Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-04-19

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and ber freshest. Perhaps he would
be at the fitting tournament. Her
heart leaped at the thought, and she
sang through the house all day.
When the afternoon of the tourna.
ment came the aunt put Oh her heavi
est mourning She always wore hel
mourning for best. Walter was ex
tremely dapper In frill skirt, richly
plaided tie. cane and juvenile der
by. As for Ottilie. she looked like o
blooming rose.
The aunt started them very early, SC
that they might have good seats, and
indeed in the tent put up for the enter
tainnent on the race track ground they
had places OH the front row. In the re-
lief ensuing after her perilOus passage
of the crowded corners and the street
crossings the aunt answered Walters
| questions about the fitting with more
than Ter ordinary conference and calm
She said that young men dressed as
knights rode around the circuit carry
ing long poles AS they trotted past
they tried to catch on them the rings
side of the circuit.
WhGavcr got the most rings on his
pole received wreath of roses, and
with this he crowned her he chose as
queen of the Rcvels.
Ottilie turned to watch the knights as
they rode in. There were perhaps twen.
" of them all young. picturesquely
dressed and deccntly mounted with the
air rather of masqueraders than OF
| knights.
Among these was Il young man with
Il heavy plume, dressed in black vel
vet costume. rather too large, and rid.
ing IL stout gray cob, evidently car
riagc horse
Some one behind the Wolfgangs re-
marked that she guessed that man In
black velvet wouldn't have to choose
any queen, and her comment attracted
Ottilie's attention to him. She nearly
started with excitement. 1t was Sigurd
Bhaer Ottilie was breathless with sus'
pense and eXhilaration when he trotted
by and tilted his pole, and when he got
six rings more than anybody else and
was loudly applauded she could hardly
lift her eyes from pride.
As he rode around the ring in the sec
ond turn. for all the knights had three
turns. he continually cast searching
gamccs among the audience.
Walter waved his cane jubilantly in
the air. 1t arrested the young mans
attention. and his glance fell on OF
tile. She was too confused to smile
or even to meet his happy look of ad'
miration. She glanced radiantly away
and when she could look back again
he had ridden past. but she was certain
he had known her.
He turned his pole nervOusly the sec
ond time and came off with only ONT
more ring than he had before. This
put him behind two of the other play
ers. but the third time he aimed well
and amid applause reached four more
than amy one else.
The trumpet sounded for the end OF
the contest. The knights all rode
around again past the pole, and as the
champion went by the king of com
mercc handed him wreath Of roses.
The band played Hail to the Chief.
the audience cheered, and there was a
breathless pause.
The victor turned his horses head
and trotted clumsily across the circuit
TO where Ottilie was sitting between
the aunt and Walter.
He dismounted little heavily and
said nervOusly, Il want to give you
this"
Ottilie took off her hat. and he laid
the wreath on her yellow braids above
her mantlng face and sparkling eyes.
Everybody applaudcd Ottilie Won
dered what she ought to say to the
young man AS for the aunt, it was
lucky that her senses were all some
what pur6lind and in haze of bewil-
derment or else she would have been
daZZled to prostratiOn. Walter alone
remained self possessed amid these
honorS
Might | come back and bring car
riage to take you hOme?' said the
young man. The aunt answered him
hurriedly in German. which he seemed
TO understand. and he led his horse
away behind the curtain.
In few minutes he returned, look
ing much more familiar in his low col
lar and i'll fitting citizens dress.
He marshaled Walter and the aunt.
now in Il state of henlike perturbation
before him, took Ottilie's hat, gave
her his arm and conducted her. rose
crowned bluslling and radiant, out be
tween the lines of the impressed audi
ence to a livery hack waiting at tn.
clrb.
In the carriage the atmosphere be
came much less charged. The young
man talked of Batavia and how attach
ed to the place he had become. though
lie had lived there only few years.
He drove them to Il little beer garden,
where they sat at green painted table
and ate supper and drank each others
health among maple trees and tubbed
Oleandcrs.
1t grew dark early. The aunt went
to sleep, and Walter amused himself
with white mice in Il hanging cage
from the beer garden lattice. Young
men aud girls began to come in and or
der lemonade and foaming beer and
promenade in the lamp lit shade of the
place. casting occasional adm!rng
glances ut Ottilie and whispering how
she was queen Of the Revels a harp
and two violins came ont on the pa
vilon and played the Beautiful Blue
Danube" waltz and Schubert's 'Sere-
made" and Ottilie and Sigurd were
very happy.
Sgurd went back to Chicago with
Ottilic and Walter when they returned.
He talked with Mr.. Wolfgang about
the brewing business and smoked with
him in his back yard while Ottilie sat
beside them and stitched linen for hel
dover chest