Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-06-13

| q
IF had taken up arms for the countr.
what would be my recompense TO day." h
said; his highness''-he always gave Win
dischgr9tz this titlc-'.would have paid ID
with the bastinado."
Egla did not deign to reply
Shortly after this the first detachment o
light horsemen arrived at Nagy-Nemethy
They were soon followed by brigade
which established its camp near the village
Some Of the soldiers were billeted on the in
habitants, and the General selected Sonnen
fields house for himself. The Jew surpassed
himself in hospitality and servile demon
STATIONS. He cringed like a dog before thu
General, and was, in consequence treated a!
such by the officer.
Egla, who, timid and hostile kept out o
the way, saw the General kick her husband
out of the house one day. The sight made
the blood rush to her face, but she concealed
her trouble and suffered in silence.
Some days later, the Hungarian hussar:
exchanged few shots with the imperial
lists, and at night the Hungarians advanced
| from all sides and threatened to surround
the Austrian brigade. Every body was OF
the alert, and, while the cavalrymen pa
trolled the unfortunate country, all the
| women remained in the streets, anxiously
| telling their fears to each other.
Egla dressed herself hurriedly. She no
ticed that her husband had crept slyly out
Of the hOuse, and she went down to look fol
him She soon saw him, standing near the
garden wall, talking with the General, who
smiled graciously, while Sonnenfeld bowed
humbly to him. She did not know why,
but the Generals smile caused her more an
guish than the kicking he had gwen her
| husband. She could hear only isolated
phrases of the conversation, but she soon
understood that the General complained be-
| cause he found no one among the popula-
ton disposed to act as spy, not even among
the poor Jews. She also heard Sonnenfeld
assure the General of his devotion; then the
two men separated.
At the same moment several neighbors
came up to Egla, and announced with signs
Of lively joy that the Hungarian troops con-
| tinued to advance from all sides. At sun
rise, the imperalists had disappeared. An
aide-de-camp had brought to the General or
ders to abandon this position and move to-
ward the south with his brigade.
Throughout this winter campaign in Hun
gary each day brought contradictory news.
| Egla was agitated and sorrowful. She
could not sleep at night, and when morning
came, she fell asleep from fatigue, and only
awakened after terrible dreams when the
sun was far above the horizon.
Business was at stand-still. Sonnenfeld
alone showed any activity, fact which
greatly worried his wife He furnished
provisions of all kinds for tho imperial
troops. Suspicious-looking men often came
to seen him, and after each visit Sonnenfeld
went away from the house for some time
oil
with increasing mistrust.
One winters day some hussars, with their
carbines loaded, suddenly appeared in the
village. They were loudly acclaimed, and
the joy increased when they We're followed
by battalion of infantry The Hungarians
halted, threw out pickets in all directions,
and began to prepare their dinner. The in.
habitants generously gave up all they pos
sessed to recompense the brave Hungarian
soldiers for their fatigues and sufferings.
Egla, not being able to follow this example
without her husbands consent, began to
look for him, as he had suddenly disap-
peared. After she had searched in vain
about the house and the neighborhood, an
evil suspicion began to force itself upon her.
AT night, when all the inhabitants Of
NagyNemethy were asleep, Egla remained
awake. Seated upon her bed, she listened
to the slightest noise. 1t seemed to her that
something terrible was about to happen,
something which she had felt coming for a
long time. She remained thus for an hour
or two; then, worn out she fell asleep.
Suddenly she was awakened by musketry
shots and a confused roar. Horses thun-
dered by at a gallop, drums beat, and Off
GERS cried out their orders. The shots
sounded closer; she opened her window and
ball struck the wall beside her. She drew
back quickly and extinguished the light.
The struggle went on in the streets, The
imperial troops had returned, and in the
darkness had surprised and attacked the
Hungarian infantry with superior forces.
A very small number of Hungarians sue
ceeded in escaping with their flag. The rest
were killed or made prisoners.
Egla, her ideas all confused, remained
seated in her chamber. An hour passed;
then she heard voices in the neighboring
room. One was that of her husband; the
other, clear, vibrating, and foreign, evil
IDENTIFY accustomed to command, thanked
Sonnenfeld and promised him handsome
reward.
While the imperial troops, and her hus-
band with them, retired toward the east,
Egla muff1ed up her children and FASTENED
children in security, on the third day she
home. Her husband was still alb
sent During the following night he crept
into his house like thief. He was greatly
agitated when he saw his wife come out of
her chamber with light in her hand. She
placed the light upon the table, sat down,
and began to question her husband as
coldly and severely as Judge on the bench.
"Where have you beenf"
Il have made an important transaction.
have furnished lard and bread to the
General"
You have furnished him with something |
else. You have betrayed your brothers," |
cried the Jewess, red with anger. "You are |
q spyr'
what do you mean'' cried Sonnenfeld,
turning pale.
81 heard your conversation with the Gen
eralr'
"Well, and what them" he said, trying to
smile
The beautiful Jewess arose and looked at /
him steadily. "What then?" said she:
you are traitor and deserve death But
have loved you, and l do not want to see
he name that still bear disgraced. do
lot wish to have you die on the scaffold
You shall kill yourself here in this cham
oerl''
'You have lost your reason!' cried Son
lenfeld, in shaking voice.
Egla calmly took out pistol. "You must
lie!'' she continued; you are so degraded
hat l do not dare even to think of the
rightful crime you have committed If
-ou are too cowardly to kill yourself, l
viii execute you in the name of the coun-