Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1891-07-23
THE GHOST BELL

1t is many years since i was quartered
with my regiment in Vienna. Among
my acquaintances there was u. young
nobleman in the Imperial Guard =
Baron Won Steingraff. A finer hearted
fellow could not be found in his ma
jesty's dominions nor better soldier
in his army. Frank and gay as a COM
panion, he was favorite with his own
sex. and good figure and good prop
erty, made him not unacceptable with
old mammas and young daughters.
Friedrich, however, seemed to be no
marrying man, though he had nothing
misogynistic in his nature. When our
friendship had grown into close lnti-
macy happened to banter him on the
subject of matrimony, but he assured
me he had resolved never to marry.
Not, said he, shat / have any dis
inclination to the matrimonial state. but
fate, cruel and memorable, has forbid
den me to enter it.
/ stared at him in silent surprise.
After u moment he told me how, when
q child, he had met gypsy woman,
from Bohemia, as he crossed wood
near the Schloss. She had stopped
him, looked into his hand and said:
Young herr, when You go to marry q
wife take heed. The way to Gods
altar lies through Gods acrel"
Welll' cried I, laughing, shat was
safe prophecy. A man cannot we'll
get to the church door unless he walks
through the church yard.
Friedrich shook his head. THAT was
not her meaning" said he, "but rather
that or she whom shall wish to make
my bride must die on the bridal day.
Therefore, I shall never marry"
He shiyered, turned pale, and added !:
And now, Hnuptman, let us never
speak of this again.
A year passed by and was far away
in the north of Germany when l got a
letter from Won Steingraff. 1t an
nounced his coming marriage with q
young lady of his own country. my
destiny" he wrote, what it may be [
must work out. could not resist my
passion for. my little Roeschen. So
come to me rs soon Is you can and who
knows but your happier Interpretation
OF the gypsy's prophecy may be the true
one?"
/ laughed heartily as / closed the
letter. The old story! Woman's
tongue had overcome mans resolve
pretty Roeschen had whipped the
withered gypsy from the field. And SO
saying packed for my journey, and
the morrow found me en- route.
At the close of a lovely autumn day
drove along the road between Salzburg
and st. Gilgen where it skirts the
picturesque little lake of Mondsee.
Not far from this stood the schloss of
my friend, built close to the ruins of a
suppressed monastery and sheltered by
a dark forest. Thither / worked my
way-but slowly for the approach was
steep and circuitous, and by the time /
reached the entrance and stood under
the heavy arches of the doorways the
sun had set and the great stone mass of
building was lying in the gloom. All
was quiet and the place seemed des-
erted. / knocked at the heavy door
and an aged servant appeared. / an
nounced myself and was informed that
the baron was deathly sick. On the
very day that he had written to me he
was Frustrated with serious illness
and he was now in the eighth day,
struggling with the deliripm of fever
The doctors declared the case to be
hopeless, but were in almost constant
attendance. One had just left aud had
said he would return as the crisis would
occur that very night.
/ determined, of course, to await the
issue, and in a few moments stood by
the bedside of my dearest friend and
looked down on poor shattered being,
with flushed face, burning lip and
glazed eye, tossing and raying, whose
hand was Unconscious Of my loving pres
sure. whose ear turned from words OF
affection.
From time to time I could distin-
guish words through his mutter-
ings, which told me how the Devil
dered spirit wrestled with horrible
phantoms. With appalling incongruity
he mingled the scenes Of the bridal
chamber and the charnel vault, now
calling ON his bride to wrap her grave
clothes about her, now bidding the
sexton pledge him skull of wine.
Terrible as all this was to hear and
painful to see, determined to watch
through the night, and the faithful old
butler begged TO remain also. Indeed,
felt so nervous and distressed that j
was glad of his company. When il
wanted bur two hours Of midnight
Friedrich fell into alethargic stupor. ]
left the bedside and went to sit by the
fire. Old Klaus threw on fresh log
and filled glass with Hungarian wine
from flask on the table. / noticed
that the old fellows hand trembled,
and his eyes were filed with tears. ]
spoke few words of comfort and he
aobbed aloud:
Alas! Herr Hauptman, my mind
misgives me sadly! / fear every mo.
ment that shall hear the dismal ring
ing Of the ghost dead bell!"
At this uncRnny title ] shiyered.
But what may that be ?" asked anx.
iously.
Aohl What an old fool T am.
forget sometimes; but forgive it.
But Klaus. said !, what did you
mean
Klaus bent toward me-, his old face
drawn with fear. sThe bell that rings
out the life Of every Won Steingraff,a
SAID be, with suppressed emotion.
4 suppose 4 looked both startled and I'M
tereated. and the old servant, glad q
sympathy and attention, continued in !
hnshad voice: Mayhap yon observed
yise monastery near ahs castle. Sir, q