The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-12
THE SIX DUMB-BELLS
OF CASTLE SCHRECKENSTROHM.
By DAVID SKAATS FOSTER.
Hlthor of "Crisis in OIdendorf. "
Copyright, 1856 by til, Racheler syndicats.

American named Julius Waterbury. lie
was incarcerated, ami will be exam
ined more fully tomorrow
When she saw that | had read it, she
placed a dainty foreiinger upon the
words Won Dunkeiheim," then point
ing the same finger at me shook her
head several times, and all the other
dams els shook their heads likewise.
Then. indicating the words Julius
Waterbury" she went through the
same pantomine this time nOdding in
the most emphatic and decisive man
ner; ana all the rest Of the six sisters
nodded like SO many toy Chinese man
darirS. Thus il was that in their naive
and touching way they AT last ac
knoWlcdged their error. Thus il was
which I had told them showed me that
they no longer identified ~" with the
dotestcd .Ahanias, whose company had
been forced upon them by Il brutal and
cruel sire.
For some time on. between me ana
these six Ingenious and am!ablc crra-
lures there was Il perfect understand
ing; the barriers of convcntionaiity
We're swept away; the air of reserve. of
hauteur which they had. maintained
FOR the supposed Won Dunkelheim.
melted like Anlil snow, and / became
as much their companions as though
had been with them for so many weeks
instead OF hours. The difference was
most apparent in the charming 6run-
hilda. She was ever closest AZ my side,
and I ilattered myself that the tender
Glances which ] gave her were re-
turned with interest.
| now watched tor an occasion fitting
for the momentOus declaration which !
wished to make 10 her, but there was no
time during the day when there were
not several of the fair prospective sis
terS-in-laW present, | might have
spoken before them all, but | knew that
| this was not the accepted and ordinary
way of doing it, Therefore. | waited
until the evening. and when We Were
| gathered as ON the preceding night. in
the drawing.room with the sphnX-like
Dame Geiskopf watching us--whilc
Wanda and Ysolde We're playing Nun
Weber's invitation to the waltz, |
| reached over and took Brunhilda's pad
| from her and wrote upon 1t the follow
| ing words:
I'm the few hours since first bchuli
you. l have learned to love You as never
| mortal maid was loved before. With
out YOU. life would not be worth th,
living. Write your answer here. WIN
| you be mine:"
| Then | gave Ii to her and watched her
| rs she read IL. AS she became aware Of
my meaning. her long dark lashes sank
ana her rosy tint deepeneu. She looked
| up at me. and l imagined Il melting
glance in her magnificent, eyes: but Sh,.
| turned her head partly away. and sad
ness seemed to steal over her features,
| like the shadow OF cloud upon the.
| meadow, and she wrote something un-
| derneath my own message. and showed
| ii to me, and ! read these lines:
| 1T cannot be. for we six have vow
ed an eternal sisterly love. We have.
bound ourselves by an inViolabr outn
never to separate while life endures.
| Were this not 50. ii might have been.
| but now ii cannot be-"
| Nothing daunted. / wrote as follows:
| You need not have - separate. Your
five lovely sisters shall live with us al
| Ways"
She gave one glance at the words.
looked into my eyes with an expression
in which there was world of joy and
| trust and grateiulness and love, and
| Immediately wrote:
| 1T is enough. | am Yours forever"
| Before | knew what she was going to
| do. she made gestures and summoned
| the other five madens to her side. and
showed them the writing upon the pad,
| So that all of them, at once, became
conversant with the details of my
courtship. This was embarrassing
| enough, but what followed was in
finitcly more trying; for they all with
one accord, flung their arms around
| her and kissed her and shed copious
tears. and wrung their shapely hands.
and otherwise gave evidence of the
most unconsolable grief. The tears
came into my own eyes as l looked at
| them. but my sympathy was wasted.
as | afterwards found that they were
one and all delighted with the occur
renee. and that this was their way of
| showing it.
| The precise old duenna now came
| forward from the other end of the
room. and not knowing, of course. what
| had taken place, glared at me, as she
would have done, had / attempted to
assassinate one of the Grafs daugh-
| ters. Then Brunhilda's five sisters
came up 10 me one after the other and