The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-01-31

PREM l,ETON lJryIl,N
both hands dew instin lively to HIS
breast There was an expression OF
1surprise on bis face. His eyes closed.
his knees bent forward and he sank
Into the. road huddIed heap The
prince shrugged, a sigh Of relief fell
from the counts half parted lips, while
the inr,keeper ran toward the fallen
man.. s..
-. Are you hurt, prince?' asked the
count. $500 l e
The cursed fool has blown off nv
elbowT was the answer. Bind it IN
with your handkerchief and help me
on with my coat. There is nothing
more to do. If he is not dead, he, soon
will be, so it's all the same.'' @
When the princes arm was suf6-
GENTLY bandaged so as to stop the flow
Of blood, the count assisted him to
mount, jumped on his own horse and
the two cantered off, leaving the inn
keeper, Hillars' head propped up on
his knee, staring after them with a
dull rage in his faded blue eyes. The
remaining horse was grazing short
distance away. Now and then he lifted
his head and gazed inquiringly at the
two figures in the road. =,
| lis it bad, .herr?' the innkeeper ask
ed. az : =: ..- = -. =; =
Every. Get back to the inn. don't
want to peter out here Then he
tainted. - :. = = - +. =. e 4ssss<
1t required some time and all the inn
keepers strength to put Hillars on the
horse. When this was accomplished,
he turned the horses head toward tie
inn. And that was all. -
"Dan?" said l. = 5@---rs. ~
The lids Of his eyes rolled YEARLY
back.
"1s there anything can do for you?,
"Bury me-" =
! 1t was very sad. "WhereY asked.
did you see the little cemetery on
the hill, across the valley? Put me
there. It is wild, forgotten place.
Ills. only my body. Who cares what
becomes of that? AS for the other, tie
soul, who can say? l have never been
a good man. Still believe in God. 4 /
am tired-tired and cold. What fan
cies man has in death! A moment
back saw my father. There was
wan, sweet faced woman standing
close beside him; perhaps my mother.
l never saw her before. All, me, these
chimeras we set our hearts upon, these
worldly hopes! Well, Jack, it's curtain
| and no encore. But l am not afraid to
die. l have wronged no man or wom-
an. have been my own enemy. What
shall I say, Jack? All, yes! God have
mercy on my soul! And this sudden
| GOODNESS, this sudden ease from pain,
| is deathy'
There was a futter of the eyelids, a
sigh, and this poor fotsam, this drift
wood which had never known harbor
In all it's years, this friend of mine,
| this inseparable comrade, passed out
There were hot tears in my eyes as
stood up and gazed down at this mys-
terry called death, and while did so
| hand, horny and hard, closed over
mine. The innkeeper, with blinking
eyes, stood at my side. ,.--~- -.s,-.-
"Ah, herr" he said, "who would not
die like that?' e+~sz -. -
= And we buried him on the hillside
just as the sun swept aside the rosy
curtain Of dawn. The wind, laden
with fresh morning perfumes, blew up
joyously from the river. From where
stood / could see the drab walls Of
the barracks. The windows sparkled
and flashed as the gray mists sailed
heavenward and vanished. The hill
with it's long grasses resembled a green
sea. The thick forests across the riv-
er, almost black at the waters edge,
turned a fainter and more delicate hue
as they receded till far away they look
ed like notified glass. Only yesterday
he had laughed with me, talked and
smoked with me, and now he was dead.
A rage pervaded me. We are puny
things, we who strut the highways of
the world, parading a so called wis
dom. There is only one philosophy; it
is to learn to die.
Come" said to the innkeeper, and
we went down the hill. -
"When does the herr leave?' .
"At once. There will be no vques-
tions!''' I asked, pointing to the village.
"None. Who knowsW 49,. :
'Then remember that Herr Hillars
was taken suddenly i'll and died and
that he desired to be buried here. I
| dare say the prince will find some ex-
cuse for his arm, knowing the kings
will in regard to dueling. Do you -un-
derstand me? --s----.S-7st~ l..
yes" - - - r -. =
= did not speak to him again, and he
strobe along at my heels with an air
of preoccupation. We reached the inn
in silence. =~-7se. -, -
"What do you know about her serene
highness the Princess Hildegarde" I
asked abruptly. = s.es =. =
@''What does herr wish to know"
shifting his eyes from my gaze. F..
| "a II Won can fell mo - %~1-., - = "