The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-10-14
A RHINE STORY.

A RHINE STORY.
The Misses Ladford walked across
the road from the German station to
the small hotel.
"And now,'' complained the elder
Miss Ladford, 81 suppose we shall have
more unintelligible argument at this
ridiculous hotel. Not a soul to speak
English or French, and''-
eve shall manage" said her young
sister, hopefully. The porter carrying
their luggage pushed open the door, and
they stepped into big, square room,
with pewter covered bar at the side.
A few men were playing with grubby
cards in a corner. The proprietor
shutfied forward and took his pipe from
his month reluctantly.
"Bah!'' cried the elder Miss Ladford.
"That's not German, - remarked her
young sister cheerfully. "Kellner, elm
thinner
If young Miss Ladford had known
| the German for hotel proprietor, she
would not have called him waiter. 1t
was unfortunate, because the proprie-
tors brow clouded at the word "kell-
ner, and he appeared to be insrructing
the porter to take the luggage outside.
| The two ladies stared at each other dis
tressedly.
"Can be Of any use?'
"Mr. Wallis!" cried the young sister
delightedly.
"Mr. Wallis!'' remarked Miss Lad
ford distantly.
In few words the young man ex-
planned everything to the offended hotel
proprietor; in few more words he in
formed the ladies that he, too, had ar
rived by the train from Berlin, and
that, finding the last train for Luxem-
bourg had gone, he had said a few
words
ST am glad you did that, said Miss
Ladford.
and had come straight across to
the hotel. Mr. Mark Wallis further
mentioned that he had ordered supper
for one; while the ladies were up stairs
he would amend the order and make it
supper for three. A stout, apple faced
maid appeared and prepared to conduct
them stolidly up the broad wooden
staircase to their room.
"Mr. Wallis" said Miss Ladford,
eve quarreled. I'm afraid, at Bal
reuth.
"No. no." replied the. young man,
flushing. "Don't dignity our argument
to that extent. TWAS mere difference
of opinion. He glanced at the young
sister, who was following the apple
checked maid.
"You made some unkind remarks in
your journal last winter about my play
ing, and ! felt bound to tell you that
resented those criticisms. We had been
good friends too"
81 tried to be fair, Miss Ladford. I
had every reason not to be unkind.''
"Every reason?"
"Every reason. !"
She hesitated moment and then held
out her hand.
"Shall we forget all about it, Mr..
Wallis?''
cit will give me great pleasure. " said
the young man earnestly. And, being
in foreign land where courtly acts can
be done without creating derision, he
lifted her gloved hand and kissed it.
Such supper party that night in the
bare boarded dining room of the sleepy
little hotel at Karthaus, and such de-
termination on Mark Wallis part to
propitiate Miss Ladford-so much gen
eral good humor indeed that the chrome
| of the Emperor William on the walls
stared as though half inclined to assume
that the laughter approached leze ma
jesty. Even the apple checked servant
became infected by the general gayety
and served the dishes with positive
cheerfulness, browning the evening,
when supper was over and Mark Wallis
had lighted cigar and had said good
night, by 1emarking Gas she took the two
pairs Of shoes from the tired young wo-
men and closed their door in a confiden
tial whisper, Earring cross!" and dis
appeared with the air of one who has
said reassuring and comforting word
to English women in strange land.
He improves on acquaintance, re-
marked Miss Ladford.
"Who, dear?''
"Why, Mr.. Wallis, of course"
"Oh!'
II disliked him extremely when 1
met him at first F"
Because of that notice?"
"That was the principal cause"
"Musical critics, said the younger
lady casually, shave hard task to per-
form. -
"And some of them hardly perform
it. But I'm quite sure now, dear, that
Mr.. Wallis did not mean to be unfair.''
Miss Ladford went on argumentatively,
as though trying to persuade her youn-
ger sister to abandon an indefensible 20
sition in the debate. $50 much depends,
Alice, on the point of view in these
matters. Mark Wallis being SO strong
Mf,sxn nf Ia