Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-01-23
AN UNLUCKY GIFT.

est little senmstresH In the nelghborhood.
Whom Fritz and Catherine returned
homo after tho Wedding, Catherine opened
an old fashioned trunk, and pulling from
tho bottom Of IL handsome new leather
bag she opened II ma displayed to the
eyes OF her nstnnishod husband purse
filed with bright gold ducats.
But how did you rot such treasurer
exclaimed Fritz, dnzzlod at the sight Of so
much gold
"what docs 1t matter to you, dearost'"
she replied. Can you NOT accept gift
from heayeng"
Their conversation was interrupted by
loud screaming and laughing In the adj
joining room.
Here are my friends" said Fritz i'm
patiently. "They come for us. l bog of
you, Catherine, tell me-
Not word today" replied the young
bride. by and by, " you are very Kind
and aifootonato husband and not Mt MI
suspicious or Jealous, I will see
Let us tal,o tho bride away" replied
eomo ono 81 warrant no will soon fol-
low
Ho opened the purse, and his eyes spar
killed. at the sight OF such riches. Tho
bright metal was gllttorlng In the sun and
F'eHlNu " lNol4iso tHoueonu uuhnoMH
Joys.
while thus dreaming Fritz plunged his
hand in the bug, and among tho ducats he
encountered u small piece Of paper closely
rolled up.
Dear and beloved Catherine Fritz
could not believe his own eyes He read
again; "Dogr and beloved Catherine, l
send you this small sum for tho purpose
which you mentioned to me- / wish, dear
angel l could us easily crafty your least
desires. win l over be ahle TO return half
the hnppiness you have given me since we
first lovedp
"Adieu, dear Catherine 1t is not your
prince who kisses you, but your most ODE
dent and devoted servant.
And the Billet was signed by the prince
regent, exactly as proclamation or an
ordinance would have been.
Seized with kind Of furious insanity,
he rushed out Of tho room bareheaded, tho
fatal purse in his hnnd, and painting and
cut OF breath he entered the ballroom.
"Here, miserable wretchl" he exclnin-
cd. "Horo is your gold. Keep it To enjoy
IL with such rs you are. l will not talio
tho price Of iufamy"
Fritz did not hear from his wife for tho
two years following this adventure. After
tho violent scene he hurried ont Of the
town and walked ut random until evening,
when fatigue compelled him to stop. A
tavern was in sight. Fritz could mover re-
member nfterwnrd how it was that man
came In and sat down at the same table
with him, and how no could have been in
duced to relate his misfortune to a stranger
He could not, either, account for having
signed paper which his now companion
had presented to him, nor how, after copi-
GUS lbations, no fell asleep on the table
and woke up tho next morning In bar
rack
Germany was then at war with France,
md Fritz's regiment was ordered to tho
frontier His courage was rewarded with
the cross Of honor and he was promoted
to the grade Of oaptain--another favor
which no attributed to the III fitted inilu-
cnce of tho prince, and which lay heavily
upon his heart.
Not feeling qualified to iii his post he
decided upon resigning his commission,
and making last effort to restrain his
feelings he wrote a respectful petition to the
prince, praying to have his resignation ac-
copied. Fritz accordingly received the visit
Of one Of the princes aid-de-camp, who
informed him that his demand was grant
cd and that the prince begged him to 40
cept present of 500 ducats az token OF
his esteem.
Then he started back to his native town,
after an absence of two years. Fritz at
last found himself before GATHERINGS
house, and, while promising to himself at
the time that no would never enter it
again, he found that he had been knocking
at the door.
How changed she wns Her eyes weTo
sunlgen, her cheeks woro pale, and yet how
handsome sho was still Her gr!ot was so
true and hor joy at seeing him once moro
so great that Fritz felt his feelings deeply
moved.
Eyes, madam, have returned. But TO
love you still, should have forgotten a
certain purse
'Oh, yes, that unfortunate purse That
gold. l knew that must have been tho
cause Of your displeasure. But there 1T is
all. 1 have not touched it."
She quickly ran to tho old trunk and
pulling out the purse threw it out of tho
open window into tho river, which flowed
directly back Of tho house.
II see that you have thrown your money
into the river, but do not 500 how this
prodigality will explain the contents Of
the note "
What notef inquired Catherine
"rhis letter from the prince regent"
81 do not know the prince replied
Catherine, with tears ~ mover have seen
him. This gold was sent to mo by my
aunt"--.
"Whatw interrupted Fritz, amazed.
"Ains, yesl" said Catherine. "Ny aunt
was called Catherine, like myself But
now she ia the Baroness of B.. My IA
Their, on his deathbed, made mo promise
mover to see her, nor to receive any pres
onts from her. But that time, on account
of her marriage, thought L might accept.
1t was all for you II 1 have committed
fault did deserve such punishment"
Catherine had lost her work while run
ming after her husband, and since ho had
been in tho army Fritz was no longer ft
for anything. The 800 ducats which he
had received from the prince was soon ey-
hausted, and ono morning, when there
was neither fire. bread nor money III tho
house, ho thought of throwing himself in
the river.
just as he reached the shore large bill,
posted up on the other side of tho shore,
mot HIS eyes. These words could be read:
IAN Owner Wanted.-A purse contain
ing 10, GOO gold ducats has been found IN
the wntor. The owner can have it by up
plying to Ludwig, fishman Exchange.