Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-08-13
THE BLACK BOX.

It was in the depth of dark and
dreary winter. But it was in the
middle Of warm and beautiful
summer when the deed was done.
AS yet ! am not alluding to any
thing mysterious at all, but at the
same time am very anxious to
explain how 1t was that I, humble
and not altogether solitary English
man. found myself located in the
Hotel Drei .Liebchen at Annanas-
berg.
I was travelling alone one summer
time, full of health and uncommonly
full of spirits, and / rashly got out of
the Rhine steamer at Annanasberg
in order to pay a flying visit to a
miniature Paris, hedged round with
avenues and consecrated to the mill
/ tary, and deliver some letters of in
PRODUCTION to an enthusiastic English
engineer, who was doing his best to
make the stolid Germans energetic,
and make fortune during the un-
enviable process.
Strange to say, he took to me.
There was no beating about the
bush. We were friends at once, and
a few hours after my credentials
were read and thrown asiie, | found
myself walking with my drm in his
toward that cozy and hospitable
mansion in which he lived, and
where he had introduced that de
lightful home feeling, and those
pleasant family associations, so dsar
to the English--so strange to the
foreign mind.
Here was a miniature English
home planted in a strange land, and
I can tell you it was by no means OBJ
jectionable to enjoy my cut of joint
under his mahogany in tie company
of men worth talking to and women
decidedly worth admiring
/ / am now gradually nearing the
point. Before the next sun sank my
portmanteau was moved from the
hotel to my friends house, and the
| first night ! slept under his hospi-
table roof / was dreaming, strange
to say, of his daughter.
There was no help for it. 1t was
the very place of all others to make
love in. 1t was the very weather OF
all weather for the operation.
A house surrounded by wilder
ness of varied trees overarching one
another, and making love in their
quaint and fanciful fashion; Lake
at the end of the garden full of desc
late weeds, and owning q crazy old
boat; soft croquet lawn for the
more worldly, and bright flowers fol
the lovers of nature; a sun which
perpetually cleaned upon the warm,
white house, and laughter forever
ringing out of it-surely such q
place as this was the one Of all others
to make love in.
They called her Annabel, and
called her 80 first on the brightest OF
all the moonlight nights, when hall
q dozen of us had been frightening
the girls in the shIvbbery, and we
found ourselves alone-I deny that
it was accident-by the gloomy lake,
There we were. The one word
Annabel came trembling from my
lips, and the one look which her ar.
swering eyes gave me persuaded ms
that / had not made a mistake.
We were engaged, and few day.
after / left for England with all ths
parental difficulties got over--tbt
husband that was to be Of as true
and sensible and as pure a womar
| as ever fell to young fellows lot.
This was in the summer time, ant
at midwinter / found myself, O
course, at the Drei Liebchen at An
annasberg.
1t was a bitterly cold winter, but ]
needed it not. The thoughts of see
ing her again almost warmed me-
My excitement to get away from
London was tremendous. was
bound for Germany and my love,
NY holiday was short, but under the
circumstances where in the whole
world could it bo better spent9
And what with sleeping and smok
ing and dreaming and thinking and
fdgeting and longing, arrived
after midnight at the Drei Liebchen
1t was too late to present myself
ut the white house. Besides, l was
not presentable. l was dirty, un
shaven and woebegone from con
stant travelling. A quiet night a
the hotel thought the best plan
that / might present myself spiel
and span the next morning.
Such precautions as these shoult
never be forgotten. The female
mind is generous but susceptible
and this susceptibility not unfre
quently conquers generosity. l de
termined To be on the right side O