The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-25
A SWISS LOVE STORY.

daughter Marie.
lonely home you would have thought
IL. hut the fir trees that walled so in your
ears whispered good cheer to Marie
When fierce winds came rushing down
the mountain side she knew the trees
would bend their tall heads together and
Irvine their strong arms around her home.
until, robbed Of his victim, the baiIled
storm rushed by.
When morning broke. the same friends
stood erect and stately, drawing aside
their leaves and branches, that the sun
beams might not lingcr in their soft en-
braces but hasten down to awaken their
favorite, Marie.
Very lovely was the little Swiss maid,
with violet eyes that now danced and
sparkled and then grew soft and tender as
little child's Two rose rcd lips shut i'm
her pcarly teeth. and when she smiled n
tiny dimplc danced for Il moment Oh her
peachy check. Her hair clung in carcss;ny
curls around her low white forehead and
fell in ripplcs of golden sunshine far below
her slender waist. And her voice Ali
that was Alaric's greatest charm. Soft and
clear, not II discordant note MARRIED its
sweet, pure harmony. Sometimes as she
Gang at her evening dcvotions the herds
men far below in the valley catchin., faint
notes of her song, looked up and crossed
themselves, half believing they heard the
echo of an angel choir.
But very few knew of Maries beauty.
For when she went with her mother on
one of her rare visits to the hamlet below
she brushed her wavy hair straight and
smooth back from her forehead, and braid
ed it III long, stiff paits, which fell down
her back
Her eyclids, with their curtains of long,
silky lashes, dropped over her dancing ewes
until one looked In vain for IL glimpse of
their beauty. Her red lips shut firmly over
her pearly teeth, while the limple hid itself
resolutcly away from sight. And her sweet
voice, frightened ut its own sound so far
from home, grew faint and husky, until
in this shrinking, sober damsel. walking
so tmidly beside the Widow Neur, YOU
would have found it hard to recognize tho
beautiful Marie of the mountain.
So it happened that only her mother and
one other person knew how good and sweet
and how fair Marie was
THIS other was II stranger who came
from faraway country and spent his
summers in little house on the noun
tain's very top.
The simple villagers called him ''the
wizard," and told strange tales Of how he
'IN"o W CiS iiSHlS EstSlliS ~ IIc HcikNCIlS
through long tube that he could fore
tell to an hour when the sun would cover
itself with darkness; but strangest of all
he had little wire stretched for miles
over nils and valleys to the great city.
This wire talked to him in n queer language
which no orc else could understand
Tick, tick, tickety, tick" it said, and it
told him things that happened miles and
miles away
Marie did not know how wise the wizard
was when he came to her home one morn.
ing and asked for drink of water.
He followed her to the spring when she
went for 1T, and stopped 10y the way to
break open curious stone. He showed
Marie how queerly marked it was inside,
and then told her n story about it, The
usually timid maiden was so interested she
forgot to he frightened, and thus IL strong
friendship between the two WAS begun
After this the wizard often came to the
widows chalet for rest and refreshment on
his long rambles and Marie unconsciously
revealed her charms to him, one by one,
until long before the first summer was
ended the stranger knew that no girl in
all the canton could be compared with
Marie
On the other side OF the mountain from
the Widow Neur's home lived another
widow. She, too, had but one child-a son
who WAS the pride and delight of her life.
This was the brave young hunter and
guide, Gustavus Friel.
Every one knew and liked Gustavus
He was tall straight and handsome, with
flashing brown eyes and laugh as frank
rs child's; he WAS the fnvoritc Of the can
ton. and there was not Il girl within its
bounds who would not have been proud To
plight her troth with him.
Gustavus, however, cared little for the
Obgadin maidens. He would far rather
chase the chamos up the mountain side
or guide travellers through its dangerous
passes than spend his time with the finest
of the maids of the hamlet
His mother often said MY sou, when
wilt thou bring me home ii daughter and
myself IL wife,"
And Gustavus, smiling and pressing n
kiss on her forehead, would answer:
when | find maid MS good as thee.
mother: but want no idle, shrill voiced
wife to disturb our quiet home"
But one day his mother said more sadly
and seriously than ever before:
"Gustavus, am growing old and feeble.
can no longer make and mend thy clothes
and keep our home. Thou must have "A
wife. Promise me at the fcte next week
thou wilt choose one FROM uuurIg the maid
ems there"
N"H."'uS reluctantly gave the desired
promise. but it weighed heavily upon him.
He could think of nothing else, and the
more lie pohdered the heavier Ills heart
grew.
At last he seized his gun and went out
on the mountain, but the perplexing CUES
ton followed him, until in despair he
threw himself OH the ground groaning,
"Oh, that some wise man would make this
choice for mcn'
moment after he looked up and saw,
as II in answer To his wish, the wizard AZ.