Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-29
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On the Sea-Alp. Spring!

thantment / find myself in the mldst Oh the
great proud solitude. They nave lhoi-
Gated to me that may remain here Tor
considerable period, and alone, or at least
as good as alone, for with the exception OF
an old valet. the COOK and one lackey 1
have no encourage except one cavalier.
And now l am here, and have made
great discovery. l am young sun, only
twenty years old!
The "Sea-alp'' can be reached only over
the AIp-sea, one thousand feet above sea
level No path leads hither, only along
the right-hand shore might it be possible
in emergencies to get here.
Where the lake ends there arises in I'M
approac hable ice-crowned majesty the
White Emperor. We royal ones thus are
among our own kind.
From the walls of the White Emperor an
immense piece seems to have fallen into
the depths and smashed there Every
where are rock wrecks. They lie helter
SHELTER. But the forest Grapes the ruin,
CloakS ii with vines let's Alpine roses ana
golden-yellow flowers blossom over 1t.
Through the gorge the gray mountain tor
rent riots, and over the winding pain the
snow bands the rocks shine nearer ana
nearer.
Ever wilder ever more sublime ever more
magnificent There was the shrill whistle
of a chamois. whole herd goes like an
arrows flight up the steep walls. shower
of loosened stones falls into the sea.
And now we arrive.
A fairly large green meadow lies like an
emerald in the gray walls of the White EN-
peror. Rock, nothing but rock! broad
shining snow field above, and at the end of
the gorge a glacier with gray top and
deep blue splendid grotto from which the
water bursts.
Over my head the blue heaven and at my
feet colored sea of spring flowers. And
in the midst of this blssful mead the Sea-
alp!
1t consists of three buildings erected in
the bloCkhouse style the so-called King s
House. the Cavaliers House and building
for kitchen and the servants
dwell in the King House. Its whole in
terror shines with red shimmering cembra
pine. From my bedroom l can look straight
at the cleaning crown of his majesty, the
White Emperor.
OF my companions in this Alps ldyll
will name Tony first.
Young. tall, lean, the whole fellow muscle
and power. Light hair, light eyes, brown
face. He eagle a quarter of an
hour before l can find it with spyglass.
You must know that 1 am a miserable
hunter among other defects.
When l arrived he yodeled at me like
mailman and gave me his hand, which al
most killed my noble valet. Too bad that
his excellency the lord marshal was not
present.
Besides Tony two othcr Alpine noun
taineers help to t1aInt an oar Slight COM
munication with the outer world. And ti.en
there is kosl. tn. forester's aid, WHO has
been assigned to
And he looks like kings SOM And what
a sonl Other than i, This king son
would bring race to The throne that could
win the world for itself
When Tony, Loisl and my littleness are
together, and Tony opens lis red mouth
with the cleaning teeth ID address one Of
us two l expect every time to hear him
say to Loisl: Your royal highncss.'
niS al mot mr.
that. too, becomes him well. We cannot
bear me. which makes me very sorry. But
understand it. A man like him. SO truly
by the grace of God, must have natural
hatred for all that pretends TO be Of Il quite
especial grace of God
Very we'll do l observe how much self
restraint 1T costs him to salute me in
homage and to stand before me with dotted
hat. Therefore l avoid as much as possible
forcing him into this position. If 1t were
possible l should like to associate with him
in a perfectly social way. 1t would make
me very happy could he learn to like nc
His mother is said to have been a great
beauty She lives somewhere nearby. !
should like to know her.
If one climbs behind the Sea alp over
mighty rock-strewn way and up neck
breaking path one reaches the White En-
peror meadow. There, 1t Is said, a won
derfully beautiful dairy maid lives In lone
Illness She is. they tell me, LoisIs sweet
heart and day after day he finds his way
up the dangerous path to see her
i have to think a great deal of the two
beautiful young people. of all the happiness
that there is on earth and OF winch snail
never know anything.
There must be something special in con-
nection with Loisl Accidentally l learned
mat the forester of the distrct-he is a
late arrival-made a mistake In assigning
him to me and had been ordered 10 recall
him. But l vetoed that energeucally.
In this | thought less of my own pleas
in
handsome beings up there each evening
on the White Emperor meadow So, for
the first time in my life l have done some
thing good.
. Count Gebhardt is the cavalier who has
been given to me as companion. The count
is only two years older than l, so we could
be young together. He is very reserved
always but never courtier. Therefore
he is satisfactory to me.
OF his inner person l know nothing. l
should like to learn. not as a prince but
as one man knows another. But l do not
know how l shall go about 1t.
He Is my direct antithesis, for he never
speaks of himself and l think forever of
myself despite the warning of my good,
wise brother. that must not think of
ourselves or we shall be lost as on lonely
height We never speak together of per-
sonal matterS-of course not. l must not
be a personality to him at all.
/ long to ask him to tell me of his fam
fly, his home his youth-of all that which
is not to be found in the Almanach de
Gotha. He was most surely real boy,
with a head fun of madness and foolish
ness The happy Probably he has
already loved-a first love, springlike, pure
and good.
Is he happy? Did he go willingly with
me? Why did he come to court? How
could he come 70 court, free as he is and
sagacious and strong?
In one respect we are congenfal. We both
love solitude. And we both love it so pas
sionately that we avoid each other wher-
ever and whenever can l fear the
count acts sadly against his instructions,
for as a matter of fact, he should re-
main forever at my heels.
If he knew how grateful l am to him
for letting me go!
He is small and exceedingly graceful.
almost dainty. He has the finest hand
ever saw on a man white and slender. yet
full of character and strength. His feat
rres are as distinct and fine as the head
of an antique cameo.
What | do not like is his intense ele-
cance That is so exclusive that ii has
won even the admira ton of my valet.
If Ioisl feels dislike for me- his con-
tempt for the count knows no bounds