The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1901-03-08

y N@f-lSSST ~
Gretchen has q secret" said 1.
they were seeking and by the mere
sound Of her voice. And it was l who
wound the clock.
Gretchen" said l, "tlme lags Make
n servant out of me this morning"
Herr does the barmaid too much
honor" with lowered eyes.
Il am in the habit Of doing anything
1 please"
"Ah, herr is one of those millionaires
l have read about!'
Yes, / am very rich" / laughed,
but Gretchen did not see the point
"Come. then, with me, and You shall
weed the knoblauch patch" She was
laughing at me, but | was not to be
abashed.
"To the patch be it, them l cried.
San onion would smell as sweet under
any other name"
So Gretchen and l went into the
onion patch, and l weeded and hoed
and hoed and weeded till my back
ached and my hands were the color
factorily to Gretchen. 1t was There,
you have ruined the row back of you!"
or "Pull the weeds more gentlyw and
sometimes, Zach, could your friends
see you noww | suppose that l did
not make n pretty picture. The per-
spiration would run down my face. l
would forget the condition Of my hands
nd ho oI- hot oil l-a
mop over my brow, whereat she
would laugh. Once | took her hand
and helped her TO jump over n row. l
was surprised at the strength of her
grasp.
what does herr do for a living?
He works so badly as gardener"
Il am a journalist" | answered,
leaning on my hoe and breathing heav-
lily.
Zach, one Of those men who tell
such dreadful stories about kings and
princes, who cause men TO 60 to
war with each other, who rouse the
ignorant to deeds of violence-One
of those men who are more powerful
than king because they can undo
Hold on!' | cried. dropping the hoe.
"What do you know about it,"
Enough" sadly. 81 read the pa
pers. | always look with fear upon
one Of those men who can do so much
good and yet who would do SO much
evil"
| had never looked at it in that
light before.
1T seems to me, Gretchen" | said
quietly, that you are about as much
a barmaid as ! am n weeder of knob
lauches." The color Of excitement fled
from Gretchen's cheeks. her eyes grew
troubled. and she looked away.
"Gretchen has secret" said |. 1T
is nothing TO me what Gretchen's
tinue to think Of her only as a bar
maid with-with superior education"
l shouldered the hoe. Come, let us
go back. I'm thirsty"
THANK you, herr" was the soft re-
ply. Then Gretchen became as dumb,
and our return to the inn was made in
silence. Once there, however, she re-
at such a disadvantage" glancing at
my clothes. which were covered with
brown earth.
Let that be the least Of your trou-
bles!' cried gayly. Then l hummed
in English:
$50, no, dear Gretchen, winsome lass,
/ want tricky wine,
But amber nectar bring to me,
Whose rich bouquet will cling to me,
Whose spirit voice will sing to me
From out the mug divine!
So, here's your toll-a kss-away,
You Hebe of the Rhinei
No goblets gold means cheer to me;
Let no cut glass get near to me;
Go, Gretchen, haste the beer TO me
And put it in the steiD!
/ thought | saw a smile on her lips,
but 1t was gone before l was certain.
"Gott i'm himmelv' gasped the aston
ished innkeeper as went into the bar
room. | still had the hoe over my
! shoulder.
"Never mind, mein host. I've been
| wedding your knoblauch patch as a
method Of killing time"
But He looked at Gretchen In
dismay.
at was I who led him there" said
Gretchen In answer to his inquiring
eyes.
A significant glance passed between
them. There was question In his, a
command i'm hers. pretended to be
examining the faded tints in the stein
I held In my hand. l was thinking.
"Since when has an innkeeper waited
on the wishes of his barmaidY"
There was a mystery after all.
To be continued.