The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1895-12-12

an adventmer, one who might possibly
dine and order expensive wines, leaving
her to face an angry landlord While
dinner was being prepared she told me
she was in the greatest distress, had not
even single Heutzer to pay postage,
and, worst Of all, was owing for two
weeks board She had no means to fly,
no place to fly to, and if she remained
incarceration awaited her.
She had for weeks been writing ev.
erywhere to every one she had known,
former lovers, distant but long neglect
ed relatives. The resplt-dead silence,
no response from anywhere. She at last
was alone, caught in the worlds great
snare, with no friendly hand to shei-
ter or to save. It was sight to read
this woman's face There swept over it
all the conflicting waves of regrets oves
might have beens and the gloomy shades
OF despair. Both proprietor and waiter
appeared to set the table; it was for
one, but wineglasses for two were
brought unsolicited They were offs
ciously anxious to please "your high
ness, " as they christened me.
The countess sat looking gloomily out
Of the window across the Rhine, while
watched her face until an infinite pity
for the shipwrecked soul filed my mind.
Diminishing the waiter, went to the
window, and, standing by her chair, l
said, Don't worry any more, countess
will pay your bill" At the sane
time, drawing from an inner pocket a
book crammed with notes, I placed sew
en- 100 thaler notes in her lap, saying,
''This one is for your board bill, and the
other six are for your pocket money" l
need not attempt to picture her amaze
ment and delight. Certainly no woman
was ever more grateful We had long
conversation, and was talking to her
like brother. Perhaps had she still
been beautiful and young my manner
and language might have been less
brotherly. told her she had danced and
sung, but at last the time had come for
toll, and suggested she should go to
Brussels, which is ever thronged with
tourists, where her knowledge Of Ian
guages and her SAVIOR faire could be
made available in one Of the many shops
where gimcracks are sold to travellers. ]
advised her to offer small premium for
position. This she said she would do
In saying goodby promised to see
her again the next night, but I found a
telegram awaiting me on my arrival at
my hotel which called me to meet two
Of my companions at Calais, and was
forced to leave by an early train. The
next time I saw the countess was in
Newgate. She visited me there and
was in perfect despair over my position
and her inability to serve me. For those
who may care to know more Of her
| will say that, following my advice, she
went to Brussels and obtained posi-
ton in tourist exchange and within a
year married the proprietor, who was a
councilman and man of considerable
local Importance. She made him good
wife and became true mother to his
five daughters. When he died he made
her guardian both Of them and of his
wealth. She became very religious and
| to the last was devout member Of the
Roman church. She died in 1885, 1a
years after the episode at Bieberich. He1
ashes rest in the little graveyard Of the
Convent DIES Seurs de Ste. Agnes, on
the Charleroi road, two miles from the
city, and on her monument is engraved
TO ELIZABETH,
~ Dbl \