The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-01-26
AN UNLUCKY GIFT.


y 1t was not St Crispin's day, but Fritz
Hoebber was going to marry Catherine
Vanburn-Fritz, the gayest and most
skilllul journeymnn shoemaker In the
town; Catherine the loveliest and bright
est little seamstress In the neighborhood.
When Fritz and Catherine returned
Tome after the wedding Catherine opened
N old fashioned trunk, and pulling from
,he bottom of 1t handsome new leather
bag she opened 1t and displayed to the
eyes of her astonished husband purse
filled with bright gold ducats.
"But how did you get such treasurer"
exclaimed Fritz, dazzled ut the sight of so
much gold.
"What does it matter to you, dearestp"
she replied. "Can you not accept a gift
from heaven?"
Their conversation was interrupted by
loud screaming and laughing in the ad-
joining room.
Here are my friends" said Fritz i'm
patiently. "They come for us. l beg of
you, Catherine, tell me-
mot a word today" replied the young
bride. by and by, IL you are very kind
and affectionate husband and not at all
suspicious or jealous, will see"
LET us take the bride away" replied
some one 81 warrant he will soon fol-
low"
He opened the purse, and his eyes spar
killed. at the sight of such riches The
bright metal was glittering in the sun and
seemed to promise a thousand unknown
joys.
While thus dreaming Fritz plunged his
hand in the Bag and among the ducats he
encountered a small piece of paper closely
rolled up.
"Dear and beloved Catherine Fritz
could not believe his own eyes. He read
again: dear and beloved Catherine,
send you this small sum for the purpose
which you mentioned to me. wish, dear
angel, could as easily crafty your least
desires. Will ever he able to return half
the happiness you have given me since we
first iovedP
"Adieu dear Catherine! 1t is not your
prince who kisses you, but your most obe-
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 the room bareheaded, the
fatal purse in his hand and painting and
out of breath he entered the ballroom.
Here miserable wretchp' he exclaim-
ed. Here is your gold. Keep it to enjoy
1t with such as you are. l will not take
tho price Of infamy.''
Fritz did not hear from his wife for the
two years following this adventure. After
the violent scene he hurried out of the
town and walked at random until evening
when fatigue compelled him to stop. A
tavern was in sight. Fritz could never re-
member afterward how it was that mar
came in and sat down at the same table
with him, and how he could have been in
duced to relate his misfortune to stranger
He could not, either, account for having
signed a paper which his new companion
had presented to him, nor how, after copi
Gus lbations, no fell asleep on the table
and woke up the next morning in a bar
rack
Germany was then at war with France
and Fritz's regiment was ordered to TIN
frontier. His courage was rewarded witt
the cross of honor, and he was promotes
to the grade of captain-another favo
which he attributed to the i'll fated infiu
ence of the prince, and which lay heavil,
upon his heart.
Not feeling qualified to fill his post, h
decided upon resigning his commission
and making last effort to restrain hi
feelings he wrote a respectful petition to tn
prince, praying to have his resignation &C
cepted. Fritz accordingly received the visi
of one of the princes aid-de-camp, VIII
informed him that his demand was grant
ed and that the prince begged him to nc
cept present of 500 ducats as token u
his esteem.
Then he started back to his native town
after an absence of two years. Fritz a
} last found himself before Catherine
house, and, while promising to himself a
the time that he would never enter
again, he found that he had been knockfn
at the door.
| How changed she wasl Her eyes wer
; sunken, her cheeks were PALE and yet hoy
handsome she was still Her grief was s
true and her joy at seeing him once NOR
so great that Fritz felt his feelings deepl
moved.
, eyes, madam, have returned. But t
love you still, l should have forgotten
certain purse"
ooh, yes, that unfortunate purse! Thu
/ gold. L knew that must have been tn
) cause of your displeasure. But there it
all have not touched it. -
She quickly,ran to the old trunk an
pulling out the purse threw it out of tn
} open window into the river, which nowe
ulrcCGIy DuCh VI tD6
Il see that you have thrown your NONE
into the river, but do not see how thi
, prodigality will explain the contents {
} the note"
"What note?" inquired Catherine.
"This letter from the prince regent"
81 do not know the prince, reptile
5 Catherine, with tears 81 never have see
, him. This gold was sent to me by IN
aunt
"What" interrupted Fritz, amazed.
= "Alas, yes!" said Catherine. "My aur
D was called Catherine like myself. Blu
, now she is the Baroness of B.. My fl
+, ther, on his deathbed, made me promis
never to see her, nor to receive any pres
ents from her. But that time, on accour
A of her marriage, l thought might accept
A 1t was all for you. If | have committe
:, fault, did deserve such a punishment?
Catherine had lost her work while run
ming after her husband, and since he Ia
0 been in the army Fritz was no longer
!. for anything The 800 ducats which
had received from the prince was soon Q,