Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1901-02-22
By Harold MacGrath e

plhllilNt AAdl tlhiA nov fA
"l'rom now on erred Grc.ricn.
"Duc. not h,rr leave tolay:"
"Nu: | a.I going to >p,ud u Who'll"
wccl. here"
IEprr was mixture % e.. NAV AMI
anger in her yazc.
"l;ut. as / was going - say. sLall
make no c1ort To- ply into NuDr affairs.
Honestly. | am gentleman"
Il shall try to believe You" said She,
the corners of her mouth broadening
into smile.
She condcscenlcd TO show me through
the rose gardens and tell me what she
knew about them. 1t was an interest
ing lecture. And in the rvcnn. she
permitted me To row her about the riv-
er. We were getting oil very well I'M
der the circumstances.
The week was soon gone, and Crct-
chen and | became very good friends.
often when she had nothing 10 do we
would wander along the river through
the forests. always, | noticed. Ivy Il
route which took us away from the
village. Each day | discovered some
new accomplishment. Sometimes /
would read Ileine or Goethe To her.
and she would grow rapt and silent.
In the midst of some murmurous stan
"a | would suddenly stop, only TO see
her start and look at me rs though
had committed IA sacrilege. in that |
had spoiled some dream of hers. Then
again | myself would become lost in
dreams, 10 be aroused by a soft voice
saying, We'll. why do You not 20 on"
Two people of the opposite sexes read
ing poetry in the woods Is "A solemn
matter This is not appreciated at the
time. however. 1t comes back after
ward
In all the week l had learned nothing
except that Gretchen was not what she
pretended to be. But | feared to ask
questions. They might have spoiled
all And the life was So new 10 me. so
quiet and peaceful, with the glamour of
romance over it all. that | believe |
could have staid on forever. And some
how Phyllis was fading away, slowly,
but surely. The regret with which |
had heretofore looked upon her por-
| trait was lesscning each day. from ac-
tive to passive. And yet was 1t be
cause Gretchen was Phyllis in the idealt
Was falling in love with Gretchen be,
cause she was Gretchen, or was my
love for Phyllis simply renewing itself
| in Gretchen? Was that the reason
why the portrait of Phyllis grew less
holding and interesting to me- II was
complex situation; one | frowned
| over when alone. 1t wa, becoming
palmer to me every hour tiiat had Il
mystery all of my own TO solve. And
| Gretchen was the only one to solve it.
! shall never forget shat night under
! the chestuuts on the bank of the wide
white river. The leaves were gossip
| Ing among themselves. They had so
much to talk about. and then they
| knew so much Had not they and
| their ancestors filtered the same moon
! beams century on century? Had not
their ancestors heard the tramp Of the
| armies, the clash of the saber, the roar
of the artillery? Had not the hand of
autumn and the hand of death marked
them with the crimson sign! All, the
leaves, 1t is well to press them in
books when they themselves have such
fine stories to tell.
Gretchen" said |, echoing. my
thoughts, had been born Il hundred
years ago | must have been a soldier.
Napoleon was a great warrior
80 was Blucher since it was he
WHO helped overcome the little Corsi-
can"
The Germans will never forgive Ma.
poleon.
"But war is a terrible thing" went
on Gretchen.
Eyes, but it is great educator. II
teaches the vanquished how little they
know"
War is the offspring of pride. That
is what makes it so abhOrred.'
at is also the offspring of oppres-
sion. That is what makes it so great
Yes. When the people take up
arms, it is well. War is the torch Of
liberty in the hands of the people.
Oh, | envy the people, who are SO
strong, yet know it not. If | were a
man, would teach the people that a
king has nc divine right, save when i;
is conferred upon him by them"
"Gretchen, I'm afraid that you're q
bit of socialist"
And who is not who has any love
for humanity"
"a beautiful woman who Is a social
list, Gretchen, is a menace to the king
Sometimes he fears her. At large she
is dangerous. He seeks her, and If lit
finds her he takes away her liberty
All this was said with q definite par
pose II was to let Gretchen know
that | knew her secret. Gretchen
you are an embryo socialist, 9 cAHysa
lis. as it We're
mo, herr" sadly. II am butterfly
whose wings have been clipped"
had not expected this admission.
"Never mind said L. Gretchen,
do not want you to call me herr; cal
me Jack"
Jack" she said 1t became an TN
common name now.
whatever your true name may be
| shall never call you anything bu
Gretchen"
"Ah, jack" She laughed, and thu
lurking echoes clasped the music o1
that laughter in their wanton arm;
| and hurried il across the river
Sing TO me-" said l.
Then imagine my surprise. whit
had heard nothing but German ia
7 from her llps-when in a heavenly con
tralto she sang a chanson from liz
File de Madame Angot," an opera for