Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-03
xvIu.
On the Sea-,Alp.

XVIII.
On the sea-Alp.
Today we celebrated our engagement Of
ficially on my Sea-Alp.
All the fishermen and boatmen. all the
woodsmen and foresters. all the mountain
folk, had been invited. The married ones
came with wives and children, and the
bachelors were invited with their sweet
hearts.
Judica and Miss Fritz arrived in the
morning. received with firing Of salutes
from Tony and Stigei. l had the table
decked on the shore and had ordered that
only Tony and Sugei should attend us. q
deadly insult to my noble Wallets and lack
eys who 1 half expected would hand me
their designations at once. But the crea-
lures showed themselves to be more servle
than ever.
Judica was in a simple white dress with
bunch of roses at her breast. Miss Fritz
wore her finest costume. a magnificent
apron of violet silk over the pleated black
waist with its silver buttons, silver chains
wound many times around her neck, and
golden cords with heavy tassels on the hat.
And this dress of wealthy peasant she
wore with a dignity that would have i'm
pressed even royal lord marshal
Now thought that the right moment had
come to open the doors and windows of the
kings house in which the dead king had
slept in his coffin, and to let the presence of
the child hallow it anew.
After l had SHOWN them the Cavaliers
House, the kitchen and all else, led them
into the kings house. And we all became
silent and very grave. decided to ask my
brother for permission to tear down the
building and erect new one, for / intend
to reside q great deal on the Sea-Alp, the
greater part of the year, if possible.
We had not finished our meal when the
boats began to arrive. Boat followed boat,
and at last there were many that Judica
pulled my sleeve and whispered: Have you
enough to eat for them?"
Even Miss Fritz looked serious. I paci-
fled them by telling that there was no dan
my engagement day.
At the landing place I took my position
with Judica. AS soon as a boat came in
sight the occupants fired their guns, waved
handkerchiefs and scarfs. cheered and shot
again and gain.
AS they stepped ashore CHI one held out
hand and took first mine and then
Judica's. l shook each hand as hard as
Good that you have come! And here is
my dear bride"
And this is what they would say to me:
You have picked out fine one! I'll be-
lieve that she makes you gladr'
And some said. a little warmly: "Be
sure to be nice to her" And the most po-
lite ones added: Don't get angry. We
just say what we think
And l assured them all that I would not
get angry.
And ever more boats! Ever more shoot
ing, cheering. saluting! Then everybody
settled down on the meadow and there
were coffee and cake for the women and
children sausages and beer for the men.
The coffee was brewed in mighty kettles,
and the sauSages were cooked in no less
mighty caldrOns.
After the first hunger and the first thirst
had been satisfied the games began. The
men climbed a creased pole for prizes.
raced, wrestled and engaged in hundred
different contests. My fine count partci-
pated in them all as If he had been born a
mountaineer. and in the wrestling he
threw the best of them. 1 noticed very well
that the prettiest girls looked at him Sc
cretly.
Miss Fritz superintendent the catering that
really began only after the games, when
roasts, hams, tongues and other mighty
meats We're served. All ate as much as
they could. and all got enough.
And my little Judica! Where was she all
this time? Always among the children.
Always in their very center. tf
In her white dress She seemed queen of
fays who had come to play with the little
ones. She raced ran and laughed with
them. At last they proclaimed little king
and queen. Judica crowned the tiny rulers
with flowers. and then, with the musicians
at their head their little majesties led a
ceremonial march around the meadow:
Judica walked between the two. finally
leading them to me. The small colleague
of my royal brother audaciously wished a
long life to 1.-The dear Mr.. Prince and his
dear. good Princess
All the little ones shrieked 'Hurrahi' all
the big ones Joined in and shrieked "Hur-
rah!" the musicians played their best and
everything and everybody was happy.
Heaven gave us moonlight that evening,
and we had a ball on the f1owery meadow.
1 opened the ball. and not with Judica.
The oldest grandmother was led to me, and
Judica danced with the Oldest man. Every
thing was done with stiff ceremony, from
which even the royal lord marshal might
have learned something.
Dance after dance followed. And every
time that 1 thought Now you can go to
Judica" a new partner was brought to me
first all the old ones. at last all the young
ones. l had to dance with EACH, even if 1
went around only once.
1t was the same with Judica. We could
not get together. There were too many
dancers. Even Miss Fritz had to dance.
She danced with a gravity. a dignity, such
as 1 never observed before. But gravity
and dignity belong to the peasant dances
So long as the world has been, no bridal
pair has had such a ball room. Over the
snowy peak of the White Emperor stood
the moon. The higher it rose the more did
the gray walls shine. more broad and gold
en- became the path of light upon the sea,
more splendid. glorified. unearthly became
the night. The wild rock-world transformed
itself into vast hall with silver walls. The
starry sky formed the ceiling.
Then Judca ESCAPED from her partner,
ran to me and cried:
Now l will dance with my bridegroom -
Then we danced. And no others danced
with us. We glided through the moonlight
like two solitary. blessed spirits.