by shell. The sur
gcons had tried to save the leg, but had