The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-20

saruIIIoI-T, Ike writing erased from Siate.
Therefore, for the first time, lie was aware of
Elsa's captivating beauty. and as ne, seized
by sudden love, held out MS arms towards
the beautiful form, she fell glowing with love
on his breast, and embraced his sunburnt
neck
From tire tower Of the church, which was
now completed, the bells were ringing for the
first time. and old and young were Fastening
towards the new house of God, which was to
be consecrated today. But the feast Of con-
secration was to be followed by a second, and
that seemed quite as important To the people
as the first Elsa, the architects much
courted daughter was to give her hand to-
day at the altar to the young stonecutter
DietEart and the brides father had provided
the richest and most brilliant wedding the
city had ever seen. 1t was good omen for
such handsome pair as Diethart and Elsa
to be the first to be united at the new altar.
For both of them were beautiful and stately
that was admitted even by those who enyied
them, and they were not few.
The church festival passed off according to
the established custom Then the bridal pro-
cession marched TO the gayly decorated house
of the brides father, and soon its walls re-
sounded with music and dancing.
When the wedding supper was over and
Elsa had danced the last dance of honor, the
brides garter was unfastened and each one
of the guests had piece of the blue silk rib
bon as a remembrance. The brides father
filed a great silver bumper with sweet wine
and drank the health of his children the
fifers and kettle drummers began TO play and
in the midst Of the merrymaking the bridal
pair fed from the hall
Weary Of the wedding festivities, the new
ly married couple sat together in the quiet
bridal chamber and exchanged words of love.
Teasingly Elsa said, before become your
wife you must tell me one thing Am l the
first to whom you have spoken such words,
or has another held your heart before me!
That you must confess TO me, for now there
must be no longer any secrets between you
and me-"
"Grieve me not with such suspicious, thou
dear delight of my eyes," replied Diethart.
Surely, l have laughed and made merry
with many pretty maid, but no other has
won my heart, and to none other have my
lips ever sworn love and fidelity"
"Ah, then, tell me, continued Elsa, where
did you get the ring that you used to weari
Did it come from some tender woman's hand,
you wicked fellows"
"a ring, ring!" asked Diethart in per-
plexity, and he shook his head II have
never worn ring before you placed this one
on my finger"
"What?" said Elsa, becoming excited.
"Will you deny that you wore ring on your
right hand when first saw you at my IA
ther'sT'
you are mistaken, Elsa" replied Diethart,
growing red.
ooh, you false man!' cried the angry bride.
''SheIl hold the ring before your eyesg"
And with a swift movement she drew the
ring, which she had taken from her sleeping
lover, from her bosom, and held it before her
husbands eyes. "Will you still deny itG'
VERY stranger" said Diethart. SIS it pos
sible that l have worn that ring, my Elsa!
Let me see it." He took the ring and placed
it on his finger.
Then he drew q deep sigh. eyes" he said,
softly; 81 know the ring. Sigune, Sigune,
what have done to thee!"
Elsa screamed aloud, ooh, you faithless,
you deceitful mani Depart from me and
never let me see your face again.n
Suddenly she stopped speaking, and cold
shivers chilled her TO her marrow They were
no longer together il the bridal chamber, but
a third person was with them. In the door
way stood the form of a beautiful, pale wom-
an who beckoned with her white spirit hand.
''Sigunern cried the bridegroom, ''thou call
est me, and must como to thee" He sprang
up and turned toward the apparition, but be-
fore he reached her he fell to the floor
Elsas cry OF distress had been heard in the
hail, where the people were still making
merry. When the brides father, followed by
the wedding guests. entered the room. he
found his children lying lifeless on the floor
Elsa came back to life, but the confused
words which she uttered while the fever kept
her for weeks on her bed nobody understood,
and when she was well again, and people
questioned her about the incidents of that hor-
rible night, she had not a word to say.
All efforts to restore the bridegroom to con-
seriousness were in vain. He had followed his
first love TO that silent place from which there
is no return Translated from the German
of Rudolf Baumbach by Mrs. Nathan Has
kell Dole for The Boston Transcript.