The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-08-23
THE MAGIC RING.
How the Wizard Aided In Gus
tavuS' Choice of a Wife.

In pretty chalet that nestled high
against the shaggy breast of Mount
Obgadiu, lived the Widow Neur and
her daughter Marie. A lonely home
you would have thought it. but the fir
trees that walled so in your ears whis-
pered good cheer to Marie When
fierce winds came rushing down the
mountain side she knew the trees
would bend their tall heads together
and twine their strong arms around
her home. until robbed of his victim,
the baiiled storm rushed by.
When morning broke the same
friends stood erect and stately, draw
ing aside their leaves and branches
that the sunbcams might not Iinger in
their soft embraces, but hasten down to
waken their fuvorite, Marie.
Very lovely was our little Swiss
maid, with violet eyes that now danced
md sparkled-and then grew soft and
tender rs little child 5. Two rose-red
lips shut in her pearly teeth, and
when she smiled a tiny dimple danced
.Or a moment on her Feachy cheek.
Her hair clung in Carcssiug Curls
around her low, white forehead and
fell in ripples Of golden sunshine far
below her slender waist. And her
vOlccl All that was Marie greatest
charm. So't and clear, not discord-
ant note marred its sweet, pure har-
mony. Sometimes as she sang at her
evening devotions the herdsmen far
below in the valley, catching fains
notes OF her song, looked up and
crossed themselves, half believing they
heard the acho of an angel choir.
But very few knew of Marie's
beauty, for when she went with her
mother on one OF her rare visits to
the hamlet below she brushed her
~avy hair straight and smooth back
from her forehead. and braided it in
long, stiff plaits which fell down her
back. Her eyelids, with their curtains
OF long. silky lashes dropped over her
dancing eyes until one looked in vain
for a glimpse OF their beauty. Her
red lips shut firmly over the pearly
teeth, while the dimple hid itself reso-
lutely away from sight, and her sweet
voice, frightened at its own sound so
far from home, grew faint and husky,
until in this shrinking, sober damsel
walking 80 timidly beside the Widow
Neur you would have found it hard
to recognize the beautiful Marie of the
mountains
So it happened that only her mother
and one other person knew how good
and sweet and how fair Marie was.
This other was a stranger who came
from a far-away country and spent his
summers in little house on the
mountains very top. The simple vii
layers called him ''the wizard" and
told strange tales of how he spent
whole nights gazing at the heavens
through a long tube; that he could
foretell TO an hour when the sun would
cover itself with darkness; but. strang-
est of all, he had little wire stretched
for miles over hills and valleys to the
great city. This wire talked to him
in a queer language which no one else
could understand. Tick, tick, tick
etv tick" it said, and told him things
that happened miles and miles away
Marie did not know how wise the
wizard was when he came to her home
one morning and asked for a drink of
water. He followed her To the spring
when she went for it, and stopped by
the way to break open 4 curious stone
He showed Marie how queerly marked
il was inside, and then told her a story
about it. The usually timid maiden
was so interested that she forgot to be
frightened, and thus a strong friend
ship between the two was begun
After this the wizard often came TO
the widows chalet for rest and re-
freshmeut on his long rambles, and
Marie unconsciously revealed her
charms to him, one by one. until, long
before the first summer was ended,
the stranger knew that no girl in all
the canton could be compared with
Marie
On the other side of the mountain
from the Widow Neur's home lived
another widow. She, too, had but one
child. a son, who was the pride and
delight of her life, the young hunter
and guide, Gustavus FrieL
Every one knew and liked Gustavus.
Tall, straight and handsome, with
flashing brown eyes, and a laugh as
frank as child's, he was the favorite
OF the canton, and there was not girl
within its bounds who would not have
been proud TO plight her troth with
him. Gustavus, however, cared little
for the Obgadin maidens- He would
far rather chase the chamois up the
mountain side, or guide travellers
through its dangerous passes, than
spend his time with the finest of the
maids of the hamlet. His mother
often said: