The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-01-19

might have blooned on yet some little
time. 1t is always the first unexpected
frost which does the most harm, surpris-
ing us, as it often does, in muslin and
straw hats, before we have had time to
adjust our winter armor.
This particular frost made the usual
amount of havoc in the animal as well as
the vegetable world, and among other
calamities to be laid at its door were the
broken leg of an old man and the death Of
little girl.
Probably many other brittle old bones
snapped just about that same time, and
nosaoubt scores of little girls, and boys
toe. succumhed TO the effects Of ehills
caught at that period; such cases only so
to make up the usual average of deaths
and accidents, and are in nowise interest
ing to the general public. The two cases
have mentioned are only in so far in
feresting as having brought about the
meeting Of two young people living far
apart: for il neither of these events had
happened, or il they had not occurred
simultaneously, the chances are that Hugo
Weyprecht would never have met Clara
Elsinger, and consequently this story
would not have been written.
The ola man who broke his leg was the
confidential agent of the large commercial
house of Bilsenkraut Wolff q Co., at st.
Petersburg, and be broke it when hurry
ing over a crowded crossing. Slipping
his foot on one of the ppddles frozen over
night, he was run over by q passing omni-
bus, and brought home disabled for work
for good six weeks Co come
tsDencedly provoking, growled the
head of the establishment, when the acct
dent was reported TO him, and he was to
have started for K tomorrow, so as
to reach the place before the great market.
Gould not the fellow have contrived to
break his leg at some other time? And
there is not another man in the establish
ment who can manage this affair with
ability and discretion Honesty and
ability are both required here, and it is
rare indeed to find these two qualities
combined The honest ones are not clever
as 3 rule. and the clever ones are rarely
honest. Etay--there Is shat young Ger
man; be is young, to be sure, but know
him to be clever, and believe, nay, / am
almost sure, chat he is honest. He has q
good face--who knowsS The matter is
urgent and we may lose over a million
by delay and the great man rang little
bell which stood on his writing desk, with
the air of one who has taken an important
resolution.
s'Tell Hugo Weyprecht to speak to me
at once, was the order he gave, which
presently was obeyed.
Hugo Weyprecht was q tall young man
of about 20, and rather darker than Ger
mans usually are, with thoughtful brown
eyes and rare and somewhat melancholy
smile Like many Of his countrymen, he
suffered slightly from the national COM
plant of heinweh thome sickness), and,
despite four years residence in Russia,
stih felt himself to be an alien and an
exile in this strange land.
The conversation between the two lasted
fully an hour, but as the double doors
were closed there was no possibility Of
overhearing their talk. The great man
talked great deal, while the young one
answered from time to time shortly and to
the point, or put pregnant questions bear
ing on the subject Of his proposed mission.
His manner seemed to have favorably
suppressed his patron, for he said in con-
elusion.
II am aware that am acting rashly in
confiding such q weighty matter to you,
but have confidence, and ! like your
face, and should you prove yourself able
TO accomplish this to the satisfaction of
the firm, you may consider Your future
permanent post in one of our German
houses. I know it has long been your
wish to return TO your country. But you
viii require to have all your wits about
you; the country Is not over safe. Re-
member my directions, and above all, abb
Soiute silence and discretion"
Armed with various credentials in
the shape of letters and addresses,
and with q thick leather pock-
etbook buttoned up within his coat,
Hugo Weyprecht left the merchants
room, and twenty-foEr hours later was on
his way TO K----, town in Russian
Poland.
z The little girl whose death had happened
to coincide with the breaking of The agents
leg, was the daughter and only child of
Count and Countess F'roloff. wealthy
magnates living at their chateau, some
several score OF miles from the capital, in
a southern direction.
Clara Islsinger, young German girl Of
scarcely 10, had been governess to little
Olga; 1t was her first situation, and there
was no doubt shat fora beginner her lines
mad fallen in very pleasant places indeed.
1t had been quite an unlocked for chance
which had secured this enviable position
for the penniless German girl, and landed
her so many hundred miles away from
her own home la the depths of savage
Russia. Not longer than SIX months pre-
riously, Count Frolof and his wife, on
their way home TO Russia after wintering
In Paris, had been compelled to stop for a
week ct Stuttgart On account Of some
passing indisposition of the countess
While staying there it became necessary
TO dismiss the Partisan governess who &C
companied them, that elegant female hav-
ing been detested in some glaring breach
Of honesty or morality, and, casting about
for remplacante, the sweet face and cap
tivating manner Of Clara Elsinger had SO
taken the great lady's fancy that she en-
gagged her ON the spot, overcoming what
ever reluctance the girl might have felt TO
leaving her native land, by the assurance
of liberal salary.
And in truth this reluctance was of no
very powerful nature, no more than the
natural shrinking OF young 5ir1id crea-
ture to break WI the present and make
the plunge into totally new and unknown
surroundings She had no close home ties
TO make the wrench painful one, know
ing well that her absence would be rather
a relief than pang TO the querulous old
aunt who, out of mere sense Of duty,
had taken care Of her since she had been
an orphan. Fe