Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-05-10
OLD RoTTWlTZ.
From the German of Richard Rattan
nso.

masters in possession, but in the old
masters time it was very different.
mean him no disrespcct, sir. He was
good man, was the old master, God bless
him! But he was no huntsman. He was
too good, too soft hearted. He couldn't
bear to see a beast die, just as if we
don't all have to go sooner or later Well
here's my regards, sir! And yet, do you
know, he really was sportsman at
heart. 1t was in the blood, you see.
Even the game protection society that he
belonged to couldn't take it all out of him.
So he had his sport but he took it in a
funny way.
For instance, he would 70 out on our
little lake here and fish all day. No,
there isn't any fishing to speak Of, but
still one can get a bite now and then.
Well. the master would take his boat
and rod and line like anybody else, but
never hook. He would put a piece of
bread on the end of the line, drop it
over and wait until he felt a nibble.
There's a fine felow" he would say,
and then he'd pull up the line and put a
fresh piece of bread on it.
So he simply fed the fish and called 1t
angling.
But the hunting-that was worse yet
1t was so queer in fact that I'm afraid
|
Hans" he would say, "we'l see if we
can't knock over a stag today" So I'd
get my gun and take my seat beside him
in the little hunting cart. lie never took
a gun, but he always had with him a big
old fashioned walking stick, with hand
somcly carved ivory handle. 1t hangs up
in the blue room now over the fireplace.
| No doubt you've noticed it, sir. The deer
weren't so wild in those days as now,
and we saw plenty of them. They knew
they were safe, the cunning creatures.
There's a fine stag. Herr Baron" I'd
warn him.
used to be mad clear through because
l couldn't take a shot myself. The stag
would generally stand staring at us as
tame as a COW. The old man'd pick up
his stick, press the handle tight to his
shoulder, take a long, careful aim and
then Puff he'd say.
Then he'd turn to me and say:
Hes done for took him right be-
tween the eyes. Now we will go home
One is enough today"
Yes, | said you wouldn't believe it, but
it's fact all the same. And he kept VI
this nonsense year in and year out
He thought it a sin to kill Gods crea
lures, but the old Adam in him had tC
have some vent. Once this hunting farce
had an ending that he didn't like a bit
The deuce! But she was a pretty girl, ant
/ have to laugh even yet whenever
think Of the way she punished the ole
man for his sentimental folly.
But. by you leave. sir, before | tell tn,
story Katie must fetch me another hal
liter. A man must keep his strength up
eh, sir?
There was one particular sort Of game
sir, that the old master was fonder o
stalking than any other-I mean the kin,
that wears pettcoats.
He fed them just as he did the fish
only it cost more. But he was rich, an
it was nobody's business anyway, for h
had been widower for years. And h
wanted this sort not only to rise to tn
bait, but to swallow the hook and b
caught. They did it all right. too. for h
was a very handsome man in spite of hi
years. and libcral-ycs, too liberal b
half. For fish when they are once cauGh
need no more bait. But with women tn
troubles only just beginning when 20
think you've got them.
However. that's neither here nor there
for the little one I'm speaking Of woul
not be caught at all. She had black ha
and big black eyes and long neck
: don't mean n foot long, YOU know, hr
thing like a Spaniard. | should say.
:. never saw a real Spanish woman. but
always imagined them looking like tina
In one word. she was beauty, and Z
mistake.
Who she was or what she was
couldn't find out exactly, hut ! rattle
think she was a singer. She was sin
ing all the time. and after heard her
never cared to hear any one else sin
not even in church. God forgive me. Or
day the baron called np up and said th
we were going to have some visitors
n two ladies. who desired to SEQ the woo'
y and the deer. He was quite worked I
over it and ordered Il big dinner. wi
everything Of the best-and nothing sect
ed good enough. | remember-and chal
pngne enough to float ship.
He ordered the big carriage for
o'clock.
HIN! Two ladies'" thinks to IN
self. 1T can't be the old Fcltzen NJ
her daughter-in-law. They wouldn Z
the old man so ratified. Besides, tn
know ali about the woods and see de
every day. Crhe Feltzien estate is on
. n few miles from Rottwitz.l Then W
tbo deuce can it beY As was thinki
about it | saw the baron get into the CT
f. rage and heard him tell the coachman
!. drive to the railway station.
n n 80" | thought; 1.-TWO ladies from 81
r. linz For the baron himself had retul
&c, ed from Berlin only two days beto
- When the carriage came back and | ST
al. the beautiful Spanish lady and the low
er like way the master looked and acted
~ knew at once what was in the wind.
y, If it would come to marriage,
p. couldn't be sure, for the old lady. wh'
- the little one called mamma did
ia seem like baron's mother-in-l law eXa
ly. She didn't hold her head hi
enough, you know; there wasn't enou
TO- of that sort Of "look-at-me-l m-the-who
nd show" air about her. On the contra
she acted as if she thought she ought
- apologize for being here at all.
H'' But | suppose there are plenty OF ia
things like that, only they're not comm
:. around here. and | wasn't used to the
w. | soon heard from old auntie-that
the old maid. Bieseke, who kept the
lage inn, but everybody called her auI
that her best rooms had been enga
and refurnished. The baron had S
c" over rugs, mirrors and lots of other
md things from the house.
ers SO the Spanish embassy evidently
g tended to remain with us for some di
at At dinner-I was called in to help "
H. tbe waitiug-the talk ran on hunting.
MI cDonich Girl was crazy over