The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-09-03
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NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

ten, why | refuse TO play cards with
you? Well, I'll tell you"
But first let me describe the baron. He
is a man who carries his so years we'll;
he is tall, of striking appearance, regu-
lar features, scrupulously neat in his ap-
parel, in manners coldly polite, circum-
spect and always self possessed. He i'm
presses one as being the personifcation Of
order. His comprehension is as slow as
his tongue. He knows, but his mental
acquisition requires time to formulate it
self and to give itself expression. If
snails had the power of speech and were
holding a conference, | am convinced
they would talk a la Malten. His Ian
guage is correct and deliberate, his ges-
lures few and his smiles rare.
He was formerly a captain of cavalry
in the Austrian army, but was obliged to
quit the service after the battle of Sa-
dowa, where he was wounded in the
knee. The wound healed in the course Of
time, but it resulted in a slight lameness
of the left leg, which, however, is not
without compensation, for now when the
baron walks he has the measured swing
of soldier on parade, his right hand
feeling by force Of habit for his missing
panion of the spurs, whose musical jingle
thrills the ear of the cavalryman the
world over. Every one knows that he is
poor and proud, but still he is often inyit-
ed to the CASTLE more because he is an
Austrian than on account of his title.
He accepts with dignity, and, being an
educated man and an attentive listener,
his company is eagerly sought And,
now that we know something of the man,
let him tell his own story:
MY story" said he, sis a short one,
quite commonplace and not of thrilling
interest. However, here it is: l cheated
at cards"
At these words we all looked at one an
other with blank amazement. Malten
noticed the look of horror on our faces,
nodded his classic head in confirmation of
our establishment and, stroking his long,
gray mustache, said slowly, eyes, L
Malten."
Then, seating himself in an armchair
and stretching out his Sadowa leg tender
ly, he related the following tale with
characteristic slowness:
"Twenty-fve years ago l was a young
married man, a very young sublieuten-
ant, and very young in many respects.
Since then / have grown older and wiser.
My poor young wife is dead, and since
her death find my life well nigh intol-
cradle l can scarcely call it living. l
simply exist. At the time of which
speak we resided in cozy little house in
a suburb of Vienna In the evening
when the weather was pleasant we used
to go out walking past the Elizabeth
It'll. IL, n,erl,k ,fa%t fhof
structure have looked down upon us more
than 100 times as we walked slowly past
arm in arm. We talked about many top
les. She dreaded war. l wished a call
to war. We more than once expressed
establishment that we two, holding views
so opposed, should be married, but our
talks always wound up with plans for
the future. We even discussed how to
bring up our children before we had any,
"When the weather was bad, we re-
manned at home in a little world of our
own, and after supper we found our
chief amusement in playing cards, usu-
ally ecarte Though neither of us was
expert at the game, we played earnestly
to win, and whenever l lost l would rail
at my ill luck, give a blast or two on the
trumpet and raise a racket generally.
When she lost, she kept quiet, but
could see by the trembling of her lips
that she suffered as much in her silence
as in my noisy demonstration.
"After awhile, to add spice to the
game, began to cheat. My wife did the
same. And. like two children, we pre-
tended to deceive each other. When l
managed to get the five trumps and
spread them out with a look of limo
cence on my face, she would exclaim,
You are cheating, sirp And l would re-
ply, Yes, my dear, l know it. but it's
the only way to win. And so we passed
many pleasant evenings
at was about that period of my exist
ence that l was invited for the first time
to visit General Mohr. With what joy l
accepted the honor! My wife began
about noon to spread my uniform on the
bed, and with what care she helped me
dress! 1t was her hands that fastened
my saber; it was she who gave me the
final inspection, and when she babe me
goodby at the hoor, for she did not ac-
company me, she had look of pride so
sweet that for a moment l had it in my
heart to say: My dear, I'll not go to the
generals tonight. You are my wife-the
pest Hllie WOuldu III all TIC NOllh anu
I'll stay at home with you and keep on
my uniform just for you alone Would
to heaven | had remained home that
night
"When l arrived at the generals house,
! I assure you | did not regret my visit.
Nothing is more beautiful than those re-
ceptions in my country. and on that even
ing the affair was unusually brilliant.
There were all the corps commanders,
also a group of archdukes-and our arch
| dukes are grand There is something
about their carriage. their dress, their
profile, so majestic that they look as II
| they had just dismounted from those
| bronze horses which they will bestride
when after death their equestrian statues
shall be erected on high, bearing large
military hats with spreading plumes.
''Of the ladies | will only say that they
were there in great numbers. And sucf
beautiesi Our Viennese blends are SC
beautiful Such milk white skin! Suct
eyes of heavenly blue, No man coulC
help falling in love with them, singlJ
and collectively, especially If he saw
them dance. Really, your heart became
enthralled at once and was carried away
In the folds Of the ladies' dresses. AnC
then there was Strauss. The great an(
only Strauss, who conducted like some oil
vine being But l must stop lest l MAKE
myself ridiculous in your eyes. l viewed
all these splendors with joyful astonlsh
nent, with a certain pride at being there
At times | thought of my little wife a
home and wished she were on my arm
enjoying the spectacle.
presently | found myself in small
parlor. | can see it now as plainly as a
the moment | first entered it-a room
hung in cherry aud satin, lighted by
large golden candelabrum holding tai
candles. About the room were severa
mahogany tables with green cloth tops
Seated at these tables were elderly gen
tlemen, Respondent in their many deco
rations, and all absorbed in card playing
They conversed in low tones, as If III
church, and only the strains of distan
orchestra occasionally interrupted tn
whisperings of the gamblers. Thes
sights quite overpowered me, and just a
| was about to quit this sanctuary
heard my name called. turned. 1t wa
nv colonel who had spied me. He Pre-
posed game of ecarte. 1 bowed az
ceptanee and took the chair just vacate
by his partner. Several persons wer
standing around our table, and ! can re
call the feeling of vanity l experience
at being seen in public with my supt
rior The colonel proposed q stake Of
forms. to which l agreed. We,.c cut 70