The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-03-08
Written

Heinrich, If ne wants me. but AS for
Herr Martersteig. I'LL despise him.
Poor Minna. The end of her speech
died away foOlishly in a choking sob.
| and her eyes flushed with tears. At
this moment couple entered the
room. One was lady. richly dressed
in black, heavily yelled, wearing three
Herr Martersteig. They seated them
chant and his niece. Minna's back
was turned to them, and Herr Wachs-
muth was 80 astOnished and disturbed
! by the girls Outbl eak that for a mo-
men. he did not notice the newcomers.
For moment. too, Martersteig was
! oblivious OF the presence of Minna
and her uncle: he was busying himself
| with the disposal of his companions
wraps and sachel, and had not vet
glanced about him. In another mo-
ment, however. he and the wine mer-
chant looked up and saw each other.
Herr Wac 1smuth's eyes were still
rounded t. their full extent. AMI filled
| with sympathetic pain. Martersteig
| saw that Minna held her head down, as
though stunning public observation,
and had her handkerchief in her hand
He crossed over to her at once, and
stood in some perplexity beside her
chair.
Alex" blurtcd out Herr Wachs-
! muth, what is the matter between
you and Minna:"
Il trust nothing" returned Marter-
steig, bending upon Minna u look full
| of most tender sOlicitude
But Minna had started instantly into
self-pOssession on hearing the exclama-
ton OF her uncle, and she said in u low
voice, quite calmly and very decidedly.
II beg you to leave us, Herr Marter-
steig; and | have no wish ever to see
you again"
DO you wish me to leave you if |
have done you no wrong3"
"4Cu have done me Il wrong"
May | present to you q friend?'
Horn Mart 3rsteig.'
You will not be SO unreasonable as
to condemn a man unheard. You will
permit me to tell brief story before
you make your judgment final" Mar
tersteig glanced at his companion; still
yelled. she sat. slowly tanning herself:
he st ated himself at the table with
Ainna and her uncle, and told his story.
I'm GOttingen | had u most intimat,
friend, u Russian named Garcinski
He was ID when he came to the uni
versity. slender. and girlish in figure.
but o. strong mind and indomitaDle
spirit. Several of his fellow student,
undertook to guy him; he challenged
ono after another. and punished them
all with such severity that he wa,
never guycd aftc; ward. lie was the
best swOrtlsman | ever saw. IN the
thre, years e our cOmpani0nship in
Gottinyen he fought seventy duels
with the scillager. and never received
scratch. 1t was a saying that the
STRIPPING had wrist of iron and feared
no man. One feature of his physical
makeup was in singular contrast to all
the rest He had dark beard of
strong fiber and thick and rapid growth.
He shaved twice a day. and his chin
bore always that blue black color which
marks the shaven faces of heavily
bearded men. He fretted a great deal
about his strong beard. FOR three
years there was nothing in Garzinski
different from what | have outlined.
He left GOttingen year before | did.
| was gricved to part with him. He
was a brave man, a rare scholar, q
fascinating companion, IA true friend.
l next saw Garzinski on the Trave, the
ship which brought us both to Ameri-
ca. A wOman-the woman YOU sec
sitting at that table Introduced her.
self to rpe as ny old friend, my amiable
companion, the STRIPPING With the
wrist of iron who feared no man. You
smile? No, you wonder: SO did I. He
would give me but one Point CT insor-
nation regarding himself: he was a
Russian spy. | have met him two,
since our arrival. once at the Ambery
Theatcr, Once tonight at the Arion.
Why he Is in wO:ran's clothes | do not
know. He NAV bc wise: he may be
mad The fact is amazins-out of
gear with tho reason of our surround
ings-a violence to the oder ard the
common sense of the nineteenth con-
! tury outside of Russia. Louis
The name was 80 softly pronounced
rs to be audible only to the wine mer-
chant and his niece and to the rerson
| to whom it was addres,ed-the woman
with the thee roses. She folded her
fan and. rising. approached Martcr-
steiS and stood beside him.
Permit me" said Martcrsteig. 10
! present to you my friends. the Herr
Wachsmuth, the fraulien Wachsmu.h,
| his NICE
The woman with the three roses
seated herself, and for five minutes
converscd vivaciou,ly and brilliantly
| with the wine merchant and his niece:
then excused herself and rose to 70
| Her voice was low and gentle: so far as
that went. it might have been the
voice OF man or woman. but in part
ing she accepted glass of champagne.
aud raising her veil slightly to drink
| it srhaps the revelation was pur-
posed-expo.ed for a moment heavily
bearded, newly raZored. blue-b lac X
chin.
CHATTER IL.
| For some time after the departure OF
GarZinSki the wine merchant ana his
niece and Nartersteig sat in silen;
med itation. They We're aroused from
it by the entrance OF an int esting pair
| o. revclers-D me other than HeiEric b
ana the pretty cnamhermaid. If Louisa
lad suffered when she beheld tleinrie. i
[, precariously supporting his cou> in
front of the box occupied by the woman
with the three roses. he hal n,w ap-
oa~ently forgotten her SORROW She
looked very peaceful. Y -ry smiling. very