The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-06-07


village did ME che friendly service 10
tell me thak Xavier and Marie hid been
called ont three times from. the altar.
"At first 4 only ridicuIed the idea
but later I was convinced that IL was
only TOO true.
DO you seethat blade Of grass there
sir? Whichever way the wind blows
strongest, that way IL blows picture
OF b woman's heart. From that day ]
Lost my faith I'm humanity.
ssOh, but ii was o fearful blow 10 NAL
4 thought / was going to lose my mind
Only one thing seemed plain to me. /
must zee the miserable pair and avenge
myself.
t',The day ON which they were TO be
married / was ON my way home. ! had
asked for mo- furlough. / had thought OF
none. AL unwittingly / had become q
deaerter.
AT last / was within sight OF my
goal. Already I could hear the church
bells ringing and shuddered at their
tones. They were the funeral knell OF
my FOOLS happiness. Oh, how / longed
for wingsl Perhaps ! could get there
yet and stop this horrible thing. and
then But, no; strength failed me. My
limbs were like lead, and only with
difficulty could I drag myself along.
When ! reached the church, ] was
too late. The bridal procession was just
coming ont. / can see them now as il it
had happened only yesterday. Oh, that
O thunderbolt had fallen from heaven
and transfixed them all! But, ali, mol
The sun mp there shone brighter than
ever, the birds sang in the great linden
trees, and underneath them the village
musicians struck mp o lively waltz
ssIt was rs IL everything had con-
spired together to mock me. / could
bear 1t no longer. In O rage / picked
mp q stone from the road and dashed to-
ward Xavier. One shrek, then another
and then oil was still.
"You killed him?'' said ], Mortified
KILLED him? A fortnight later |
found myself imprisoned in . fortress
Today, by particular favor of the kaiser,
I am again free--a ragged amt hunter.
And Xavier? Do you see. sir, that big
house over there? IL is the finest in the
neighborhood. There my brother lives
with his wife and several children. Be
hold the righteous reward which heaven
metes Quit Vengeance Ii his, our pas.
tor would tell Us. Can n be surprised
that ] have lost my faith?''
The amt hunter pressed his hat low
upon his forehead, grufiy babe me
goodby, then struck into the path among
the bushes ON our left which led over
. | stony hillside to an isolated farmhouse,
where he hoped, without doubt. to dis
pose of his curious wares.
Lost in thought, I picked my way
along the rough path to the village
whose church steeples were reflected IN
every direction by the glowing rays O
the sun, which, In its setting, looket
like O magnificent carbuncle.
Slowly and laboriously the dark shad
ows climbed from the valley up tn
mountain. But no sweet refreshing
breeze announced the approach of even
ing. A sultry, oppressive heat huns
over the entire region, and a black cloud
like q chariot drawn by invisible horses
|, came up in the farthest west as the ad
vance guard of q menacing storm.
8. is one Of those pretty little village
which these high mountains hide by tn
hundred among their valleys. It's Ian
) gest building, next TO the church, il II
tavern, which offers the friendliest I
/ hospitality. Upon its sign is blazoned
II 1~~sa ST. &vrA~wn ruV40ynnn% n% ELI
Alps--as yet, alas, q mythical creature
As / entered the public room in 70
t comfortable negligee there upon the Ger
ter table was already burning the pt
troleum lamp-an article now to |
found in every peasants hut. BY o CO.
: ner table sat several peasants, with the
beer mugs before them / stepped pa
: them toward an open window and lool
& ed out.
It had already grown very dark, an
d the whole heavens, as far ~ the ey
r could reach, were enveloped in blat
a dangerous looking clouds. Every no
and then there would be q bright fai
ON the farthest horizon where the mou1
tain peaks kissed the clouds, and tht
~ WOulu GOAAG % 1E1pAA1SC - A0Wf ANN
growls from unfathonable abysses.
Scarcely 10 minutes later q wild hu
n ricane was in full blast. Heavy dro
fell pattering upon the ground. Ligh
D ming flashes came thick and fast, al
from the church tower pealed forth Il
storm bell.
D. The barroom door creaked ON ]
) hinges, and q man, bent and drippil
If with rain, appeared within IL. Witho
it q word he stepped, In and retir
o quickly to d dark corner. II was the q
hunter.
/. The landlady sat by the stove q
nc Knit. Only from time 20 time, IS an
20 pecially binding fash would she
across the heavens, would she let b
re- work fall I'm her lap and make quick
III the sign OF the cross. She had indie
noticed the new guest, but evident
be- did not think him worthy Of q seco
glance.
ut "a drami.' said the ant hunter roue
". The landlady knit industriously I
"A dramr' came more violently frt