The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-07-01
AT MARIENTHAL.
The mail coach stopped at Marienthal,
and one paaseng er aliuhted

Some places never seem to change. Year
by year they remain unaltered, and when
we return to them after absence we Tecog-
nize every stone and every tree as q well
known friend seems who greots us, while
the unchanged aspect Of the place makes
US disbelieve the fight of time. Marlen-
thai is place of this kind. 1t mover
grows; it never changes. One of its char
hcteristics may DO seen In Its picnic parties
that is, the terrific preponderance of the
fair Sex. There are always at least twice
as many ladies as gentlemen in the front
of tho inn at Marienthal
The hustle and activity before the inn
are not in keeping with the scene around.
In front the shining waters, then the
blooming gardens and quaint houses Of
the village, then beyond that and to tho
right rise. waving in soft curves one above
tho other, the hills, covered with the far
extending forest. But visitors have seen
the forest many time. They are much
moro interested in their refreshment and
in the single passenger by the mail.
He was a perfect stranger, middle
aged man, apparently very ordinary per-
son, but dressed in a fashionable style, not
often seen at Marienthal. Ho stopped,
looked round and smiled strangely: thon,
to the disappointment of tho observers, he
walked straight to the entrance of a path
round tho head Of the lake and disap-
peared. The guard of the mail had told
the porter at tho inn that the stranger was
rich Englishman. Within five minutes
that report had circulated all around, and
mono for moment supposed that the OBJ
ject of their attention had been 90 years
ago one Of the naughtiest boys that had
4 ;-t,, hal Of
parent.
Joseph Stieler, the forester's only son,
after being the plague Of his native village
for some years, had at the age of IA, dis
appeared from it and been long since for
gotten. His parents had sought for him in
vain. The village people whispered to each
other of tho hidden caves in the depths of
the forest, where all who entered must
sleep for 100 years, of fierce stays, or Of
gentle fawns, who are elves in disguise,
and deooy children away, but Joseph Site
Ter had simply made his way to America
and his fortune there. He loved money
and won plenty. He married charming
American wife, who cared more for his
money than for himself and for years, liv-
ing in the whirl of money making excite
ment he had hardly taken one look back
at his old homo or his parents. He was
rather ashamed of them. He wished he had
been born in America.
But during his recovery from severe
illness his thoughts fastened themselves
on his youthful days and he felt an unac-
countablo longing for tho simple, kindly
ways of Marienthal. He suddenly formed
Il resolution to astonish his birthplace; he
would go in all spiendor and fetch over
his parents and his little sister to share
his wealth. His pretty little Laura!'
AS he boosted of Laura's beauty to his
wife she quietly reminded him that laura
must be nearly &c now. That gave him a
shock and first made him realize how long
he had neglected his parents. So he came
to Marientbal and smiled to SEQ everything
just the same. There was tho stork, just
as when he threw stone ut him. Schnei-
der Schmidt's apple tree hung as tempt
ingly rs ever over the wall. The lime tree
looked as easy to climb as ever. He began
to feel quite fond of the place III condo
scending way: he recognized so many
things and they reminded him of so much
that he had forgotten There by the PUSHES
he had tumbled into tho pond and Hans
Kranach had flshed him out. What had
become of Hans he wondered; he would
like to do something for him. There was
the stone where Laura used to sit and sing
for him when he was quite a little fellow.
Ee began to feel that he might have writ
ten to Laura. 1t was cruel to send no word
for so long, but he would make it all up
gloriously now.
He turned the corner and came into tho
well known road. Thore were the famil-
lar low houses, and there, to the right, his
old home so simple, so neat, but boasting,
ss the forester's house, pair of antlers
over the door. He was surprised to find
himself trembling and stood still. For the
first time 1t struck him that perhaps all
might not be just as he had left it. He
knocked at the door. A plain young
woman, in the linen bodice and full blue
potticoat which peasants wear about here,
came forward. He asked If the forester
was in. "No; tho duke has a great hunt
today, on the forest near Illeben, and the
forester must be in attendance.
"But the Frau Forsterin?"
my mother is an invalid, and
"Your mother? Are you, then, Laura's
childG'
"No; 1 don't understood you. I am
Alma Winter, and Forester Winter Is my
father
"Then where is Forester Stieler?"
1.-THE old forester9 Oh, he died years
ago. We have been hare ever so long"
Then by questioning he learned from her
the whole tale. His father had been killed
Is years ago by the falling OF a tree. His
mother had died shortly afterward of grief.
Laura had lived first at one place and then
at another, working for her bread. II
could not bear old Laura Stieier," said
Alma. 'She was a bad tempered old
thing. She used to say that her brother
would come back for her some day She
did not say it to the people of the village
because they know he is dead long ago,
but she talked about him TO my little Sis
ter
The solitary passenger went back by the
mail, and nobody knew anything about