The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1894-06-05

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didn't agree so badly with me either, for
1 grew to be such big fellow as
couldn't be matched in the neighbor-
hood.
81 think for one while there WASH t
village fair in the vicinity where 1
didn't play the rowdy This would have
been a pretty bad state of affairs If it
had lasted long, but an end soon came
to it-an end which l would gladly
have exchanged for an honest stab in a
tavern brawl. 1t happened thus:
''Can you see, sir, that old tumble
down hut over there between those two
larches? Twelve years ago that was the
home Of an old day laborer. 1t Is easy
| to be seen that wealth had no place
there, but the house was kept by Marie,
the old mans daughter-a girl so pref
ty that the angels in heaven might have
rejoiced to look at her What wonder
was it that / often stopped to chat with
her over the fence or fasten a nosegay
IN her bodice on my way home?
well, the summer passed away, and
when winter came on, raw and cold,
4
among the mountains, still something
drew me irresistibly to those old paths,
and I could not let single day go by
without seeing Marie.
"Her father saw how matters were
going, but he made no objections. For
while he knew that was a wild sort
of scamp he did not believe there was
anything really bad in me- And he was
not mistaken.
1.-THE time came at last when I must
acquaint my father with the state of at
fairs. Oh, but you should have seen,
sir, the storm it raisedl 1t had never
entered into my lovesick brain that Ma
RE was the daughter Of poor peasant
The old man was stubborn, and equal
ly So For six whole weeks did not sit
down to meal with him. Xavier in
the meanwhile was all devotion. And
he was right-my noble brother-for
was l not making my choice between
Marie and my share Of the property?
':Just then it seemed as if heaven IT.
self meant to spoil his calculations. The
dreaded day for the military draft came
on. l had the year before drawn the
lucky number which exonerated me
from service. 1t was now Xayier's turn
to try the wheel of fortune
He drew blank, and unless a sub
stitute should be provided he must with
in few days join the army.
MY father was inconsolable. A sub
stitute was no easy thing to obtain, es-
/ kIo ,e,l 81 n Of
ominous portents, and any day might
come the news that war had been de-
clared.
"a thought flashed through my mind.
swallowed my pride on the instant
and once more entered the old mans
presence.
:" Father, said !, if you will give
your consent to my marriage with
Marie, l will be Xavier's substitute.
"Three days later | was wearing the
kaiser's green uniform.
The ant hunter stopped for an instant
and looked about him.
''It is a beautiful little bit Of earth,
this fatherland, he went on to say,
land l have always loved it. My grand
father gave his life for it. He was killed
In the year 1909 in a battle with the
French He little dreamed, good man,
that grandson Of his would cover his
untarnished name with disgrace, and
shut up in fortress as a cowardly be-
trayer of his prince curse the day that
ever he was born.
"And can you imagine, sir, who
brought me there2 A miserable scoun-
drel, the offscouring of humanity May
the earth swallow him up, and God
curse himi By heaven, was not bad,
but they were bound to have me So and
the one who can most congratulate him
self on his success Is no other than Xa-
vier, my precious brother Xavierl
at was not enough that he had
robbed me Of my fathers heart He
must take from me that for which ] had
sacrificed roy freedom.
Through what deviltry he managed
it / could never find out Suffice it to
say, l had been scarcely six months In
the army when a fellow from my native
village did me the friendly service to
tell me that Xavier and Marie had been
called out three times from the altar.
AT first / only ridiculed the idea,
but later I was convinced that it was
only too true.
''Do you see that blade Of grass there,
sir2 Whichever way the wind blows
strongest, that way 1t blows-a picture
of woman s heart From that day
lost my faith in humanity.
"Oh, but 1t was fearful blow to mel
/ thought was going to lose my mind.
Only one thing seemed plain to me. /
must see the miserable pair and avenge
myself
1.-The day on which they were TO be
married was ON my way home. l had
asked for no furlough. had thought Of
none All unwittingly / had become a
deserter.
cat last was within sight of my
goal Already l could hear the church
bells ringing and shuddered at their
tones They were the funeral hnell of
my FOOLS happiness Oh, how longed
for wingsl Perhaps l 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 drag myself along.
when l reached the church, was
too late. The bridal procession was just
coming out. can see them now as If it
had happened only yesterday Oh, that
a thunderbolt had fallen from heaven
and transfixed them ALI But alb, moi
The sun up there shone brighter than
ever, the birds sang in the great linden
trees, and underneath them the village
musicians struck up lively waltz
ut was as If everything had con-
spired together to mock me. could
bear it no longer. In a rage 1 picked
up stone from the road and dashed to-
ward Xavier One shrek, then another
and then all was still. "
"You killed him?' said !, Mortified
KILLED him? A fortnight later l
found myself imprisoned In a fortress
Today, by particular favor of the kaiser,
/ am again free--a ragged ant hunter
And Xavier? Do you see, sir, that big
house over there? 1t is the finest in the
neighborhood. There my brother lives
with his wife and several children. Be-
hold the righteous reward which heaven
metes outl Vengeance is his, our pas
tor would tell us. Can one be surprised
that | have lost my faith2'
The ant hunter pressed his hat low
upon his forehead, gruffiy babe me
goodby, then struck into the path among
the bushes on our left which led over a
stony hillside to an isolated farmhouse.
where he hoped, without doubt, to dis
pose Of his curious wares.
Lost in thought, picked my way
along the rough path to the village
whose church steeples were reflected In
every direction by the glowing rays of
the sun, which, IN its setting, looked
like magnificent carbuncle.
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