The Morris County chronicle., 1905-02-21
ny KRIS. ALExANBEr.
PART i.
CHAPTER I.

and smooth through q line
~ landscape; on the right, un-
dulating, richly wooded
heights, the advance guard Of noun
tain range ia the background; on the
left, green, softly-rounded uplands,
which in England would be called
downs" furrowed at intervals by
small, shallow ravines, and sprinkled
with dwellings some Of the better
sort-each with its surrounding Of
trees and cultivation.
Away up the river, where it emerged
from the hills, stood lofty mass OF
rock, crowned by gray Schloss, and
at its foot clustered the houses of a
small town, the capital of the district
By the river side, at the embouchure
Of one of the rayines just mentioned,
the mixed timber and brick built cot
tages Of village were gathered.
And beyond, the dry stony road led
on uphill to a residence of some pre-
tension, plentifully shaded by beech
and sweet linden trees, opening on a
well-tended garden, and surrounded
by the fields. yards, and belongings
Of "Cut' or farm.
All slept TRANQUILITY in the golden
haze Of early autumn's noontide heat.
The bees hummed as contentedly,
the myriads Of the insect world fitted
and danced merrily as if no such curse
as war darkened the earth.
River, trees, hills, fiowers-all fair
to see.
"AlI save the spirit OF man was divine"
In the little village of Bergfeld, how
ever, that spirit was much perturbed.
It would be more accurate to say the
spirit of woman was sorely vexed;
for, save young boys and aged carries,
scarce any men were left in the Saxon
villages during that unhappy summer
Of 1866, when the little kingdom kept
faith with Austria so truly. fought so
gallantly, and bled so freely in the
fatal fight of Koniggratz.
The poor. hard working creatures,
too disturbed to follow their usual
avocations, clustered round the White
Pigeon Gasthof and the trough from
which the horses drank, talking to-
gether, vaguely wondering when the
march of the victorious Prussians
would cease.
Already two divisions had tasted the
enforced hospitality of the village, and
q fourth infliction was expected.
True, the Herr Serichtsamtmann,
the great man of the neighborhood,
who always entered into their joys and
troubles, assured them that a certain
indemnifcation would be given in re.
payment; but that certain seemed to
the Bergfelderins very uncertain and
distant, whereas the actual Prussian,
gobbling up, was terribly real and
present. aiE a
Above, in the Gerichtsamtmann's
pleasant home, under the shady lin
dens, care and sorrow were also pre-
dominant.
In the cool, parque'd salon, with its
highly polished, inlaid, brass handled
comrnodes, Schranks. and writing ta-
bles; its straight-backed chairs, and
comfortable Lehnstuhle; its wicker
stands of flowers. and principal table
with red cover, and the invariable
snowy, satiny,. damask cloth or large
napkin laid diamond-wise over the
centre; and standing before the sofa,
on which is the seat of honor, an ell
derly lady in black, white lace hand
kerchief tied loosely over her soft
gray hair, was walking slowly to and
fro before the open windows and glass
door which led to the veranda and gar
den.
Her face was careWorn, and world
of anxious thought lay in the dark
eyes, still so soft and bright.
She paused by the door for mo-
ment, as the sound of young voices
came from the garden beneath, but
her busy fingers took no rest. from their
habitual, perhaps soothing, occupa-
tion; and. with eyes and thoughts far
away, Frau Ghering's deft fingers
knitted OH. eivs's
A knock at the door of the salon
failed to rouse her, a second, more
sharply administered, drew her atten-
ton, and before she had well uttered
"Herein," an old man, who might be
gardener, butler, coachman, or a little
OF all, came and stood twisting his cap
about. while he said, with some embar-
rassment:
"a Prussian Hussar wants to speak
with our MASTER V
HE has ridden to the town. Hans.
You must speak with the soldier your
self" said the lady with a sigh, 3,
do not forget to tell him that we
ian take but few horses, as the last
party billeted here left so many be
hind to recover s,as
"They are still here. are they not,
Hans?s
eyes, Frau Amtmann." he replied,
'some OF them are still good for little
or nothing
1T has been bad business alto
gether.''
With q respectful bow he withdrew,
Hans called his mistress; he Eel
turned and stood in the doorway
"Be civil to these people. Hans.
'The war is over the sooner the
breach is healed the better; besides
another sigh--"we gain nothing by ir.
ritating them
Hans bowed ana again withdrew
mpttering an indignant ''PotztausendH
Frau Gehring stepped onto the yer
anda. and. after d glance at the fail
scene which spread beneath her, called