Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-10-18
Maid, Wife Or WldoM?
.n1nn,nr,r1ll1 17 Y
eS= McD FROM the Fnep2. e
B~ MRS. ALEXANDER.


appointed seat with alacrity. b."
In another moment the object OF his
thoughts would be beside him, and
a dozen opportunities must occur, be-
fo~s the evening meal was over, for
satis{ ying his curiosity.
The same homelike charm which
pervaded the house and household was
perceptible in the sale manger.
Its pale gray walls, relieved by the
warm red drapery of the curtains-the
table. tempting from the fineness and
whiteness If the Lausitz damask table
linen-the brightness of the silver, the
delicate forms of the Meissen china.
and the group of field flowers which
shed a simple beauty over I'll. struck
the Prussians as elegant beyond what
could have been expected In the neigh
borhood of an obscure Saxon country
town.
AS Steinhausen took in these details
while unfolding his napkin, the door
leading to the corridor was opened and
Lies, who ushered in two ladies in
fashionable travelling dresses, saying
as she did so:
"My mother, these ladies have wait
ed SO long that l have persuaded them
to join us at supper"
Frau Cheering rose, and proceeded
to go through the introductions inev-
table in Germany on -uch an occa-
sion.
No sooner was the name of Won
Steinhausen pronounced than the el-
der Of the two ladies, with much ami
nation, exclaimed:
Il have surely had the honor of meet
ing Herr Rittmeister last winter III
Berlin, at the Granfn Won C's!"
''No doubt / have had that honor
returned Stelnhausen. carelessly. as
he watched the movements Of Lies.
Pray. sit down. said the young
lady, with distracting politeness, draw
ing back the chair destined. for her
self; and the lean and angular Baron.
in, with mods and becks, and
wreathed smiles" took possession OF
it, while Lies, dropping " slight curt
sey at her mothers passing introduc-
ton, my daughter, Herr Rittmeister,"
led the younger guest to Il seat oppo-
site, next to Lieutenant furchardt.
"Lies," said Frau Cheering, thou
hadst better take the fathers seat un-
til he comes"
ayes, dear mother" and she placed
herself accordingly, with glance of
suppressed mirth and covert meaning
to her younger sister, which indicated
more of mundane feeling than her
calm, nunlike bearing would have sug-
gested.
But Steinhausen missed this momen-
tary revelation.
He was helping himself, in deepest
wrath, 10 some excellent roast hare,
and giving the shortest possible an
swers to the Frau Baronin's fashion
able "reminiscences.
At the opposite side Fraulein Won
Wuthenau sat between Burchardt and
Won Planitz, whose neighbOr, the lit.
tie Backfischenen Clara-or, more gen.
orally, "Clarchen"-found it hard to
oppose a cold reserve, becoming the
conquered but unsubdued," to the
frank, merry talk of her companion,
himself a mere boy.
Burchardt meantime made himself
exceedingly ridiculous (Steinhausen
thought, by his almost troublesome
attentions to, and persistent attempts
to converse with, the fair Fraulein OF
Frau at the foot Of the table. Stein
hausen observed that she wore we'd
ding or engagement ring.
Burchardt was genial, jovial soul,
much given to beer and tobacco, and
not without some sense of humor.
His devotion to one neighbor and
negligence of the other struck the Ba'
ronin also as extensively foolish.
And the Rittmeister too! She had
heard he was hard, selfish creature,
but scarcely expected to find him Sc
bearish.
"The gnadige Frau is a great stu
dent" said Burchardt, setting down
his beer glass after deep draught,
and again turning to the daughter of
the house.
He had called her Fraulein first,
and Steinhausen listened sharply for
her reply, but when it came she took
no notice of the change Of epithet. Il
see books in all languages yOnder on
your table,"
"a country life would be dull without
some such pursuit" she replied.
Doubtless" put in the Banonin, con-
temptuously. without the advantages
of occasional residence in capital like
Berlin, and contact with wcll-bred &C.
ciety, the faculties are apt to rust"
eve command the highest class OF
society here" said the young lady
TRANQUILITY.
Indeed! Pardon me If ask whert
is it to be found?
"I could see no great residence as !
drove here today; of whom may this
high h-class society consist"
"Gentlemen named Goethe, Schiller
and Macaulay; ladies known as Burow,
Madame de Stael and Madame George
Eliot"
"Dear young lady! your answer, eX'
cuse me, betrays the rIstc" remarked
thn Dornn;u with infpitn oonrait