The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-10-22
PuBIIsHED BY SPECIAL ARRANcEMESrl
A Guestat the "ROse in June. y
HON. mrs. I1ENNIkER.
copyright 1899. by Hon. Mrs Arthur Hennikerl

background of vivid green rushes; in
neighboring field herd of entirely black
cattle were feeding. Near the horizon could
be seen the outlines OF chalk cliffs, over
which hung belt of violet cloud.
Nelly thought that nothing could be better
for Mr.. Kraftmeier than to be out in the
fresh autumnal air as much as possible, so
on days when he felt too tired to walk far
she borrowed the postmaster's little wicker
carriage. and, drawn by fat, half-asleep
pony. the pair would go very slowly through
the lanes. A favorite drive OF Nelly's was
along the railway bank. There had been
recent fire. and the green gorse there was
|. burnt pale yellow like the stubble fields.
She used to point out to this grave for
eigner all the surrounding things that
struck her as pretty-the track Of the
winding stream between the great reeds and
tall purple feathers of grass, the distant
churchyard tombs shining white under
f1eecy clouds that were full OF light the
sinking sun irradiating the wool and the red
patches on the backs of the grazing sheep.
And he would smile and admire, and some
times become very silent again
The postmaster's son, a fine young man,
looked often very glum when Nelly brought
the carriage home. One day he could con-
tain himself no longer.
You seem uncommon taken up with that
foreign chapP he exclaimed. Nelly's face
| flushed red. Was he right? And then her
| heart began TO ache. not so much for the
pain that she saw in the young mans face
| as at the thought that all these walks and
drives would soon be over, and that this
mysterious, kind friend would sail away
into strange lands. and that she would see
| his face no more.
III.
The autumnal tints of red and gold had
| given place to bare boughs that creaked and
| groaned in the north wind. Snow patches
| lay thick on the matched barns and tiled
roofs. Birds grew very tame and focked
| in tens and twenties and ffties to Nelly s
| window for their dole of crumbs. The prob
| able departure of Mr.. Kraftmeier was now
| a thing rarely discussed by any one. The
1 villagers had grown quite used to the sight
| Of his tall figure in his fur-trimmed great
| coat walking up and down their street.
| He had sent to London for large box
| of books. history and poetry, grammars,
dictionaries and scientific volumes, and he
| spent many hours in study. Once or twice
he went away for a few days, but he had
evidently decided to make the quiet Sussex
| village his home for the present.
On Sundays he and Mr.. Whitehead, who
belonged to what was formerly called 1.-THE
old religion" always drove three miles in
the innkeeper's dogcart to hear mass in the
Roman Catholic chapel in the town. The
postmaster's son, who was little bit of a
free-thinker, sneered once in Nelly's pres.
ence at the constant attendance at church
of her foreign friend, and limited that II
4 N oil no bnr
than his religious ardor, that was respon
sible for Kraftmeler's devotional exercises
But the flash in her eyes, and the red that
famed in her cheeks. warned him that this
was a dangerous subject, best left alone
| for the future.
| Sometimes, in the evenings, Kraftmeier
would join Mr.. and Miss Whitehead in the
kitchen, and listen to Nelly's sweet, rather
monotonous voice, as she read the news
| papers aloud to her father. Occasionally
when the weather was almost too bad fol-
even the hardy country girl to go out, he
invited her to come into the sitting room
and to read Shakespeare with him. She was
Greatly flattered when he first made the
suggestion, and by the end Of January
they had gone through several historical
plays, and one or more of the tragedies
She was beginning to find blank verse less
difficult to tackle, and after much careful
listening to Mr.. Kraftmeer size had ac
quired a certain amount of vocal express
sion.
One night. when the snow foated silent
| ly in huge flakes against the kitchen case
ment, the Whiteheads and their guest drew
their chairs close round the cracking Woo
fire, and Nelly began her evening reading
of the newspaper. Mr.. Kraftmeier had beer
out all the afternoon, and had not yet haC
time to glance at the London journal:
which reached him by post His thoughts
were, perhaps, far away from the homely
inn kitchen. and from the rosy-faced cir
who was reading. for he started when sh'
began to read new paragraph in hel
gentle monotone.
"INSURRECTION IN MOLDAVIA-"
"A rebellion has broken out in the CAPT
tai which had been long anticipated b!
those who haye foreseen the inevitable re
suit of the Kings policy. A mob of insur
=. gents attacked the palace and set fire t
the outbuildings, and their Majesties wer'
with some difficulty enabled to escape from
a door at the back of the building. The!
have, it is understood, gained the frontie
in safety"
Mr.. Kraftmeier was sitting in a dark cor
/
ner the reader noticed the growing pallor o
his face or the way in which he Tight
clenched his thin hands. Nelly continue
her reading in the same impassive tones
Great flood in Japan. We are in receip
of the sad intelligence Of"
Then Mr.. Kraftmeier rose hastily from hi
chair
Il will ask you to excuse me this evening
Mr.. Whitehead" he said. Il am not fee
ing very well, and / think / will go and Ii
| down in my room. / am very sorry not
hear the end of the reading. Miss Nelly"
"Oh. / am so grieved that you feel i'll.
said she. Wont you take anything befor
you go?'
He shook his head, thanked her, and wen
| slowly upstairs. He did not, after all, &
early to bed that night. for Nelly. who's
room was above his. heard him walking u
and down. up and down, for many lon
hours On the following day she saw bu
little of him. and be scarcely left his room
although in answer TO the landlords in
quiries he replied thst he felt better. o
the next morning. however. he was dow
stairs again. His face looked more pinche
, | than usual and there were dark rings unde
his eyes. But he had evidently made up b
H..