The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-07
A Broken Courtship.

people came into the moonlight, ant
leaned over the little chain that encir
cled the small fountain. into whose basin
a marble Hebe continually emptied ne
ever brimming cup.
They were not unlike, these two; DO \
were spiritueIe, both were dark; boil
were romantic. The tie of blood va!
between them, for they were cousins
though, as the Scotch say, far away
cousins. and bearing different names
They had been brought up under one
roof, and Lena Michels mother had beer
all the mother the little orphan, Henri
Kleber, knew
1T IS cruel of grandpapa,' she said. 'it
is very cruel, Henri. These old people
think only of money. Why can they moi
let US have peace. when We could be Sc
happy? 1t is such an absurd idea YOU
and I to marry each other. We are like
brother and sister. Nothing can changs
| that"
But we are not brother and sister,
said he, and even first cousins marry.
have been thinking that"
Give me a kiss, brother Henri" said
she. land never. never. never speak OF
| this absurdity again. AS for marrying.
| shall never marry anyone. Why should
| I, when l detest the rhought?"
Henri gave little sigh.
II shall never marry, either, Cousin
Lena said he, but you see we are not
! brother and sister. You can't make 1t
so by saying So"
Then he kissed her and they walked
| back into the house, where Grandpapa
! kleber and Granduncle Michel had just
settled the matrimonial prospects Of these
two young cousins TO their own satisfac-
| ton. The result of the young peoples
| rebellion was a quarrel.
The end of all this was that one fine
morning Henri Kleber found himself turn
ed out into the world 10 seek his fortune
and ere his cousin black eyes were open
ed upon the dawn he had left Munich
and his furious relatives behind him.
From that day nothing was heard Of
him by his friends in Munich for many
long year.
The old people were unforgiving. Grand
father kIeber died and left his money
to Lena, who had already refused two ex-
cellent matches.
She travelled two years and heard moth
ing of her cousin Henri, and at last found
herself in Paris.
Lena Michel spent many hours with
her eyes fixed on painted faces that she
never saw, for the living face that haunt
ed her; but one day she awoke to a Won
drous interest in a small picture which
hung in a small dealers gallery in which
she found herself.
1t was a simple scene. A moonlit gar
den, the distance dying into underlined
shadows, a fountain into which a Hebe
emptied her cup, and by the fountains
brim youth and young girl. 1t was
the garden of her grandfather's old house
or Munich This
chance. For that was Henri, and surely
that black-haired girl was not unlike her
self.
rs this picture for sale?" she asked
the dealer.
He shrugged his shoulders.
Il think the artist is mad" he said.
This is the first picture anyone has
wanted to buy and he refuses to sell 1t.
Perhaps a price sufficient will tempt him;
but if I give his address the lady will re-
member my commissiop?"
The lady promised faithfully to do so.
at is a wretched street.-the is very
poor" said the dealer, and gave her the
number written OH a card. The fifth
floor" he said, with shrug Of his Shout
ders.
Lena Michel stepped into her carriage
and soon, followed by her maid, climbed
the stairs of a dingy dwelling and rap
ped roon the Gcor that bore the word,
"Atelier" upon it,
In a moment a man with a long beard,
who held a palette in his hand, opened
the door for her and stood regarding the
apparition of a closely yelled lady at
tended by her maid with some surprise.
Il speak to the painter of the picture
at Moncieur s." said Fraulien Mich
ell. The garden and fountain. l desire
to buy it at any price"
Madame" said the artist, Il regret to
say that picture is not 20 be sold
But 1 must have It, said the lady. Il
am rich-anything-any price
II am IC or" sale the artist, but it has
no price,
Listen, sir said the lady. ''It is more
than picture that I want-it is a remi |
niscence. It's like "a place I know. l !
beg for it. I implore you to sell it to
me-"
Madame" said the artist, II see you
have a heart. l will speak plainly. Long !
ago 1 stood with the only woman ever |
loved beside that fountain-a fountain IN |
an old garden in Munich. ! was a young |
idiot. did not even know nv own heart, |
but know it now. 1 have known it for |
and Of the nour returned TO me as If |
by magic. I painted The picture IN a few |
hours. I shall never see her again. Long !
since she has become the wife Of one she |
loves well. no doubt, but II shall never
love any other. So 1 must keep her pic
ture; l must. You see that, madame?"
And as he spoke Lena Michel knew
Henri Kleber-knew him despite the flow
ng beard and all the changes Of twelve
Ong years.
And as ne ceased she few back her
veil and held both Of her hands towards
aim
Henri" she sighed Henri, Oh, |
Henri do you know me?" And then he
had clasQed her in his arms and she
ay sobbinE on his bosom.
When they stood beside the fountain IN
he old garden at Munich again they were
nan and wife.