The Morris County chronicle., 1905-02-21

~ face
While be looked his soldier servant
entered with tray on which was
spread tempting luncheon and foam
ing beaker.
"Got sic dank, said Eittmesster, as,
throwing himself into the easy chair,
he seized the glass. while he held
out one foot that his servant might re-
move his boot.
"Good quarters, Karlg' he continued,
setting down the half drained glass
'NOt bad, Herr Rittmeister; plenty
Of everything, but folks d little sulky-
"HoweYer, / have scarce been here an
hour"
gHence Karl. Do not let any one
come near me, but at five. arouse me.
! il / have not already roused you"
Good. Herr Rittmeister," and soon
| the weary soldier was wrapped in
profound slumber, while the junior
| officers-Von Planitz and First Lieu
tenant Burchardt-after an elaborate
| toilet. proceeded to pay the visit Of re-
spect which Prussian officers rarely
omitted albeit c0nquerors received on
compulsion.
when Won Steinhausen awoke the
sun had accomplished the circuit OF
| the villa, and was glinting its yellow
evening rays through the QuiverinS
spaces Of the leaves and touching the
| water in the basin with gold.
IA few minutes Of delicious con-
scious rep0se, Of dreamy uncertainty
ais to where hewas and how he came
there. and Karl entered with automat-
| ic punctuality to rouse his master, and
| lay out his dressing things.
So the .Rittmeister, recalled to the
realities of existence, rose to dress
himself and write some letters before
| joining the supper table a
The realities Of existence had not
been all rose color to Steinhausen; but
that was his own nafault.
Well born, and well endowed by ma
ture, few men had had a better start;
but a dash of fierce eagerness in his
pursuit of whatever pleasure or Whim
attracted him had led him into trouble
in various ways, and made him some
enemies, and want Of wholesome
checks in early youth had permitted
crust Of pride and selfishness to form
over the better and warmer nature
which lay beneath.
Some years before the breaking out
of the war, Won Steinhausen had
found himself on the brink OF Tuin;
gambling and other debts pressed mad
deningly upon him.
A proposed marriage with beauti-
full and wealthy widow was broken
off; when suddenly distant relative,
who resided too far from Berlin to be
well informed as to his kinsman's do
ings, died, leaving the whole of his
large property to the drowning lieu
tenant. a
From that day Won Steinhausen was
a different man-harder, steadier in
sense, and certainly a better member
Of society.
The fair widow made some graceful
advances. which Won Steinhausen had
politely but positively ignored, and now
he had won for himself high reputa-
ton, not merely for courage, but for
soldierly ability, n.s aa4
His toilet finished, his rich Red Hus-
sar uniform. thickly laced with gold,
accurately adjusted, he sat down to
write his letters before leaving the
room.
A tall figure, every inch soldiers.
with deep dark eyes cleaning under
black brows, and crisp, dark-browD
hair clustering round somewhat rug
ged temples; a face, sunburnt to almost
Eastern swathiness, and lined here and
there as a man of his age ought not
to be; his mouth was hidden by a
heavy dark mustache, through which
white teeth cleaned when he laughed,
as he often did, not without touch Of
scorn, and without any accompanying
softness in the eyes. e
It was the hour Of universal repose
in Germany. The confused murmur
Of sound he had heard when he first
awoke had gradually died away, and
profound stiffness made itself felt.
After his third letter Steinhausen
laid down his pen. and leaned back in
his chair to enjoy the delicious silence.
Presently sound stole upon the
stiffness like gentle ripple over the
face of a sleeping babe.
Max Won Steinhausen listened, and
then tapped his boot in time to the
well known German air:
''When I come, when come, sf
When | come back again"
very softly and sweetly sung so softly
that but for the extreme quiet of the
afternoon hour it would not have
reached Steinhausen's ear.
To be continued.
9l
Famine in India.
Famines in India are not due alto.