The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1902-02-21
A GAME OF CARDS.


lar features, scrupulously neat in his ap-
parel; in manners coldly polite, circ11,n-
spect and always self-possessed. He i'm
presses one as being the personification 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 conference am convinced they
would talk a Ia Malten. His language is
correct and deliberate, his gestures few
and his smiles rare.
He was formerly captain of cavalry
in the Austrian army, but was obliged te
quit the. service after the battle Of Sad
owa, where he was wounded in the
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 a soldier on parade, his right hand
feeling, by force Of habit. for his missing
saber-that beautiful saber, close COM
panion Of the spurs whose musical jingle
world over; Every one knows that he
is poor and proud, but still he is often
invited 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,
ms company, is eagerly sought: And,
now that we know something Of the man,
let him tell his own story:
MY story said he, lis short onc
quite commonplace and not of thrilling
interest. -, However, here it is: l cheated
At these words we all looked at one
another with blank amazement. Maltcn
ha Inol- 1F1
nodded his classic head in confirmation
OF Our establishment, and, stroking his
long, gray mustache, said slowly: Eyes,
Then, seating himself in an armchair
and stretching out his Sadowa leg ten
derby, he related the following tale with
characteristic slowness:
'"Twenty-ive years ago I was young
married man, very young sub-lieuten-
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;
speak we resided in a coy little house in
a suburb Of Vienna. In the evening
when the weather was pleasant we used
to go out walking past the Elizabeth
bridge, and the eight statues on that
structure have looked down upon us more
than 100 times as we walked slowly past
arm i'll arm. We talked about many
call to war. We more than once OK
pressed establishment that we two, hold
ing views so opposed, should be mar
ried, 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 VIC re-
manned ut home in 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 I lost / would rail
at my ill-luck, give a blast or two on the
When she lost she kept quiet: but. l
that she suffered as much in her silence
as in my noisy demonstration.
after a while, to add spice to the
game, [ began to cheat. MY wife did
pretended 70 deceive each other. When I
managed to get the five trumps and
spread them out with look of innocence
on my face she would cxclaim You are
cheating, sir!' And I would reply, Yes,
my dear, I know it, but it's the only way
to win And 50 we passed many pleas
ant evenings.
1T was about that period Of my exist
ence that was invited for the first time
to visit Gen. Mohr. With what joy I
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 gave me the final
at the door (for she did not accompany
me) she had look of pride so sweet that
for moment had it in my heart to
say, My dear, I'll not go to the generals
tonight. You are my wife-the best lit
tie woman in all the world-and I'll stay
at home with you and keep on my uni
en- l had remained home that night
'When I arrived at the generals
house, assure you did not regret my
visit. Nothing is moro beautiful than
those receptions in my country, and on
that evening the affair was unusually
brilliant. There were all the corps COM
manders, also, group Of archdukes-and
thing about their carriage. their dress,
their profile, 50 majestic, that they look
as if they had just dlsmounted from
those bronze horses which they will be-
stride when after death their equestrian
statues shall be erected on high, bear
ing large military hats with spreading
plumes.
''Of the ladies will only say that they
were there in great numbers-and such
beauties! Our Viennese blondes are SO
beautiful! Such milk-white skin! Such
eyes Of heavenly blue. No man could
help falling in love with them, singly and
collectively, especially, if he saw them
dance. Really, your heart became en-
thralled at once, and was carried away
in the folds Of the ladies' dresses! AMI!
then there was Strauss! The great and
only Strauss! who conducted like some
divine being. But must stop lest
make myself ridiculous in your eyes.
viewed all these splendors with joyful
establishment, with a certain pride at
being there. At times I thought of nv
little wife at home, and wished she were
on my arm enjoying the spectacle.
presently I found myself in a small;
parlor-I can see it now as plainly as at
the moment first entered it-a room
hung in cherry and satin, lighted by a
large golden candelabrum, holding tall