The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-08-23
NUMBER %.


home 4 daughter and thyscif a wilet'
And Gustavus, smiling and pressing
Z kiss on her forehead, would answer:
when 1 find a maid as good as
thee, mother; but | want no idle,
shrill-voiced wife TO disturb our quiet
home"
But one day his mother said, more
sadly and seriously than ever before:
.'Gustavus, l an growing old and
feeble ] can no longer make and
mend thy clothes and keep our home.
Thou must have u wife. Promise me
that at the fele next Week thou wilt
choose one from among the maidcns
there. H
Gustavus reluctantly gave her the
desired promise, but it weighed hesv-
lily upon him He could think OF
nothing else afterward, and, the more
he pondered, the heavier his heart
grew. At last he seized MS gun and
went out on the mountain, but the
parplexing question followed him:
until. in despair, he threw himself on
the ground groaning: "Oh. that some
wise man would make this choice for
mer'
4 moment after he looked up and
saw, a. If in answer to his wish. the
wizard approaching him. Nv by" he
exclaimed % himself, did l not think
of him before? Surely he, If any one.
can help me. - Then, with 4 throbbing
heart, Gustavus sprang up aud ad-
vanced to meet him. The wizard
greeted Gustavus warmly, for be fc.t a
strong friendship Tor the young guide
VINO had taken him safely through
many 4 dangerous mountain cXour-
sion.
And now his sympathetic question:
~ by, what's troubling you, ny
boy?" opened the way for Gustavus TO
pour out all his perplexity, ending his
recital with the question: "Cau7t
thou not help me to choose good
vile, who viii make my life happy,
from the maidens at the Jctc next
week."
The wizard smiled sympathetically,
and then thought in silence little
while before he answered:
If q pure, true hcart IS united TO a
true, pure heart, both lives must be
happy. There viii be one such hesrt
at the Jete, but you may fail TO recog-
nize it. HOwovc-, II you viii come to
me tomorrow I will give a charm that
will show you this heart
Here was a comfort, Indeed, and
with Il light heart GusJavus thanked
his friend and bounded forward. Left
alone, the wizard continued down the
mountain side until he came in sight
OF the Widow Ncur's chalet. wherc he
found Marie sitting by the spring.
Instead of her usual sunshiny smile
tiny tear-drops stood in hcr eyes, and
there was a grieved look about her
rosy lips that made him wish to COM
fort her.
What IS the matter, little one?" he
asked, gently.
"Oh, sir" she said, i want to see
: the great Jete next week, but have no
pretty ornaments to wear, and
then" The long curtains dropped
low over her shining eyes, and the
sweet voice sank almost to whisper
-''the good mother says none Of the
young men will care TO dance with
me, for | can not talk and laugh with
them a. other maidens. Ny heart
! beats fast if they do but glance toward
! me, and ! know not what 10 say, and
so"-here tear slipped from under
I the long eyelashcs-' my mother says
/ | had better not 60"
Courage. little one" the wizard
answered Tell your mother l am
going to lend you silver belt to V ear,
/ and that my knowledge tells me that
! the bravcst, handsomest youth in all
! the land will dance with you quite joy
/ fully" The happy Marie. as Gusta-
vus had done, thanked the wizard and
ran of TO tell the wonderful news TO
/ her mother.
Early next morning Gustavus went
| for his charm. He found the wizard
waiting for him, and, taking him into
| his strange room, the wise man said.
| smiling, rs he had the day before. half
/ quizzically, half sympathetically:
Here the charm, my good fellow.
/ You SEQ it Is q magic ring. Put it
on before you 60 TO the Jets, and be
sure you dance with every maiden
/ there. When you place your arm
about the waist of the one whose
/ heart is true and good a strange feeling
viii run through you and your hand
viii cling TO her"
Gustavus, greatly wondering.
thanked the wizard and slipped on the
ring. 1t was a curious circlet of iron,
with flat extension, which the wiz
! ard bade him wear pointing toward
! his palm
When the fete day came Gustavus
was there among the other young men,
eager to try his charm All the maid
ems OF Obgadin canton were there also,
/ and on the outskirts OF one OF the gay
crowds little Marie lowered timidly
/ beside her mother.
/ why didst thou come, Marie?'
| asked one of the girls; '-didst thou think
( any youth would want to dance with a
mouse to-day?'
Then. seeing the quick tears trem-
/ bling on Ma.Ie's lashes, she added,
/ more kindly:
''Ahi well, thou canst at least see
our good times; and what a lovely
belt thou hast, Marie! Where didst
thou get it?'
The wizard gave ii her" the Widow
( Neur answered. shortly, for she did
not relish the girls tone.
Come, Marie, let Us sit here under
the trees aud watch the dance.
Marie nestled close to her mother :
side, and, as the hours fed and no
youth asked her TO dance, her head
dropped lower and lower, and she
wondered if the wise man had made q
mistake.
In the meantime Gustavus danced
with one after another of the maids,
but though he watched with intense
eagerness. not once did he feel the
strange thrill for which he waited
I'll En.-a aancal with tLnm all " h.