Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-04-03


that her young nature had just burst out
| into temporary freedom and true life. 1t
| was the Gagged bird S light into the bright
| summer air"
just the kind of BIRDS said Aunt
| Martha. that shouldn't be allowed to
| fly, at least until they are used to it.
| But you can go on with your story
well" said the young man, 1.-The next
day we met | took her to the piece of
| high ground | had mentioned. and she
| sllctched the castle. After that we met
again and again nearly every day. This
sort of story tells itself | became mad
/ ~ in love with her, and [ am sure she
| liked me very we'll: at all events | was a
companion of her own age and tastes,
and such one, she assured me, she had
never known before, and probably would
never know again
There was some excuse for her." said
Aunt Martha: but still she had no right
! to act in that way, especially as she was
so soon to be married.
Il do not think that she reasoned
much upon the subject" said the young
man, land | am sure / did not. We
made no plans. Every day we thought
only of what We were doing or saying,
and not at all what we had done or
would do. We were very happy.
lone morning | was sitting by Marie
in the very place where 1 had first met
her, when we heard some one rapidly
approaching. Looking up | saw tall
man in an undress military uniform.
'Heavens,' cried Marie, 1T is Colonel
kaldhein.'
The situation was one of which an
eXpectant bridegroom wouldnot be like
ly to ask many questions Marie was
seated on a low stone with her drawing
block in her lap. She was finishing the
sketch on which she was engaged when
| first saw her, and | was kneeling close
to her looking over her work, and MAX
ing various suggestions. and | think my
countenance must have indicated that /
found it very pleasant to make sugges-
tions in that way to such a pretty girl.
Our heads were very close together.
Sometimes we looked at the paper,
sometimes we looked at each other. But
in the instant / caught sight of the
Colonel the situation had changed.
rose to my feet and Marie began to pick
up tho drawing materials which were
lying about her.
Colonel Kaldhein came forward al
most at a run. His eyes blazed through
his gold spectacles. and his close-cut.
reddish beard seemed to be singing
with the fires of rage. l had but an in
slant for observation. for he came di-
rectly up to me, and with tremendous
objurgation in German he struck me
full in the face with such force that the
blow stretched me upon the ground.
Il was almost stunned. but heard a
scream from Marie, a storm of angry
words from kaldhcin, and | felt sure he
was about to inhict further injury. He
was a much stronger man than was
and probably was armed. With a sud /
den instinct of self-preservation | rolled !.
down a little decliyity on the edge of /
which | had fallen, and. staggering to
my feet plunged into a thicket and /
fled. Even had | been in the full possess
sion of my senses | knew that under the |
circumstances | would have been Of no
benefit to Marie had | remained upon
the scene. The last thing | heard /
was shout from Kaldhcin, in which he .
declared that he would kill me vet. For
some days did not go out of my castle
My face was bruised, my soul was de-
iectcd. | know there was no possible
chance that | should meet Marie and
that there was chance that | might
meet the angry Colonel. An alteration
at this time would be very annoying and
painful to the lady, no matter what the
result: and | considered it my duty to
do every thing that was possible to avoid
a meeting with Kaldhein. Therefore.
as | have said, l shut myself up within
the walls of old Wulrick and gave strict
orders to my servants to admit no one.
1T was at this time that the strangest
events of my life occurred. Sitting in
an upper room. gazing out of the win
dow over the fields through which had !
walked SO happily but two days before
to meet the lady whom | had begun to
think of as my Marie, | felt the head of
a dog laid gently in my lap. Without
my head l caressed the animal
and strolled the long hair on his mock
My hound Ajax was a dear compan-
ion to me in this old castle. although
never took him in my walks, as ne was
apt to get into mischief, and when I
turned my head to look at him he was
gone. but strange to say the hand which
had been strolling tho dog felt as if it {
we're still resting on his neck.
Quickly drawing my hand toward me !
L struck the head Of the dog. and, NOV
ng it backward and forward. | felt the ]
ears and nose of the animal. and then .
became conscious that its head was still /
'esting upon my knee. !
Il started back. Had | been stricken |
With blindness? But no; turning my j
head, could plainly see every thing in /
he room. The scene from the window s
vas as distinct as it ever had been. | c
prang to my feet, and, as | stood Won &
lering what this strange thing could I
mean, the dog brushed up against me i
nd licked my band. Then the idea