The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-17
BARON AND LADY.

breath OF feHet. It's nations were poNtIty-Seii~A-
en-. the flower Of its manhood has been slaugh-
tered. Battle-worn, hacked, footsore and ragged,
officers and men dragged themselves homeward.
The baron disbanded the sorry remnant of his
one time splendid regiment There were tragi-
comic scenes OF uncouth sentimentality; there
was superabundance Of burly handshaking, OF
half-ohokcd adieus. OF heartfelt parting wishes:
God guard thee true comrade!' Mounted on
their steeds. of heavy Mecklenburg breed, the
baron and his servant, sid-de-camp and uni
versal factotum. Corporal Fritz, turned their
faces homeward. Those were the days of slow
travel After weeks of toilsome iourneying they
Arrived at the barons estates in Thurineia.
The yoemen and peasants were rejoiced at their
masters return. Big. brave. blunt of speech he
was; yet OF womanly tenderness; a God-fearing
lord shrewd Of sense and righteous in his deal
ings To- poor peasant folk were filled with new
hope at his return. The war had dealt csueiiy
with them. There had been plumber incendiary
fire. destruction of crops. The baron sighed as
he rode his ancestral fields and took note
of the universal devastation
From the window of To neighboring castle
some one regarded the baron with interest. The
Lady Thusnelda had been the barons neighpor
aud friend from childhood. Stories, indeed, mad
been whispered. both a. court and among the
humble folk about tender relations existing be-
tween the two. Friendship there had been be
You'd a doubt: a queer kind of friendship. Pro
longed seasons OF congenial companionship in
variably would end in quarrel and protracteu
feuds Which Was to blame, the man or woman
no one could tell. Reconciliation eventually
would take place. renewed friendly intercourse
at least resembling courtsap. winding up In
due time with another seismic upheaval 1t was
at such a time that the broke out and II
was understood that the baron had sought his
commission, moved partly By gallantry and pa
triotism partly by a bitter-sweet hope that he
was spiting my lady.
"Wnl he ever do the part Of gentleman and
call on me- after that long absence?" The lady
turned TO her maid, who, in lieu of some one
more acceutable, occupied position of doubtful
friendship Poor Elizabeth Liable to have TO
listen, at any time. TO a woeful tale Of tootnache
have her ears boxed vigorously half an hour
after Those were rudely demorstrative days
people in power were apt 10 be inconvenently uI-
haInpered in the expression of their feelings
Quite true the poor adEs Ire had been RAJ sh
lived some two hundred years ago. In those Gays
Women Sa ss re.s aet this ehefes aw IN life
IL made them, Outlines, sour and crapbed.. rev
the power of their blessed sex women who grew
more beautiful, loveer and mightier in power
crows feet marked the face. But TO the average
woman beauty was an ipqrIa1 ss coyne IL If
Hes fine looking gentleman" said Eliza
beth, standing behind her mistress, at the win
dew tentatively. Looks as if he could cleave
.He is clumsy looking, / should say" quoth
the lady. Grown so big the chestnut can haIuiy
cows had 70 be Slaughtered, wonder to manu-
AT which Witticism Elizabeth snckered. as in
duty bound. -, .+, h,s lee, evas
up to the castle windows. .methinks I see the
Lady Thusnelda oyer yonder Brave ola IN, f gF
and nd pay =. her our. our Ges gPPertsd
Not far from the baron stood Jurgen's wife, a
peasant woman She was planting cabbages. her
face was very dull, and silly creature she was
Notwithstanding, she was possessed or low cum
ming and had the tongue of a vixen. 49,.
plight the baron thinks mighty small Sn s Of her her
bean pole. gazing out of the window! on the
baske: and hastened to my ladys castle; There
she called on her cousin. the gatekeeper's wife
toward her ladyship. He made fun Of her to-
day while she was standing at the WINDOW; sal9 10
II made him feel sad TO gaze on the wreck Oh
The Keepers wife treated her to cakes and ale
and summoned her ladyshp's maid. After some
prefacing and assurances Of regret and indigna-
And Guoth the baron, there she stands da
gazing down on me- :. How pity ner' poor ue-
= EIizabeth Redeemed her face by weeping. an art
N w on bein o9G asked the long refused
veal IT, last when 1ae as she bTst out
You could have heard the baron's guffaw FOR
miles Poor old maid ne beloved with that
LAUNDERING voice Of his o Gazns wo0Se On beore
shall be called upon to assist at your funeral
obsequies?' . ,o,.a,,o,,. SO
dashed in her eyes Very beautiful it made her
G4 for bere see ANA mas IN it
perious to look upon. Without a word she turned
treat on the balcony Wistfully she gazed at the
How men do forget" she sighed.
The very next Monday the baron made good
his intentions Both himself and Corporal Fritz
assumed military full dress. They wore three
cornered hats, with silver buckles: huge riding
boots the folds of which overlapped each other;
heavy spurs and cavalry sabres. Every bit OF
metal pertaining to their uniforms or their
horses harness had been rubbed into prefer
natural brightness by Corporal Fritz's exertions
In a. trot they came across the bridge that
epanned the wide trench. In the courtyard they
dismounted Fritz stationing himself and taking
charge OF the horses.
''whatl' cried the lady. very much agitated,
ais he coming to me, that dreadful man?
oh. the brutality of the male sex!'
Coming he was with that vehement impetu-
osity that had made him the terror of foes in
battle; making his way toward my ladys apart
ments leaping the broad stairs two or three at
q time. What. with the clanking of his spurs,
the humping of the heavy sabre the squealSing
of the cavalry boots. he making unearthlS
noise, sufficient 10 alarm any solitary and unde-
The baron Knocked at the heavy oaken door,
projected himself into the room, made a bow of
iadyship's hand In this he was unsuccessful.
He gave a little laugh of good-natured assent
and plunged down upon low bench. Fortunate
ly IL had been stoutly built.
:. Great felicity great h FELICITY began the
good to be true to look once again upon your
ladyship. Often have l thought of you in battle
--ah'' Here he attempted what was meant to be
Pray" said the lady in her coolest and most
distant way. cont mention the subject: i par
tiSuisay lqathe it. That dsgtgsttng awful hor-
Ahem!' the baron coughed. ''Sorry.' he la
return to find the country so run down. Our
Loor peasantryl II VIII take years OF wise man
agement and lahorious industry to get back TO
where we have BEEN
FRAY" frowned the lady in voice scornfuly
freezing. don't mention that subject. IL is
specially dis'asteful 20 me. Those low abomin-
able, ungrateful people,"
Inc baron looked blank For moment he
seemed on the verge of hopeless bewiderment.
Then, brayeiy recalling the scattered forces of
Sorry, my lady. you weren't at church yester-
day. What noble man this. pastor; simple,
mind telling the truth IN
Pray" began the lady in her slowest and most
haughtiness. don't touch on that subject 1t is
abhorrent TO me! That coarse arrogant, ill-pred
pame mentioned in my houssv
This sally proved too much. 1t finished the
features This was followed by suspicious hue
Of deepest purple. The old dogs temper
pestuous vehemence once 1t broke out.
Leaping from his seat. he landed in the middle
Of the floor. The boots saueaked, the spurs rat
sled. the sabre thumped against the furniture.
The whacking Of his big hat by the irate man
against the stone slab Of a table added 10 the
impressiveness OF the scene.
Madame Numbered the baron, in the names
What are veto talk about?''
Heavens screamed the lady. leave me. sir
leave me. Help Elizabeth! Never. never
again dare to come into my presence"
How the baron made his escape so he after