Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-07-27


muring:
"Iacharias, Zacharas. you will be the
happiest of men. You will be the hus-
band of the most lovely girl in the world"
At this thought the good man seated
himself, elated with hope; he remained
more than an hour, dreaming, with elbows
leaning upon the window, hearing the
frogs chant in the moonlight down in the
silent valley.
At last, toward one o'clock in the morn
ing he retired, and slept like a soul in
bliss.
At this time of the year the mountain
GERS of Harberg of Kusnacht, and other
near hamlets descended the mountains be-
fore day5reak to cut the tall grass of the
valley. In the distance, one could hear
their monotonous chants, accompanied in
cadence by the circular movements of their
scythes, and the laughing voices of the
young girls and young men.
But Master Iacharias heard nothing of
this, for he was sleeping with all his soul,
when tap upon the window awOke him
suddenly.
He listened and heard outside a "Hush
Hush spoken quite low, so low that it
seemed like the nesting of a bird How
ever the heart of the good man trembled.
"What is that?' said he to himself.
After long silence, a voice. low and
tender, said:
Charlotte. Charlotte! 1t is L."
Iacharias trembled, and as he listened,
he heard again the tap upon the pane.
Then the indignant old man arose, and
opened the window.
BE not afraid, Charlotte" said the
voice. 81 have come to bring YOU good
To- fat lar Will Ia. har TO
Receiving no response, he said. "Where
are you, Charlotte?"
"Here l am, said the old man, stepping
forward in the moonlight, quite pale, and
looking at his rival.
He was a handsome young fellow. tall,
slender, with large black eyes, brown face
and red lips, shaded with slight mus
tache. The apparition of Iacharias had
so astonished him that he remained mo-
tionless, and as the Judge raised his voice,
he said: "ln the name of heaven, do not
cry out! | am not a thief. ! love Char
lOtte,"
"And-she-she?" said Iacharias.
"She loves me, also Oh, you have
nothing to fear, if you are one of her rela-
tiyes. We were aflianced at the fcte of
Kusnacht"
"Yeri-Yeri Foerster-has not spoken
of it to me-"
"No, he does not yet know tina. we are
attianced," said the other in less assured
! tone. when / asked his permission, last
| year, ne told me to wait, as his daughter
was too young. Then-we pledged our
| selves privately. But as | have not Foer-
| ster's consent, have not visited her.
| see her only at the town on market days.
| The time appeared so long to us that at
last ! revealed all to my father. He has
/ promised to see Yeri tomorrow, and l
| knew this would give Charlotte so much
/ pleasure that | could not refrain. when so
near, from coming to announce to her the
! good news"
The poor judge sank upon chair and
| covered his face with both hands, lost in
| grief. Oh, how he suffered, What bitter
| thoughts traversed the soul of this good
man! What a sad denouement after so
many and such sweet hopes As for the
young mountaineer he was not treasured
| by this silence; he leaned against the win
| dow, his arms crossed upon his chest, real
| izing the necessity of gaining the good
will, if possible. of this relative of Char
| lotte.
At the end of a few minutes, /acharas,
raising his head, as though aroused from a
dream, demanded:
"What is your Nance"
Karl lmant, monsieur
"What is your standings
my father hopes to obtain for me his
! place, as guard-forester of Grinderwald."
| There was a long silence: Zacharias re-
! garded this young man with an envious
eye.
'She loves you very much?" said he in
broken voice.
"Oh. yes, monsieur, we love each 9TH
er very muchn'
Then the judge, looking down sadly up
on his thin limbs, and upon his hands,
rdged with large veins, murmured, YES.
she must love him. He is young-he is
| handsome
His head dropped, dejectedy. Sudden
/ ly he arose and stepped to the window.
Young man. said he, 'you have done
wrong. You should have gained the con-
sent of Yer Forester. But go-you shall
hear IRON me-"
The young mountaineer did not let him
repeat the command. He sprang into the
path and disappeared behind the trees in
the direction of the young harvesters.
Poor poor Iacharias" - murmured the
good man. "Behold all thine illusions
taking flight
He returned to his bed, sobbing and
drawing over his head the covering that he
might not be heard
Toward seven o'clock, having regained a
little composure, and having bathed his
face, he descended to the large breakfast
room, where Yeri Forester, his wife and
Charlotte were awaiting him.
The old man, turning his eyes from the
young peasant girl, advanced toward the
guard and said to him:
MY friend, | would like to ask favor
of you. You know the son of the guard
forester of Grinderwald, do you not?'
'Karl Imant, monsieur"
''He is a very handsome youth-and /
believe of good morals"
81 think so, too, Monsieur Seller"
docs he possess all the qualifications
requisite to succeed his father?"
Eyes. He is twenty-one. He knows
the management OF forest and the ma
ture of the wood. HI can read and write.
But all this is not sufiicient,-he must
have some patronage"
"Ah, well, Master Yeri, have some in
| fuence in the higher administration of the
waters and forests. In two or three weeks,
Karl Imant shall be guard-forester of
Grinderwald, and l ask of you the hand of
Charlotte for this brave and worthy