Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1894-07-05
WOODBURY. N. J, THURSDAY, JULY s. 1879

Forgive me, sirp' said he, with sar-
prising quietness. ''The miserable busi-
ness belongs to years gone by. I never
like to stir it up, but as you have been
SO kind would not have you get a
wrong impression Of me, SO listen and
despise me if you can
He packed up his implements, threw
his sack over his shoulder and started
on his way.
''I'm bound for s - said L care
You going the same way?"
''The same, sir, whichever way you
90. / am everywhere-or rather, no.
where-at home.
We walked on and soon entered again
the magnificent wood But its beauty
found me Indifferent now. was all abb
sorbed in the mysterious man at my
side, whose eyes were fixed intently
upon the messy earth.
"You were going to tell me your sto-
ry," said l, taking up the conversation
where we had left off
''I was going to-yes. But really,
now, I'm almost sorry l said SO. How
ever, I promised, and must keep my
word. for somehow you're different
from the rest
He struck match and lighted his
pipe, which he had already filed with
my tobacco.
Zone would never think, to look at
me now," said he after few pulls at
his pipe, ''that was the son of a rich
farmer. All, truly, time can do strange
things with men! My father-blessed
be his memory-was wrong when he SO
often said nearly 80 years ago, that his
wild boy wouldn't live to see many
years. I've seen only too many Of themi
'"There was my brother Xavier-an
entirely different sort Of fellow-my ex-
act opposite. While I wandered the
whole day long in the woods he would
sit porting over books thick with dust
even in our grandfathers' day which he
found in the garrett.
''In the catechism he stood at the
head. The pastor had not met SO indus
trious boy in years
"And I? Oh, 1 was a good for moth
ing, who deserved a whipping every
dayi I got it often enough, too, and it
didn't agree SO badly with me either, for
I grew to be such big fellow as
couldn't be matched in the neighbor-
hood.
II think for one while there wasn't
village fair in the vicinity where /
didn't play the rowdy. This would have
been pretty bad state of affairs if it
had lasted long, but an end soon came
to it-an end which I 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 pret-
ty that the angels in heaven might have
rejoiced to look at her What wonder
was 1t that l 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,
and l had no excuse for wandering
among the mountains, still something
drew me irresistibly to those old paths,
and I could not let single day 60 by
without seeing Marie.
"Her father saw how matters were
going, but he made no objections For
while he knew that was wild sort
of a scamp he did not believe there was
anything really bad in me. And he was
not mistaken.
''The time came at last when must
acquaint my father with the state of af-
fairs. Oh, but you should have seen,
sir, the storm it raisedi It had never
entered into my lovesick brain that Ma
rie 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 1 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
0n. had the year before drawn the
lucky number which exonerated me
from service. 1t was now Xavier's turn
to try the wheel Of fortune.
HE drew blank, and unless 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-
pecially as the very air seemed full of
ominous portents, and any day might
come the news that war had been de-
clared
"a thought flashed through my mind.
I swallowed my pride ON the instant
and once more entered the old mans
presence.
Father, said I, if you will give
your consent to my marriage with
Marie, 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 I have always loved it. My grand
father gave his life for it. He was killed
in the year 1909 in 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 there? A miserable scoun-
drel, the offscouring of humanityl May
the earth swallow him up, and God
curse himl 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 Xayierl
lit was not enough that he had
robbed me Of my fathers heart. He
must take from me that for which had
sacrificed my freedom.
Through what deviltry he managed
1t could never find out. Suffice it to
say, had been scarcely six months in
the army when 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.