The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-01-21

plains that she Is the uuuSuLeT uL u Nu-
braskn mine owner. who has been mar
rled for her money by heartless TEL
low who has so abused her on the iail-
ure OF the mine that she has been OBJ
lIged to leave him. Bergman seeks
an introduction, and after n few mo-
mnts OF conversation they step out on
the balcony overlooking the park and
the moonlIt city OF Markbreit.
PART II.
ThespNll OF this moonlit night mount
cd to the heads OF the two silent watch-
ers on the balcony like an intoxicating
draught. and sent cold chlIls down their
SHINES, Almost without being aware
what he was doing, Bergmnnn offered
Ada his arm, which che accepted, lean
ing against him with gentle. cling
inf. movement OF her whole figure. There
they stood letting their dreamy eyes
wander over the woods. the river and
the city. They would have forgotten
the castle and the entertainment had
not the subdued notes of the dance
music reached them from the BALI
room. whose windows opened upon the
balcony on the opposite Side of the
facude tiifiug the night with low haFr
monies which were continued IN the
vibrations OF their own nerves.
AT this moment the clock In the
Mnrkbreit stpeple struck IL, directly
after the sound OF n nightwatchman's
horn was heard, and n Willing voice,
rising In the sleeping streets OF the city
called few unintelllgible words.
.'whnt was that?" Ada whispered
"The night Waterman. according TO
the custom OF the country, called the
hour with n verse" replied Bergman.
A Few minutes later the call was re-
peated, this time nearer. and so dis
tinctly that 1t could be understood.
The night Waterman, with mournrul
emphasis, sung:
Twelve strokes Times limit do teach
Man. think of thy mortality"
"Llfe in your Germany Is like a fairy
tale" said Ada, after repeating the
verse TO herself; everything Is so
dreamy, so pcrvaded with poetry"
"Then stay in our Germany. stay with
u.s." he pleaded, softly. his voice ex-
pressing far more than his words,
She shook her little head sorrowful-
", II came Ave years too late"
''Do not say that" replied Bergman,
pressing the bare arm which rested
on his closely to his side. How old
are you now?"
II did not occur to her to smile at the
question or to answer It. according to
the ordinary custom OF women, with an
affected reply. She said, instead, as
simply as child:
.'Twenty-three."
And at twenty-three would II be too
late to seek and strive for happiness In
llfe7 When sorrow has been experience
cd SO young, It can surely be regarded
as n childish disease, and there Ii moth
ing to be done except to forget It as
quickly us possible"
Ada gazed flxedly into vacancy, shy
Ing. as II lost IN thought:
''No, no. That is not so. There are
Injuries which are incurabie, The
mother Of two children IS old at twenty
three. Since she can no longer offer
man the full happiness OF love, she has
no right to expect II from him."
He was about to answer, but with q
hasty movement she placed her slender
finger on her itp. saying:
"Hushl Not another word on this
subject. Look"-and her hand pointed
down to the park.
From bow window OF the castle
powerful apparatus was sending u
broad stream OF electric light into the
darkness It often changed and moved,
being thrown now here, then there. In
its course II illumined the tops Of the
trees with faint. lIvid, phosphores-
cence. Intervene the shrubbery with
fantastic gliding spots OF light, and
gave the turf, wherever It was visible.
the appearance Of n strip OF gllttOring
glacier. In the distance, where the
light was lost in the dense groups OF
trees, 1t produced the Illusion Of !ndis-
tinct shapes cleaning out there for n
moment and then vanishing. 1t seemed
as II one could see something mysterl-
Gus moving or standing, perhaps hui
man form, wrapped in flowing robes
perhaps a white marble statue hidden
behind the foliage, perhaps n mist gath
ering and scattering. Night moths
and bats, huttering across the bar OF
light out OF the darkness into the dark
ness, shone brightly during the brief
period Of their passage, then suddenly
vanished again like moss blown through
a flame. The electric light seemed
to make n road through the parksprcad
a silver carpet over It, and invite the
two who watched It's course to walk
along this shining road 10 the distance
where the shadowy white shapes how
ertd in the shrubbery, appearing and
disappearing.
The temptation was irresistible.
LET us go down." said Ada, and n
few minutes later, with light mnntllla
over her shoulders. she was walking
by hts side over the crcnking gravel OF
the avenue and then over the noiseless
side paths.
How blIssful Is tho wandering OF n
handsome young couple. with glowing
hearts in their breasts through n moon
lit, fragrant, summer night Their feet
do not feel the earth on which they
tread. but seem to be floating ON clouds.
Nothing Is left OF the world save these
two and the night which materially
concealE them-he and she, nnuEht else.
like Adam and Eve when they were the
only human dwcllers In Paradise.
A damp branch Of the bushes often
brushed Adns shoulders like an afrec-
tionlte, cnressinE hnnd, us she slowly
passed along, Now and then n bird
whose nest was in the underbrush, dis
turbcd In Its sleep, Auttcrcd up before
them, and, stupid with slumber. few
10 neIghboring bough, Ada some
times plucted flower, or cautiously
touched with her finger one OF the little
glow worms. which In great numhera
edged the path with their grccnIah
light. They went down to the Main