The record-union., 1895-07-27

them now:
"Miller's Moidl seeking the edelwess!
and who but you know her haunts?
Truly you. Jakob Schmidt, have been
sent all this way on purpose to find her.
Have not you two wandered hand in
hand many a time up the mountain Wilds
in search Of the edelweiss-proud bios
som of the hights?"
Then l slipped my arms free of the
straps, and, leaving my pack on the
bench, rushed out OF the stube and up
the hill towards S. as though the devil
was after me.
Before l reached the village, however,
struck off to the lett up wild, little
used pathway, which led, within a half
hour, to sleeps greater than most persons
care to attempt. There the path came to
an end-nothing could keep me back. and
thought not OF fatigue. Did the stones
roll from under my feet, then l caught at
the bushes and chung, hanging, II need
be, till my footing was again sure. Time
for caution there was none, and truly,
the holy angels of God must have kept
me that day from falling! For that way
had ever been known as death 10 the un
wary climber; indeed rude cross still
marks the spot where years before old
hunter Johann fell over. An hour had
passed ere L stopped short, near great
OverhangIng rock. And why did | stoop.
and peer SO anxlOusly about, and then
groan III agony of soul? Ach, great COD!
all was plain now; Moidl had been that
way. For who but Moidl had plucked
every blossom in that. our tavorite nook?
Not one edelweiss left, ana. surer proof.
a little wilted plant! She had pulled it
up by mistake and flung it TO one side.
And-ach, oh, my God! there was but
one place beyond where the edel-
weiss grew-and = God have pity! she
needed me. Moidl alone could mover
reach down to it without fallingi How
many and many time had | held her
back and gathered the furthest off now-
ers myself-but | gave them all to her.
Believe me, Herr Pastor, many happy
hour we spent thus together, and Moidl
had saved a snug sum; it was for her
wedding kirtle she said. She sold the
edelWeiss down at the railway station to
travellers over the Bremen road, like
yourself. sir, and such fine ones as we
found would have gone quickly, even
though not offered by pretty Moidl.
But to return-"IO the ledge! To the
Iedgen was the cry, and had the devil
verify been at my heels L could not have
reached it sooner. My breath came in
gasps, and cold as it was with the near
breath of snow and the glacier, | could
feel on my brow the drops of sweat
spring out, then trickle down my face.
| threw myself flat on the ground and
slowly pulled me afterwards, still cling
ing fast to the rocky ledge. L was head
and shoulders overland then-ach,
great Heaven! what did I then see
Nothing nothing at all, Herr Pastor.
For my head was in a Whirl, and | was
so all OF a tremble that l could not see
only feel.
1t was as though something pierced my
heart again and again. [ seemed sinking
head hrst downWards, saster and faster,
into a bottomless pit. How many min
utes 1 lay thus prone upon the earth,
clutching the rocky ledge, with every
thing swimming around me, l know not,
good sir, but by slow degrees it began to
clear; first | saw bush, so near | could
almost grasp it-then a rocky perpendic-
ular, extending many feet below me,
with here slight projection, there an in
dentation, where bit of green growth
had succeeded in lodging itself. Nothing
more-till-God have pity on me-so dis
tinct-so cruelty clear-ach. the horror Of
it, And 1t Is here now, kind sir, here
pictured on my brain. 1t will reEiain as
long as life. Nothing but death can
efface it. Truly, this poor sketch is
nothing TO it! And yet, too. SO like
Moidl!
How 1 nerved myself to make that per-
ilous descent God alone knows Was it
J
her still. Truly l shall never cease to
love her dear memory! What indeed
but IoVe-and hope, VaInest of phan-
toms-did then bear me up? What else
could have guided me around the dangers
of that terrible way? 1t was not q great
distance, but Ii was G cirouitOus route,
which brought me finally on to a flat
projection OF rock--and there-just as
you see her here did [ find her-sus-
pended exactly so-one branch caught in
the deep pleats Of her heavy kirtle an
other so-in the puff of her white sleeve
see how it took hold underneath and
gave never a scratch TO her arm! and,
resting so, against, not on, the irregular
rock, up above the Shelf-like projection.
And-look with care, Herr Pastor-in her
hand, tightly clasped, is the largest,
most perfect edelweiss, such as | had al
ways plucked for her-ach, she needed
me! But look once! it is the plant entire
and torn up by the roots! l can see it all.
She leaned and stretched till she touched
i'll Then further still she caught hold of
them, and, III the same instant, lost her
BALANCED Ach, why could not the mother
of God save her-my poor little Moidll
And /, from where | stood, with SILVER
ing body and trembling knees, could
reach that dropping hand with its tightly
clutched edelweiss. [ touched it. 1t was
colo as the rock against which [ leaned
for support.
Yes. Mold was dead. And with the
GOODNESS of despair L studied the situa-
ton. All, yes, there was no doubt OF it,
and it eased the pain at my heart a trifie,
that Mold had struck her head in falling
against rocky projection, and had never
recovered consciousness after being seized
by the covetous branches. And now Sc
curely-ay, how tenderly-they held their
lovely burden; they would not that she
be dashed to q shapelesS mass below
them. They had preserved her intact
beautiful as OF old, with even her own
sweet, peaceful expression for me; till l
should come to release her: Sy and more,
lay claim to her. For was she not mine
at lasR All my very own? Could Toni
have reached her there? Would be, selfish
fellow, have periled his own precious
neck? No, no! rather might Moidl hang
there till dOOmsday.
And what think you my next wild
thought? Nay. this time, sir, you have
wrong! No wish had [ just then to leap
into eternity. My one overwhelming
desire, the longing in smy inmost heart,
was to keep my darling for myself alone;
to keep her quite away from all the world
besides. Had | not found her? Who
else could have done so? Then why had
l not right supreme to give her resting
place there on the mountain hight which
she and l loved and oft-times enjoyed to-
gether? Yes, l would bury her there in
that pure mountain soil and keep my Sc
cret secure from all the world. | would
plant her grave with edelweiss, and
could come there when I would to water
them with my tears. My treasure should
be on the mountain. Thither [ would
often fly, and thus. unknown to him,
would l be revenged on handsome Toni
Meisner.
this thought there followed unbidden
vision.
1t was of village churchyard, with
consecrated ground, which lay mostly in
the shade of the church. In one small
plot, which was sun-touched only to-
thu nnoli,a [ hohnld q ROM Of