The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1901-02-14
rms and
1heWorrlan|
By Harold Mac rath y

Thanks. said l. ut dropped from
my windo v last night while was
playing the disgraceful part of caves
dropper." dare say she had expected
| anything but this candid confession.
| 1t was very cunning in me- She
knew that knew she knew. Had
! lied should have committed an irrep-
arabic blunder. AS 1t was she liftea
her chin and laughed.
"Will you forgive me?''
eyes; for you certainly wasted your
time"
eyes, indeed; for am just as much
in the dark as ever"
sand will remain So"
~ hope so. A mystery is charming
while it lasts. Really, Gretchen, did
not mean to play the listener, and
promise that from now on
"From now on!' cried Gretchen.
"Does not herr leave today?"
I "No; am going to spend whole
week here"
There was mixture Of dismay and
anger in her gaze
"But, as l was going to say, l shall
make no effort to pry into your affairs.
! Honestly, am gentleman"
II shall try to believe you," said she,
the corners of her mouth broadening
into smile.
She condescended to show me through
the rose gardens and tell me what she
! knew about them. 1t was an interest
ing lecture And in the evening she
: permitted me to row her about the riv
er. We were getting on very well un-
der the circumstances.
The week was soon gone, and Gret-
chen and l became very good friends.
Often when she had nothing to do we
would wander along the river through
the forests, always, ! noticed, by
route which took us away from the
village. Each day discovered some
new accomplishment. Sometimes
would read Heine or Goethe to her,
| and she would grow rapt and silent.
! In the midst of some murmurous stan
"a l would suddenly stop. only to see
her start and look at me as though /
had committed a sacrilege, in that !
had spoiled some dres m of hers. Then
again myself would become lost in
dreams, to be aroused by soft voice
saying "Well, why do you not go on?"
Two people of the opposite sexes read
ing poetry in the woods is solemn
matter. This is not appreciated at the
time, however. 1t comes back after
ward.
In all the week 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 to me, so
quiet and peaceful, with the glamour Of
romance over it all, that l 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 lessening each day, from ac-
tive to passive. And yet was it be-
cause Gretchen was Phyllis in the ideal?
Was falling in love with Gretchen be.
cause she was Gretchen. or was my
love for Phyllis simply renewing itself
in GretchenI Was that the reason
why the portrait of Phyllis grew less
holding and interesting to me? 1t was
a complex situation; one frowned
over when alone. 1t was becoming
palmer to me every hour that ! had a
mystery all Of my own to solve. And
Gretchen was the only one to solve it.
shall never forget that night under
the chestnuts 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 l. echoing my
thoughts, chad been born hundred
years ago must have been soldier.
Napoleon was a great warrior"
$50 was Butcher, since it was he
who helped overcome the little Corsi-
can"
The Germans will never forgive Ma
poleon.
\ 'But war is terrible thing" went
on Gretchen.
eyes, but it is a great educator. 1t
teaches the vanquished how little they
know"
"War is the offspring of pride. That
is what makes 1t so abhorred."
sIt 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 tore 3 of
/ liberty in the hands of the people.
Oh, envy the people. who are SO
strong, yet know 1t not. fl were
man, would teach the people that
| king has no divine right. save when It
is conferred upon him by them"
"Gretchen, I'm afraid that you're
| 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
II q f<>I, 10